Activists Hope Record Support For Marijuana Can Help Fight Opioid Addiction
Opioid deaths contributed to the first drop in U.S. life expectancy since 1993 and eclipsed deaths from motor vehicle accidents in 2015, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A study published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence, found hospital visits for complications from prescription painkillers are dropping in states with legal weed. The hospitalization rate for opioid abuse and dependence in states with medical marijuana are roughly 23 percent lower than states without legal access . . .Emergency room visits for opioid overdoses are on average 13 percent lower than states without medical marijuana programs . . .Medical researchers are not claiming pot will “solve” the opioid epidemic, but the study adds to a growing body of evidence that marijuana can be effective. Researchers trying to study the efficacy of marijuana as an alternative painkiller to opioids continue to face roadblocks to research and a federal government that is hostile to the idea of easing restrictions on pot. Recent studies suggest marijuana can be an effective pain treatment and does not come with the risks of debilitating addiction . . .Research released in February from the University of British Columbia and University of Victoria suggests patients suffering from chronic pain and mental health conditions will choose marijuana over their addictive prescription drugs when doctors give them a choice.
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