Chicago, IL: Opioid prescription rates decline following the opening of licensed marijuana retailers, according to data published in the scientific journal Cannabis.
A team of researchers affiliated with the University of Chicago and the University of Georgia assessed the relationship between the establishment of state-licensed cannabis retailers and the use of prescription painkillers. Researchers tracked opioid prescription trends, as well as prescription rates for NSAIDS and other pain medications, for 13 years.
Consistent with the findings of prior studies, investigators reported declining rates of prescription opioid use following the legalization of cannabis access. However, changes in patients’ use of NSAIDs were not statistically significant following legalization. Researchers speculated that the availability of marijuana retailers may encourage patients to switch from exclusively using opioids to concurrently using cannabis and NSAIDs to manage their pain symptoms.
“Overall, we find recreational cannabis dispensary openings are associated with a significant decrease in opioid fills among commercially insured adults in the US,” the study’s authors concluded. “Our study adds to the growing evidence of the substitutability of cannabis for opioids and non-opioid pain medications. … Importantly, this study provides evidence of potential concomitant use of cannabis and non-opioid pain medications as an alternative to opioids when individuals have easier access to legal cannabis through recreational dispensaries.”
Prior assessments have similarly linked marijuana access laws to declines in the use of other medications, including benzodiazepines, antidepressants, and sleep aids.
Full text of the study, “Recreational cannabis laws and fills of pain prescriptions in the privately insured,” appears in Cannabis. Additional information is available from the NORML Fact Sheet, ‘Relationship Between Marijuana and Opioids.’