Medical Marijuana: Potential to Reduce Painkiller Abuse
The LA Times reported that a new study led by the University of Pennsylvania’s Dr. Marcus A. Bachhuber, published Monday in the journal JAMA International Medicine, has found that prescription opiate drug related deaths have fallen in 13 states after they legalized medical marijuana. The decline in opiate related deaths in these states reached up to 33% 6 years after the legalization laws were passed. Currently 23 states allow for the use of medicinal marijuana, and the states of Colorado and Washington allow for legal recreational use of the plant.
The conventional idea about the medical implications of marijuana is being challenged as a growing body of research suggested that marijuana’s psychoactive ingredients can enhance the pain-killing effects of opiates. This would allow patients prescribed these drugs to take smaller, less dangerous doses. Dr. Donald Abrams, a UC San Francisco oncologist unrelated to the study stated, “It’s so apparent that our patients can decrease, diminish or wean themselves completely off of opiates, and that it improves their quality of life.” The study authors wrote that patients who may need opioid medication for pain may never go on them if they can receive pain relieving benefits from marijuana. The possibility for marijuana to be used in place of prescription benzodiazepine drugs for anxiety, which also have a high potential for overdose, was mentioned in the study.
However, there are still many that are not persuaded by these studies and believe that marijuana isn’t a safer alternative to opioids. Kevin Sabet, the director of the University of Florida Drug Policy Institute, says that while interesting and promising, the study suffers from too many uncertainties. More studies are expected to be conducted this coming year which has caused the government to increase the amount of marijuana it will grow this coming year from 46 pounds to 1,433 pounds for research purposes. These studies will allow physicians and government officials to draw conclusions on the medicinal benefits of marijuana.
http://www.unitedpatientsgroup.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/medical-marijuana.jpg
Sources:
http://www.latimes.com/science/la-sci-medical-marijuana-20140826-story.html
http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-government-marijuana-20140827-story.html
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Often times when people first hear that I am from Colorado, they ask me about the legalization of marijuana in my state. Of course less people are concerned with its health benefits and most are merely interested in its potential as a recreational drug, but I concede that it has benefits even beyond what you mentioned as a sort of opiate replacement. Being in Colorado as the state debated whether to legalize marijuana or not exposed me to many different sides of the issue. Regardless of my personal opinion over the issue, I can attest to the impact it has had on the state. The medical benefits that marijuana permits are just one aspect of all that its legalization can improve. The taxes imposed on marijuana are allowing the state to collect immense amounts of profit. According to Forbes Magazine,in January of this year alone, Colorado gained $2 million in tax profit thanks to the sale of legal marijuana. Considering the amount of money that the state can gain from the sale of marijuana, the potential to minimize drug-related crime, and an immense potential to aid the lives of countless people who are hurting and experiencing illnesses that could be alleviated with this drug, I question why other states are not jumping on the opportunity to legalize marijuana. I appreciate your take on the issue, looking at the problem from an objective point of view as opposed to being merely interested in the recreational potential of the drug, as many people often are.
I already commented but entirely forgot to cite this article:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2014/03/11/its-no-toke-colorado-pulls-in-millions-in-marijuana-tax-revenue/
There is evidence to prove that medical marijuana has been an asset in saving prescription drug overdose from drugs such as Vicodin, Percocet and OxyContin. However, the debate about whether or not “sweeping” conclusions can be made is debatable. At this point in time there is little evidence to truly support that marijuana is a much safer and more effective alternative. Critics are curious about how the data regarding the life saving effects of marijuana as an alternative to prescription drugs was analyzed. There is a lot of research that still needs to be done. There is definite potential with medical marijuana, but there is no doubt that many more conversations need before there is sufficient evidence, and before everyone is truly convinced. Given the controversy over the legalization of marijuana in many states, this topic in particular is incredibly controversial.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/08/25/medical-marijuana-prescription-drugs-study/14572193/