According to a report this year from the esteemed Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), fatal overdoses caused by prescription painkillers dropped dramatically in states where cannabis is legal for medical and recreational use.
Access to medical cannabis, according to the study, is responsible for an overall 25% drop in fatalities associated with prescription drugs taken for chronic pain. The study also expects such fatalities to continue to drop as cannabis reform across the country allows more people to legally access the drug for medical purposes.
Study authors in fact believe that people who have chronic pain tend to rely on medical cannabis when they have this option, which also dramatically reduces the risk of addiction and overdose of other used medications.
“We think that people with chronic pain may be choosing to treat their pain with cannabis rather than with prescription painkillers, in states where this is legal,” said lead author Dr. Marcus Bachhuber, a researcher with the Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion at the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
The impact of this study, particularly for veterans as a result, might be significant in the next few years as some kind of federal reform becomes a more reachable goal. Such far reaching conclusions by respected medical researchers are also likely to play into policy decisions particularly over local bans and higher taxes in many states. With that said, research like the analysis in the JAMA study only adds to the debate about the necessity of access for medical patients to not only relieve their pain, but to shine light on the advantages, both personally and societally, of continuing to supply access to medicinal cannabis.
This piece first appeared in Culture Magazine.
As a pain management patient myself, this does not surprise me at all! I cannot express how much I would love to get off these medications! Unfortunately the state I live in has not yet legalized medical marijuana; however, I am watching and waiting for the day. You would think between all the medical benefits of marijuana and the studies showing the reduced violence associated with its use our society would screaming for Washington to change its classification to schedule II. However, with continued reporting like the New York Times article on Heroine (posted on your site); many people will never learn the real unbiased, unadulterated truth about marijuana. You are right, we need to tell better written honest stories!Thanks for your efforts!
Meanwhile in Indonesia they just executed a bunch of people for drug smuggling. Executed them. Small time dealers. Thank God the US is getting closer to understanding that the ‘war on drugs’ is a colossal failure.
Legalize it in Pennsylvania already ..the rate of just Veterans on pain medication is through the roof .. this state is stale .. at the rate it’s going with the people on pain meds especially percocet they’ll be a shortage eventually .. let’s get on.the ball Pennsylvania wake up and smell the weed