Journal of American Medicine: Legalizing Marijuana Could Help Solve the Opioid Crisis

[DonViejo]

Source: Mediate



by Rachel Dicker | 11:01 am, April 5th, 2018

Two large papers published in JAMA Internal Medicine Monday may point to an unlikely solution to the opioid crisis – marijuana legalization.

According to the papers, which analyzed over five years of Medicare Part D and Medicaid prescription data, in states that legalized marijuana, opioid prescriptions and the daily dose of opioids drastically decreased – by a rate of 40 fewer opioid prescriptions per 1,000 people each year in one study, or 4 percent, and 14 percent fewer prescriptions in the other study. These drops were even more drastic in states which legalized both medical and recreational weed.

“In this time when we are so concerned — rightly so — about opiate misuse and abuse and the mortality that’s occurring, we need to be clear-eyed and use evidence to drive our policies,” W. David Bradford, an economist at the University of Georgia and an author of one of the studies, told Stat News. “If you’re interested in giving people options for pain management that don’t bring the particular risks that opiates do, states should contemplate turning on dispensary-based cannabis policies.”

This research supports smaller 2014 research findings that states with medical marijuana laws had almost 25 percent fewer deaths from opioid overdoses. These papers are the first to connect marijuana legalization to prescription painkillers with data sets of such a large scale.

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https://www.mediaite.com/online/journal-of-american-medicine-legalizing-marijuana-could-help-solve-the-opioid-crisis/


Read more: https://www.mediaite.com/online/journal-of-american-medicine-legalizing-marijuana-could-help-solve-the-opioid-crisis/

[BobTheSubgenius]

1. Won't someone think about the private prisons?

This would be a serious blow to their bottom line. Who wouldn't rather see those fascists having gold-plated Gulfstreams than humane and sensible laws?

[Nay]

2. An "unlikely solution"? Docs, MJ users, and even police have been screaming

for 40 years that pot should be legalized for all sorts of reasons, one of which is that it is an inexpensive (if you grow your own) solution to quite a few medical issues including pain, depression, etc. It's not like that solution hasn't been screamed from the rooftops forever.

It's only the PTB who want to keep it illegal so they can fill their for-profit prisons and keep the cops busy. Oh, and to keep people on edge so they're easier to manipulate.

[mountain grammy]

3. Aside from the incurable disease of ignorance,

I wish Sessions would contract something only cannabis would help.. I wish him a slow agonizing death with a copy of High Times shoved up his tight little ass. My daily fantasy.

The big problem, like here in Colorado, even where cannabis is legal, you can't get a job or will lose your job if it's in your system.. this problem has to be addressed, pronto!

[Voltaire2]

4. Medical Doctors dont know shit.

The DEA studied pot very carefully and determined it is extremely dangerous and should remain a schedule one drug.

Stupid doctors should mind their own business.

[Aristus]

13. You forgot:

[jalan48]

5. I thought we needed more study on the subject?

[irisblue]

6. this will give Beauregard Sessions a headache.

And maybe, a little less in his accounts.

[TeamPooka]

7. Legalizing cannabis can save the world. nt

[lark]

9. Yes indeed and that's why repugs hate it.

[lark]

8. drumpf and Sessions support opioids because it lines their pockets with profits from private

prison industry and big pharma. It also keeps a lot of young minorities from voting, another reason repugs love opioids and hate mj.

[BadGimp]

10. Precisely why BIG {HARMA has ALWAYS fought the fake war on Cannabis

[Heartstrings]

11. I could get a script today from my neurologist for my migraines

IF it were legal in my state....

Because it sure helps with the pain and nausea!

[WheelWalker]

12. However, Cannabis is widely known to cause protracted pain in Big Pharma's collective ass.

[LakeArenal]

14. Well, duh....

Many of us have been doing that research for decades. I guess we could say... Told ya so....