Continuing our spotlight coverage of the opioid crisis, our previous post had an overview of various studies showing the value of medical cannabis in mitigating some of the worst consequences of the epidemic.
Here’s a closer look at one of the key studies that was done and published in one of the scientifically conservative and widely respected JAMA Internal Medicine Journal in 2014… …and the findings have been confirmed and extended by others since.
“Researchers looked at medical marijuana laws and death certificate data in all 50 states between the years of 1999 and 2010. During that time, only 13 states had medical marijuana laws in place. Researchers quickly noticed that the rates of fatal opioid overdoses were significantly lower in states that had legalized medical marijuana. In 2010 alone, states with legalized medical marijuana saw approximately 1,700 fewer opiate-related overdose deaths.
‘We found there was about a 25 percent lower rate of prescription painkiller overdose deaths on average after implementation of a medical marijuana law,’ lead study author Dr. Marcus Bachhuber said.”
The article also refers to another study designed to identify the major pain-relieving components of cannabis:
“In a 2011 study published in the journal Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, researchers suggest the following medical cannabis components offer pain-relieving properties:
Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta-9 THC)
Cannabidiol (CBD)
Cannabinol (CBN)
Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV)”
We know medical cannabis helps with opioid problems. All of these studies aren’t some giant coincidence. And what the country needs to deploy it is for our law and policy makers to pay attention to the facts and summon the political will to act compassionately
It can never hurt to let your elected representatives know how you feel about using this already safe and tested tool for opioid harm reduction…
Find your Rep: http://ift.tt/2fh1nur
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#MMJ #Research #Opioids #OpioidAbuseReduction #UtahNext #TRUCE
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See full article – Legalizing Marijuana Decreases Fatal Opiate Overdoses, Study Shows
