Cannabinoid-based Medications for Pain Raymond M. St. Marie, MD; Raphael J. Leo, MA, MD Current Psychiatry, 2021, 20(5), 21-33. Abstract and Introduction Introduction Against the backdrop of an increasing opioid use epidemic and a marked acceleration of prescription opioid–related deaths,[1,2] there has been an impetus to explore the usefulness of alternative and co-analgesic agents to assist patients with chronic pain. Preclinical studies employing animal-based models of human pain syndromes have demonstrated that cannabis and chemicals derived from cannabis extracts may mitigate several pain conditions.[3] Because there are significant comorbidities between psychiatric disorders and chronic pain, psychiatrists are likely to care for patients with chronic pain. As [...]