Today is International Overdose Awareness Day! Data proves the enactment of marijuana laws is playing a positive role in combating America’s opioid crisis by reducing opioid overdose fatalities, misuse, dependency, and opioid-related hospitalizations. Help us spread the word and contact your lawmakers today!
Category: opioids
Nevada’s Opioid Task Force Continues to Explore Options
After establishing the Governor’s Opioid State Action Accountability Task Force and requesting federal assistance to address Nevada’s opioid crisis, Governor Sandoval is exploring all options to combat the issue. Study after study has concluded that access to marijuana can reduce or eliminate the use of opioids in patients struggling with chronic pain.
Study: Medical Cannabis Access Laws Associated With Fewer Workplace Fatalities
Medical cannabis access programs are associated with year-over-year declines in fatal workplace accidents, according to data published online ahead of print in The International Journal of Drug Policy. Authors concluded, “This reduction may be the result of workers substituting marijuana in place of alcohol and other substances that can impair cognitive function and motor skills.”
Colorado Lawmakers Explore Solutions for Opioid Epidemic
Colorado’s Opioid and Other Substance Use Disorders Study Committee was established to explore what other states are doing to address substance use disorders, explore harm reduction, treatment, and recovery option, and of course identify possible legislative solutions.
Study: Patients Report Herbal Cannabis Provides Insomnia Relief
The use of herbal cannabis is associated with reductions in self-perceived insomnia severity, according to data published in the online, open-access journal Medicines. Authors concluded, “The widespread apparent use of cannabis as a sleep aid underscores the importance of further medical research regarding its risk-benefit profile and the effectiveness of cannabis as a substitute for other substances.”
Denver Mayor Ignores Science in Opioid Response Strategic Plan
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock recently unveiled his plan to address the Mile High City’s opioid epidemic, but failed to acknowledge the role marijuana can play in combating prescription drug abuse. Several observational studies have established a correlation between the enactment of medical marijuana laws and a reduction in opioid-related use, drug spending, abuse, hospitalization, and mortality.
Study: Medical Cannabis Access Associated With Significant Reduction In Prescription Opioid Use
The enactment of medical cannabis access laws is associated with significant reductions in prescription opioid use among Medicaid enrollees, according to just-published data in the journal Addiction. Authors reported, “For Schedule III opioid prescriptions, medical cannabis legalization was associated with a 29.6 percent reduction in number of prescriptions, 29.9 percent reduction in dosage, and 28.8 percent reduction in related Medicaid spending.”
Kentucky NORML: Cannabis Access Associated with Reduced Rates of Opioid Use and Abuse
KY NORML is passionate about education. And with the opioid epidemic consuming our state, we feel that it is our duty to share valuable information regarding the relationship between cannabis and opioids.
New York: State-Commissioned Report Will Recommend Legalizing Marijuana
A forthcoming report commissioned by the Governor’s office is set to recommend that lawmakers legalize and regulate the possession and sale of marijuana by adults.
Study: Majority Of Chronic Pain Patients Replace Opioids With Cannabis
More than two-thirds of chronic pain patients registered to legally access medical cannabis products substitute marijuana for prescription opioids, according to data published in The Journal of Headache and Pain Among those patients diagnosed specifically with headache/migraine, cannabis was frequently reported as a substitute for other medications – including opiates (43 percent), anti-depressants (39 percent), NSAIDS (21 percent), triptans (8 percent), and anti-convulsants (8 percent).