Confirming Big Pharma Fears, Study Suggests Medical Marijuana Laws Decrease Opioid Use

[n2doc]

Lauren McCauley, staff writer

It is of little wonder that Big Pharma has been exposed actively undermining efforts to legalize marijuana, after new research on Thursday found a drop in the use of opioid painkillers in that states that allow people to treat pain with good, ol' Mary Jane.

The study, published in the American Journal of Public Health, examined data on traffic fatalities in 18 states and analyzed the cases in which the presence of opioids was detected. In states that had operational medical marijuana laws, which included either "allowances for home cultivation or active dispensaries," the Columbia University researchers found "a significant reduction in opioid positivity for drivers aged 21 to 40 years."

Thus, the researchers concluded that such laws "may reduce opioid use and overdose."

"We would expect the adverse consequences of opioid use to decrease over time in states where medical marijuana use is legal, as individuals substitute marijuana for opioids in the treatment of severe or chronic pain," explained lead author June H. Kim, a doctoral student in the Department of Epidemiology at Columbia's Mailman School of Public Health.

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http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/09/16/confirming-big-pharma-fears-study-suggests-medical-marijuana-laws-decrease-opioid

[ffr]

1. One of my R friends was just talking about Mj yesterday

He was parroting the meme that Mj use was becoming an epidemic. But now I suppose there was a reason why he brought this up from out of the blue. He probably heard it from RW radio. I wonder if the talking heads were broadcasting Pharma's talking point to undermine efforts to legalize marijuana. Hmm. Not a stretch in my mind. He's easily duped.

Funny thing is, he has a history of Mj use, so he's parroting the talking point against himself really. I hope for his sake that they don't one day tell him to put a gun to his head. He'll follow their orders blindly.

[Faux pas]

2. If it wasn't for Mary Jane

Vicodin would be my opiate of choice.

[safeinOhio]

4. Due to a painful condition I have

I have not been able to sleep very long. One doc want me to take vicodin and another ambient. refused both for many reason. With my medical card I can now take about 2 puffs and fall right back to sleep. Best part is I wake up with no after effects.

[Faux pas]

6. Good for you safeinOhio!

Here's to continued healing.

[pscot]

3. Some gateway drug!

The argument has always been that reefer leads inevitably to heroin addiction and utter damnation. The alcohol pushers are also fighting legalization

[SCVDem]

5. Greed and Racism

That's why mj is illegal.

Pissed off big pharma.

[Aristus]

7. I seem to remember reading somewhere that during the effort to criminalize it

back in the 30's, the powers that be gave cannabis the name 'marijuana', in order to give it a whiff of sinister exoticism.

Any truth to that story?