Skip to content

LEGALIZING CANNABIS LINKED TO LESS OPIOID PRESCRIPTIONS, COULD HELP COMBAT EPIDEMIC, SCIENTISTS SAY

December 18, 2019 / Arfinn Med MD /

LEGALIZING CANNABIS LINKED TO LESS OPIOID PRESCRIPTIONS, COULD HELP COMBAT EPIDEMIC, SCIENTISTS SAY

There are less opioid prescriptions on average in U.S. states where medical and recreational marijuana are legal, research has revealed.

Access to recreational cannabis in the U.S. was tied with a 11.8 percent lower rate of opioids prescriptions each day, and 4.2 percent for medical marijuana. The authors of the paper published in the Journal of Health Economics said recreational weed laws could make it easier for patients to access the drug, and use it to treat pain and other conditions.

Both types of law also appeared to cut down the total number of patients receiving opioids, as well as the total days opioids were supplied, and the likelihood of a healthcare provider prescribing the painkillers. The study also showed family physicians gave out more opioids than any other healthcare speciality, such as dentists or nurses.

Read Full Article Here

Stories you may be interested in

IBD and Cannabinoid Medicine

With an estimated 3.1 million adults diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD) in the United States, it’s natural that many people are asking about the possible benefits of cannabis for the symptoms associated with IBD. In fact, the University of Michigan Health Department received so many questions regarding this issue, that they released a Q&A…
Read More →

After A Decade Of Testing, Israeli Medical Cannabis Comes To The US

Cannabis is still federally illegal, so while more than 30 US states allow doctors to recommend it, there is very little medical testing of the substance in America. In Israel however, medical cannabis has been legal for more than ten years and studies on the plant’s ability to alleviate the side-effects of cancer and ease…
Read More →

Colorado looks to medical marijuana to ease opioid crisis

As the nation grapples with an opioid crisis that kills more than 130 people every day, Colorado thinks a solution may lie in a joint, a vape pen or a topical. On Friday, it becomes the third state in the nation after New York and Illinois to allow doctors to recommend medical marijuana for any condition…
Read More →

What You Need to Know About CBD Oil

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-intoxicating extract from the hemp plant that is a natural remedy for many ailments like epilepsy, insomnia, nausea, anxiety and more. A popular method of taking CBD is in the form of an oil, which is made from pulling cannabidiol from the cannabis plant and diluting it with another oil. Once…
Read More →

Florida doctors face new rules for medical marijuana (And how Arfinn Med can help)

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – New rules laying out the do’s and don’ts physicians must follow when certifying patients to smoke medical marijuana took effect last week, but it’s not clear that doctors or patients are fully aware of them. Patients certified or recertified to smoke medical marijuana must sign a new standardized consent form as of last…
Read More →

You Can Get A Master’s In Medical Cannabis In Maryland

Summer Kriegshauser is one of 150 students in the inaugural class of the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s Master of Science in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics, the first graduate program of its type in the country. This will be Kriegshauser’s second master’s degree and she hopes it will offer her a chance to change careers. “I…
Read More →

Leave a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.