Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

posted by on Friday March 17 2017, @05:04PM   Printer-friendly
from the better-solutions dept.

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.


Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
  • (Score: 3, Funny) by dyingtolive on Friday March 17 2017, @07:47PM (4 children)

    by dyingtolive (952) on Friday March 17 2017, @07:47PM (#480585)

    Dude. It's Michigan. It's like Texas with a higher failure rate. I've literally never heard of anything good happening there outside of, like, one band I can think of off the top of my head.

    I get that you hate it. But seriously, you could have walked out of there by now. Get a backpack and a sleeping bag and just start walking in a direction. If you hit water, follow it, sooner or later you're going to be free.

    --
    Don't blame me, I voted for moose wang!
    Starting Score:    1  point
    Moderation   +1  
       Funny=1, Total=1
    Extra 'Funny' Modifier   0  
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  

    Total Score:   3  
  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday March 17 2017, @07:58PM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday March 17 2017, @07:58PM (#480589)

    Um, ex-Michigan native here... Michigan's largest contributions are historical. Look up the importance of the St. Lawrence river and shipping some time. Water way from the Atlantic ocean to places like Detroit, Chicago, Duluth, etc. And depending on your interpretation, Ford and GM came from there... and they where.... at least at one time good? What about Motown? Yeah as of late I can admit not a lot that is any good has come from Michigan but we had our glory days once.

  • (Score: 1) by kurenai.tsubasa on Friday March 17 2017, @08:35PM

    by kurenai.tsubasa (5227) on Friday March 17 2017, @08:35PM (#480610) Journal

    It must be nice not to have any obligations.

  • (Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Friday March 17 2017, @10:00PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday March 17 2017, @10:00PM (#480653)

    Ok, how long before the magic happens? I've hit water and I must have been, like, 8 times round this pond.