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from the enraging-drug-comapnies-everywhere dept.
Researchers have found that states with legalized medical cannabis saw declines in Medicare prescriptions for drugs such as opioids and antidepressants:
Research published [DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2015.1661] Wednesday found that states that legalized medical marijuana — which is sometimes recommended for symptoms like chronic pain, anxiety or depression — saw declines in the number of Medicare prescriptions for drugs used to treat those conditions and a dip in spending by Medicare Part D, which covers the cost on prescription medications.
Because the prescriptions for drugs like opioid painkillers and antidepressants — and associated Medicare spending on those drugs — fell in states where marijuana could feasibly be used as a replacement, the researchers said it appears likely legalization led to a drop in prescriptions. That point, they said, is strengthened because prescriptions didn't drop for medicines such as blood-thinners, for which marijuana isn't an alternative.
The study, which appears in Health Affairs, examined data from Medicare Part D from 2010 to 2013. It is the first study to examine whether legalization of marijuana changes doctors' clinical practice and whether it could curb public health costs.
The findings add context to the debate as more lawmakers express interest in medical marijuana. This year, Ohio and Pennsylvania passed laws allowing the drug for therapeutic purposes, making it legal in 25 states, plus Washington, D.C. The approach could also come to a vote in Florida and Missouri this November. A federal agency is considering reclassifying medical marijuana under national drug policy to make it more readily available.
Medical marijuana saved Medicare about $165 million in 2013, the researchers concluded. They estimated that, if medical marijuana were available nationwide, Medicare Part D spending would have declined in the same year by about $470 million. That's about half a percent of the program's total expenditures.
Less prescription opioids? It seems a few pharmaceutical companies have a reason to fear legal cannabis (as long as they aren't in the business of selling it).
(Score: 2) by Gravis on Thursday July 07 2016, @08:19PM
if you don't know what opioids are, understand this: heroin is an opioid. so basically, doctors are prescribing heroin to people and [surprise!] heroin is exceptionally addictive. how addictive are opioids? well, more people die of prescription opioid overdose than heroin. opioids should be an absolute last resort and come with an addiction treatment plan to get off of them.
this shit is exceptionally dangerous and it's overprescription is taking lives of people who would have been fine on a different pain killer.
(Score: 3, Informative) by takyon on Thursday July 07 2016, @08:25PM
I have a separate submission about opioids which has not been posted yet.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 07 2016, @08:37PM
Bunch of losers ruin the fun of everyone else. I for one want opiates for my broken arm or when my teeth or pulled. It's the only thing I look forward to when I get hurt.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 08 2016, @02:53AM
Or stub my toe.
(Score: 2) by LoRdTAW on Thursday July 07 2016, @08:47PM
Stuff is terrible.
I was in a doctors office when a patient barged into an office screaming that he was addicted to Oxycontin, demanded a refill, and threatened to sue everyone. He was jonesing pretty bad. I got the fuck out in case he started shooting. Wound up leaving on his own escorted by the buildings elderly security guard (dude had to be 65-70). Looking back at that incident, I'm relieved it wasn't a full on bloodbath. That dude was furious.
My mother was prescribed oxycodone for post knee surgery. She became extremely dizzy and nauseous and wound up taking Tylenol and dealing with the pain.
My friend switched to smoking weed after passing out while taking Oxycontin. Guess which one worked better?
(Score: 2) by Post-Nihilist on Thursday July 07 2016, @08:58PM
I was prescribed 20x10mg oxycondone once, I puked for about 3 hours on the first pill. I must admit that I had no pain whatsoever for the whole week that I took them however I felt like I had caught a common cold when my script ran out...
Be like us, be different, be a nihilist!!!
(Score: 2) by LoRdTAW on Thursday July 07 2016, @09:14PM
Yup, that's the same issue my mother had; she had had to vomit a few times. My friend just sat down to watch TV and blacked out. He was also nauseous but I don't know if he vomited.
(Score: 2) by Post-Nihilist on Thursday July 07 2016, @09:30PM
I also had hydromorphone IV once, just after a particularly rough wisdom teeth extraction. For a few hours, it felt like I was at the beach in paradise, the waves caressing my feet, the sun shinning on me, the sounds of the sea... 15 years later I still remember how good it felt.
Be like us, be different, be a nihilist!!!
(Score: 2) by butthurt on Thursday July 07 2016, @09:00PM
Thanks to fretting about the potential for addiction, we've come up with substitutes like paracetamol/acetaminophen for pain and phenylephrine for coughing, which have been found to work no better than placebo. Also there's paracetamol mixed with an opiate, so that addicts will get liver damage.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 07 2016, @09:41PM
phenylephrine for coughing
Phenylephrine is a barely working decongestant. I pretty sure you meant dextromethorphan... But DXM really works, just not at the recommended dosage. I make my own cough medicine : a gelcap filled with a glycerine solution of 66mg DXM HBr and 200 mg guaifenesin HCL, they give a little buzz but they really work.
(Score: 2) by butthurt on Thursday July 07 2016, @09:51PM
Oh, right, phenylephrine isn't sold as cough medicine. Thank you for the correction.
(Score: 2) by sjames on Friday July 08 2016, @05:03AM
It's clear you've never suffered blackout level pain. It doesn't matter what you take for it, you are effectively addicted to it until the pain subsides. Some people's pain never subsides.
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Friday July 08 2016, @11:50AM
Not really. Google "Rat Park", and actually learn about the subject before spouting the same old propaganda.
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by Gravis on Friday July 08 2016, @09:56PM
tell that to the people who have overdosed. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/US_timeline._Prescription_opioid_pain_reliever_deaths.jpg [wikimedia.org]
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Saturday July 09 2016, @08:40AM
Don't believe me - divide your chart by this chart: https://www.drugabuse.gov/sites/default/files/fig1test51414.jpg and it shows that nothing's changing over time apart from increased numbers of prescriptions. The doctors are actively encouraging this.
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves