Prescription Medication use in the U.S. for Sleep Issues, Anxiety Disorders, Depression and Severe Pain have skyrocketed in the last two decades. Unlike alcohol consumption, where people do it out of choice and lifestyle, many people feel that doctor prescribed medication sometimes seem like their only option.
Some interesting (and horrifying) information on Opioid Pain Medication:
Compared to the year 2000, deaths for U.S. adults have increased almost 1500% due to Opioid Pain Medication, and subsequent abuse.
In 2019, there were just under 48,000 deaths related to opioid Pain Medication Abuse.
In 2019, 81,000 Additional U.S. adults tried Heroin for the first time (as a last alternative when prescriptions run out for pain medicine)
Some interesting (and horrifying) information on Anti-Depressants and Anti-Anxiety Medication:
Compared to the year 2000, the number of U.S. adults taking these medications has increases have increased almost 640%.
In 2019, almost 13% of US citizens over 12 years of age took anti-depressant medication.
Of these patients, Women were more than twice as likely as men to take them.
Most Psychiatrists and Psychologists will admit that these medications have no clear way to stop taking and have wildly different results for different patients.
The major side effects listed for popular anti-depressant medications almost all include (sleep problems and insomnia, decreased sex drive, major changes in appetite, and worsening depression and suicidal thoughts.
It gets even more complicated when doctors that prescribe these medicines often work in states without access to medical or recreational cannabis, as well as receiving no formal training on medical cannabis. It is a very challenging situation for doctors that have relied on certain treatments for years, to have to learn a whole new treatment method; especially one that is still considered federally illegal in many parts of the county.
At Healthy Swap, we are not opposed to prescription medication. Fir millions of people, taking prescription sleep, pain or anxiety medication has ben life changing and extremely helpful. The issue that we have, is that cannabis can be an excellent, and often superior and more healthy option for these symptoms, and most doctors won’t even consider it as a possible treatment.
If you are looking for a doctor trained in how to effectively prescribe and use cannabis, then www.MarijuanaDoctors.com is an excellent resource for finding doctors in your geographic area to help guide you through the process.