Medical marijuana legalization has been the target of debate for years. Pro-legalization individuals cite that cannabis is natural and provides numerous health benefits while anti-legalization individuals highlight negative side effects and unknown long-term health risks. Both parties agree that marijuana use has not been researched enough to make conclusive statements. However, new data regarding the effects of medical marijuana on opioid usage and overdose rates may tip the scales in favor of legalization.
Accessible marijuana prescriptions could reduce the number of individuals seeking opioid prescriptions. Overprescribing is a significant factor in opioid misuse. In one study (released by JAMA Internal Medicine), medical marijuana led to a 6% reduction in opioid prescriptions. That doesn’t sound like much, but it adds up to 39 fewer people on opioids out of every 1,000 on medicare. Of the opioid prescriptions that are written, 14% fewer prescriptions are filled in states that have marijuana dispensaries. It should be noted that these studies rely on Medicare and Medicaid data so it’s unknown if the statistics would hold true for the rest of the U.S. population.
Another approach to consider is a combination of THC or cannabis plus a lower-dose opioid. Coadministration reduces the likelihood of opioid dependence and they have been found to be synergistic as analgesics (pain relievers). If someone is trying to break an opioid addiction, cannabis can help reduce withdrawal symptoms. However, there is a thing called cannabis use disorder (CUD) which presents issues of its own. As crackdowns on opioid prescription practices continue, alternatives need to be in place to keep individuals from seeking dangerous street alternatives. My next post will take a look at how fentanyl makes its way into other drugs and methods for detecting it.
Sources:
- https://www.wthitv.com/content/news/Report-Indiana-opioid-prescriptions-fell-by-35-since-2013-511405942.html
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6135562/
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/access-to-medical-marijuana-reduces-opioid-prescriptions-2018050914509
- https://drugpolicy.org/sites/default/files/marijuana-and-opioids_fact_sheet_may-2018_0.pdf
- https://www.drugabuse.gov/news-events/science-highlight/medical-marijuana-laws-opioid-overdose-rates
Image source: https://www.sbis.ca/insurance-issues-in-the-medical-marijuana-debate-in-canada.html
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