We need to talk about cannabis and pain relief

It isn’t the first time that a new wonder drug has hit the market, promising to treat all manner of ills, writes Ian Hamilton

We can’t blame people for thinking that cannabis products will treat pain, given the information they are exposed to (AFP via Getty Images)

Pain is big business. It is something all of us experience at one time or another, some of us unfortunately to a greater degree and for a longer period.

The latest medicine to enter an already crowded market is the UK’s favourite illicit drug, cannabis. To demonstrate just how much attention and investment is being directed towards the potential cannabis has to treat pain, Pfizer, one of the larger pharmaceutical companies, has invested $6.7bn (£5.5bn) in acquiring a smaller company that has been researching this potential.

It wouldn’t be the first time that a new wonder drug has hit the market, promising to treat all manner of ills – including pain. History is littered with examples of new pills for pain relief and other conditions that were more about marketing ability than impact on suffering.