The Free Thought Project reports via AlterNet
There's one thing that appears to be saving more lives during the opioid epidemic than anything else--medical cannabis. While government touts meaningless attempts at addressing the problem--paying lip service to the people while protecting Big Pharma's profits and filling jails--people are saving themselves by turning to an ancient plant.
Yet another scientific study has confirmed that medical cannabis access reduces harm from opioid abuse among the population. A recent study published in the Drug and Alcohol Dependency journal found that states with legal medical cannabis experience fewer hospitalizations related to opioids.
"Medical marijuana legalization was associated with 23% and 13% reductions in hospitalizations related to opioid dependence or abuse and [opioid pain reliever] OPR overdose, respectively; lagged effects were observed after policy implementation."
Researchers from the University of California analyzed hospital administrative records for the period of 1997 to 2014. The author reported:
"This study demonstrated significant reductions on OPR- (opioid pain reliever) related hospitalizations associated with the implementation of medical marijuana policies. ... We found reductions in OPR-related hospitalizations immediately after the year of policy implementation as well as delayed reductions in the third post-policy year."
The data also show that cannabis-related hospitalizations did not increase after legalization, contrary to what prohibitionists would have you believe.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by LoRdTAW on Friday March 17 2017, @10:49PM (1 child)
Friend of mine did the same thing. They gave him something along the lines of Vicodin or hydrocodone. It made him nauseous and disoriented. Just completely shitty. He switched to smoking weed and took advil. Not only did it numb the pain, but he could also eat. The choice between the overpriced "legal" crap and cheaper weed is a no-brainer.
It's going to be a tough fight to legalize because a LOT of fat cats stand to loose a shit load of money if it's legalized. Drug companies, Alcohol industry, Law Enforcement vendors, Prison companies, and I'm sure a whole lot more. Not to mention we get to deal a huge blow against the drug cartels, who like the bootleggers, will simply go away.
Hell I'm gonna smoke a bowl right now.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday March 17 2017, @10:56PM
Lets see... $360 for a 30 day supply of fentanyl patches which comes with addiction, side effects, withdrawals, shitty pain relief, and possible death... or $90 for a 60 day supply of weed which almost cuts the pain level to nothing, no withdrawals, and is not addictive. No brainer.