Medical Marijuana Could Reduce Opiate Abuse in Oregon, Study Says
Thursday, September 04, 2014
The research, published on the JAMA Internal Medicine website, shows that states that have enacted successful medical marijuana programs prior to 2010 have a 24.8-percent lower annual death rate from opioid overdoses than states where medical marijuana was illegal prior to 2010.
“In summary, although we found a lower mean annual rate of opioid analgesic mortality in states with medical cannabis laws, a direct causal link cannot be established,” wrote the authors in the study.
The report, lead by Dr. Marcus A. Bachhuber at the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center, stated also that if further studies indicated, laws that promoted medical marijuana use might help reduce the rate of a state’s opioid overdoses.
The research raises questions about the role of opiates as a pain relief treatment option.
The percentage of patients who receive opiates for non-cancer pain has doubled over the past decade, which is why many are looking to alternative options to curb the heroin epidemic, as many heroin users begin their addiction though opiate prescriptions, according to the Center for Disease Control.
More Studies Needed
While the study shows there could be a link between medical marijuana implementation and a reduction in opiate overdoses, the study admits there is no direct correlation found between the two.
More studies and research are needed, said Maryanne Frangules, executive director of the Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery.
While medical cannabis might help reduce opiate addictions in the future, Frangules said, people should use caution when looking at the study's results.
“I find the study to be very interesting,” Frangules said. “I clearly want more information, because after all, this is only one study. We are definitely concerned about young people’s use of medical marijuana, so we want to make sure any changes made are to better public health.
"All I can say, is that in both cases these are still mind-altering substances, something we don’t need any more of.”
Changing Perceptions
Many medical marijuana advocates, however, hope the research will lead to more studies on the topic and help change perceptions about medical marijuana and its effectiveness as a treatment option.
Anna Schrab, co-owner of Americanna Rx, a medical marijuana dispensary in Portland, said people have been told that marijuana is a bad substance for so long that they often forget the medicinal purposes.
“I think that anything that could turn the tables to get a lower percentage of people using opiates, the better off we are,” said Schrab. “I think that medical marijuana has a lot of medicinal qualities that a lot of people aren’t aware of.”
Making Marijuana More Available
The study should serve as a platform both for more research and for the increased access of both medical and recreational marijuana, said Robert Capecchi, deputy director of state policy for the Marijuana Policy Project in Oregon.
Capecchi hopes to one day see marijuana in all forms legalized, regulated, and taxed, with some of the tax money going toward treatment of harmful drug addictions.
“In addition to this study raising questions about the implementation of medical marijuana, it also raises questions about looking at wider access for marijuana,” said Capecchi. “Medical marijuana is a lot safer, especially for newer patients who are not as familiar with dosage levels; there isn’t an opportunity for patients to overdose.
"It speaks volumes as to how we allow patients with chronic pain to treat it.”
Homepage Photo Credit: eggrole via Compfight cc
Related Articles
- MBank First in Oregon to Open Its Doors to Marijuana Industry
- Court Case Argues Portland Parking Tickets Are Not Valid
- Welcome to GoLocalPDX
Follow us on Pinterest Google + Facebook Twitter See It Read It