Marijuana dispensaries save lives, new study shows

[n2doc]

By Eric Levitz
The United States has a problem with painkillers. During the past 15 years, America has seen a tremendous growth in both the sales of prescription opiates and the number of people who die each year from abusing them. More than 16,000 people fatally overdosed on prescription painkillers in 2013, accounting for 60% of all overdose deaths, according to the Center for Disease Control. But a new study suggests that some states have already stumbled onto a means of curbing this fatal epidemic: Easily-accessible marijuana.

For the study, researchers from the RAND Corporation and the University of California-Irvine (UCI) examined whether, in the years following legalization, states that legalized marijuana had experienced reductions in fatal overdoses and addiction treatment center admissions relating to opioid abuse. The researchers found that these states experienced significant reductions in both measures of opioid misuse — but only if they had also legalized marijuana dispensaries.

In the six states where doctors are allowed to prescribe marijuana, but where retail dispensaries are prohibited, the study found “no evidence” of “reductions in substance abuse or mortality.” But in those 18 states where medical marijuana shops are allowed, they found a 16% reduction in “opioid-related mortality” and 28% reduction in opioid-abuse treatment admissions.

Critics of marijuana dispensaries often accuse them of fostering an environment of de facto legalization. In some states, once a doctor provides a qualifying card, the patient can purchase marijuana virtually at will. As Vox’s German Lopez writes, “Just about anyone can go to Venice Beach in Los Angeles, pay around $40 for a card, and legally buy and smoke a joint within five minutes.”

But it may be this very ease of “abuse” that allows dispensaries to prevent fatal overdoses.

more

http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/marijuana-dispensaries-save-lives-new-study-shows

[Hydra]

1. Another study supporting legalization

Big surprise. I think nationwide legalization is coming, and is long overdue. The various prohibitions have not made our societies better places as we were promised/threatened.

[RussBLib]

3. Congress isn't going to do it

...shit, they can't even find money to fix some bridges. As long as the Congress is in Republican hands, I think we can forget about federal legalization. President Obama could do some things by executive action, but I'm pretty sure that isn't one, and sadly, he doesn't seem all that interested in doing it.

Looks like it's up to the states.

[Hydra]

4. It will be the states

Basically, all the progressive progress is coming in spite of Congress and the Executive Branch. There was no support for Equal Rights for LBGTs in either group either because of political calculation or because they honestly hate the rainbows. Legalization has been fought tooth and nail by the both branches as well. The current racial issues were not tackled when they could have been either.

We're on our own- our "Leaders" are desperately enforcing status quo...and we don't have time for it. The climate change clock is ticking, and the answer (if it's not too late) is to dismantle the current system. They're not going to want to do that.

[truedelphi]

5. And it is bad news that it is happening at the state level.

Right now, GW Pharmaceutical is about to patent CBD oil and extracts. (They are a pharmacy in England.)

This means that once they achieve the patented status, they can stop dispensaries that utilize CBD. And one activist, Lynnette Shaw, is firmly convinced that they will utilize the patent to go after anyone using any cannabis - even their own home grown.

Calif's legislature is about to tighten up the regulations on medicinal use and dispensaries, allowing the local police more police state powers. (Should that legislation become law.)

The DOJ is not supposed to do any more busts in California - but there was a major bust in San Jose Calif over the past week. Not sure how it was accomplished. Supposedly Congress cut off the funding for raids, but they still seem to be on going.

And a person is arrested for marijuana every 36 minutes in this state. (Despite the Golden state's reputation as being super-liberal.) And often the penalty for attempting to do home grown is a SWAT style raid - so that your dogs are killed, and you are thrown to the floor. We are not necessarily meaning raids where massive quantities of pot are being grown - I have known people who had smallish gardens of 12 to 14 plants that got raided. Grow a few plants and watch them kill your dogs!

[Hydra]

6. I know, there have been fears about big tabacco and pharma capturing the movement

But the flip side is that Colorado and Washington have both gone full legal, and the collapse of civilization didn't happen in either place as predicted.

The Obama admin has done a horrible job in accepting the change that the voters want...but it's too big for them to stifle. Whether it's LBGT rights, legalization, the death of Capitalism or the end of big dirty energy...the train has already left the station, they're just trying to slow it down.

[truedelphi]

7. The problem for me is that they are slowing the train down using the lives of

people I know and care for.

In fact, the more that voters in other states wake up and vote in legalization, the harsher the stuff that is happening here in Calif.

[Hydra]

8. As you say, people are suffering and dying on the alter of the police and economic state

And it sickens me to see people defending/cheering for it. I don't know what I can do to help from here, but I hope public opinion there is against that, and that your own advocacy against it is going well

[Aristus]

2. I hope national legalization comes soon.

Since Washington State legalized cannabis, my 'new patient establishing for chronic pain' visits have cratered.

No more "I gotta have Percocet, man! It's the only thing that works!"

[Gregorian]

9. Talkling at the coop yesterday: Instead of being high on Vicodin, why not on Cheeba Chews?

I was questioning the high THC chew concentrated taffy candies, because i'm mostly looking for CBD's, she rightly stated that these candies are saving people from taking the pharmaceuticals.

Slowly, we're changing the direction of this ship. I find this highly optimistic from the standpoint of overall health of the species.