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posted by CoolHand on Thursday July 07 2016, @07:44PM   Printer-friendly
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).


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  • (Score: 1, Flamebait) by jmorris on Thursday July 07 2016, @10:32PM

    by jmorris (4844) on Thursday July 07 2016, @10:32PM (#371492)

    Ok, so spending went down because Medicare and Medicaid won't fund something the Feds still list as an illegal substance. But what the baked set don't want you to do is the thing they no longer can do, think beyond today and see the consequences of dumb behavior. Yes, people are now ditching one set of drugs for another that isn't covered and that is lowering costs. But once they win and get full legalization what happens? Yup, thee and me, the taxpayers, will be writing the check for people to get baked. All these Dr. Feelgoods writing 'prescriptions' for the magic herb that cures every malady known to man (according to the pro legalization zealots, just ask one and they will tell you... for hours) will still be handing them out but insurance, Medicare and Medicaid will be paying the bill. A whole grey market industry is already forming in the states that legalized, juts waiting for the Feds to also legalize so they can gain access to the banking system again AND start suckling the teat. Follow the money.

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  • (Score: 2) by butthurt on Thursday July 07 2016, @11:35PM

    by butthurt (6141) on Thursday July 07 2016, @11:35PM (#371515) Journal

    Would you say that marijuana has any valid medical uses, or does it have none?

    • (Score: 2) by jmorris on Thursday July 07 2016, @11:45PM

      by jmorris (4844) on Thursday July 07 2016, @11:45PM (#371518)

      It is like AGW, no longer possible to answer with Science because of too much intersection with Politics. But considering a) the high intersection between the same people pushing both, b) the fog of bullshit covering both I'd say the likelyhood is low and the advocates seem to know they are blowing smoke with most of the medical claims. That doesn't mean that if it were possible to do real Science on the subject some use couldn't be found, just that no result produced in this environment would be trustworthy.

      • (Score: 1) by kurenai.tsubasa on Friday July 08 2016, @03:31AM

        by kurenai.tsubasa (5227) on Friday July 08 2016, @03:31AM (#371625) Journal

        Simply amazing.

      • (Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Friday July 08 2016, @04:17AM

        by Azuma Hazuki (5086) on Friday July 08 2016, @04:17AM (#371640) Journal

        You need to chill. Smoke a nice big doob and just relax. This from Miss Straight Edge Except For Maybe 3 Drinks a Year.

        --
        I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
  • (Score: 2) by sjames on Friday July 08 2016, @05:07AM

    by sjames (2882) on Friday July 08 2016, @05:07AM (#371659) Journal

    And it will still be cheaper than the high dollar pain pills people are being prescribed now and with fewer bad outcomes.

    • (Score: 2) by jmorris on Friday July 08 2016, @05:34AM

      by jmorris (4844) on Friday July 08 2016, @05:34AM (#371667)

      Oh I love optimism. Just wait until it is Federally regulated and officially sold through pharmacies. Ever looked at how much markup they get on an aspirin at a hospital? Care to bet the price of official weed billed to insurance/Medicare/Medicaid makes street prices look reasonable?

      • (Score: 2) by sjames on Friday July 08 2016, @05:46AM

        by sjames (2882) on Friday July 08 2016, @05:46AM (#371672) Journal

        That's not a problem of the drugs, that's the Feds playing Santa Claus for the good little pharmaceutical companies rather than playing hardball like the rest of the world does.

  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by RedBear on Friday July 08 2016, @06:24AM

    by RedBear (1734) on Friday July 08 2016, @06:24AM (#371687)

    Ok, so spending went down because Medicare and Medicaid won't fund something the Feds still list as an illegal substance. But what the baked set don't want you to do is the thing they no longer can do, think beyond today and see the consequences of dumb behavior. Yes, people are now ditching one set of drugs for another that isn't covered and that is lowering costs. But once they win and get full legalization what happens? Yup, thee and me, the taxpayers, will be writing the check for people to get baked. All these Dr. Feelgoods writing 'prescriptions' for the magic herb that cures every malady known to man (according to the pro legalization zealots, just ask one and they will tell you... for hours) will still be handing them out but insurance, Medicare and Medicaid will be paying the bill. A whole grey market industry is already forming in the states that legalized, juts waiting for the Feds to also legalize so they can gain access to the banking system again AND start suckling the teat. Follow the money.

    Oh look, our resident ultra-conservative is still brainwashed into believing that marijuana is highly addictive (it isn't), that if you ever touch the stuff you immediately become a braindead pothead who tokes ganja 24/7 (you don't), that there are no legitimate medical uses for cannabis/THC (there are many), and that if we decriminalize marijuana he will personally be paying for every ounce of cannabis anyone wants to buy for both medical and recreational use. Also, starting and running a successful capitalist business is apparently a bad thing if it involves a substance that jmorris disapproves of.

    Thank you, jmorris, for being the truest token conservative we have. We love you, man. Never stop never stopping. You should certainly never stop not knowing anything about some of the the highly effective medications derived from cannabis that DO NOT ACTUALLY GET YOU HIGH.

    --
    ¯\_ʕ◔.◔ʔ_/¯ LOL. I dunno. I'm just a bear.
    ... Peace out. Got bear stuff to do. 彡ʕ⌐■.■ʔ
  • (Score: 2) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Friday July 08 2016, @03:34PM

    by GreatAuntAnesthesia (3275) on Friday July 08 2016, @03:34PM (#371831) Journal

    > the taxpayers, will be writing the check for people to get baked.

    Whereas the current situation is much better, where you are subsidising people addicted to more expensive and equally mind-altering opiates, antidepressants and whatever else.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 08 2016, @03:41PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 08 2016, @03:41PM (#371838)

    Ok, so spending went down because Medicare and Medicaid won't fund something the Feds still list as an illegal substance. ... Yup, thee and me, the taxpayers, will be writing the check for people to get baked. All these Dr. Feelgoods writing 'prescriptions' for the magic herb that cures every malady known to man (according to the pro legalization zealots, just ask one and they will tell you... for hours) [and I'm cutting off your run-on sentence right there.]

    But of course you feel the same way about someone receiving a Medicare prescription for morphine and that you're paying them to dope up, right? And oxycodone. And codeine. And........

    And of course, if it isn't on label usage and scientifically proven to treat, a Doctor cannot in no sense ever prescribe a drug off label.... no sir!

    (Plus I've never tried marijuana, ever. I'm not particularly in favor of legalizing it. But lighten up, Francis. You've succumbed to reefer madness.)