Study links marijuana legalization to fewer opioid prescriptions
By Jesse Hellmann
States that have legalized marijuana for medical or recreational purposes have seen fewer opioid prescriptions for Medicaid patients, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
States with medical marijuana laws had a 5.8 percent lower rate of Medicaid-covered prescriptions for opioids, the study found.
When states with existing medical marijuana laws began allowing recreational use of the drug, prescriptions for opioids dropped an additional 6.38 percent.
To read more: http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/381314-study-marijuana-legalization-tied-to-drops-in-prescriptions-of-opioids
