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Major Study Shows Legal Weed REVERSED a Decade of Rising Opioid Deaths in Colorado

Tudo

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Major Study Shows Legal Weed REVERSED a Decade of Rising Opioid Deaths in Colorado
In a recently published research study in a peer-reviewed journal, Melvin D. Livingston, Tracey E. Barnett, Chris Delcher, and Alexander C. Wagenaar, set out to see if any association existed between Colorado’s legalization of marijuana and opioid-related deaths in the state.

The researchers looked at all of the available data from the year 2000 to the year 2015. What they discovered may come as a shock to many. While the rest of the nation struggles with a burgeoning fatal opioid and heroin overdose crisis, the State of Colorado saw opioid deaths reduced while its population exploded.

It has long been stated that cannabis is a “gateway” drug, which leads users to experiment with other drugs, leading up to the most deadly, such as heroin. But the researchers in the study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that the availability of safe and legal cannabis actually reduced opiate deaths:

The researchers concluded, “Legalization of cannabis in Colorado was associated with short-term reductions in opioid-related deaths.”
There was a significant statistical decrease in opiate deaths in the two years immediately following the state’s decision to legalize marijuana for recreational use in the year 2012.
“After Colorado’s legalization of recreational cannabis sale and use, opioid-related deaths decreased more than 6% in the following 2 years.”

The study’s authors admit their research is made weaker by the fact that recreational cannabis is not legal nationwide. If it was, their methods and conclusions could be compared with research from other states where cannabis is legal.

They also admit that while cannabis has been legalized for recreational use in eight states and the District of Columbia, consuming cannabis does come with some risks as well, which must be studied. But the contribution to the discussion of whether or not cannabis should be legalized in all 50 states has been made and the researchers are confident in their methods of data collection as well as the results and conclusions they’ve drawn.

In other words, there are side effects with any drug consumed, both natural and chemical. However, as The Free Thought Project has reported on numerous occasions, cannabis is statistically, exponentially safer than any available opiate on the market. There was a 21 percent increase in drug-related deaths in 2016. Out of the
nearly 65,000 Americans who died—more than the number of casualties from the Vietnam War—75 percent were opioid-related deaths and 0 percent were cannabis-related deaths.

Last week, we brought you the story CBS’ 60 Minutes aired that revealed high-ranking DEA officials blew the whistle on the pain-killer pipeline of manufacturers and distributors, who illegally and unscrupulously distributed the dangerous and deadly prescription drugs to millions of Americans without repercussions. Instead of complying with the law, the drug companies simply recruited the DEA’s top lawyers to help craft legislation that would effectively tie the hands of the DEA’s enforcement division known as the “Diversion” unit.

When that happened, the DEA no longer had the power to financially fine the distributors for sending truckloads of opiates to counties with very few inhabitants. In other words, the distributors were supplying street-level dealers via a “legal” pipeline.

This week, President Trump announced that he would be declaring the opiate death dilemma a “national emergency.” New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was tapped by Trump earlier this year to explore ways to curb opioid abuse and overdoses. His committee’s first recommendation was to declare the phenomena a “national emergency,” but Trump’s cabinet and opiate commission have made troubling statements indicating that not only do they believe there is a pharmaceutical and monetary answer to the problem of opiate deaths, but there is a need for law enforcement to carry on its failed “War on Drugs.”

Christie’s commission concluded government healthcare programs should pay for opiate treatment (such as methadone clinics) and make Naloxone (Narcan) available to families across the country. Trump’s Attorney General Jeff Sessions believes police can manage the crisis. His head-in-the-sand type statements lead many to believe he is just going to carry on with business as usual. He’s recently made the following statements:
“Robust enforcement of our laws helps keep drugs out of our country, decreases their availability, drives up their price, and reduces their purity,” Sessions said.

President Trump later echoed Sessions’ sentiments earlier this years. “Strong law enforcement is absolutely vital to having a drug-free society,” he said. “I’m confident that by working with our health care and law enforcement experts we will fight this deadly epidemic and the United States will win.”

However, those baseless statements are a reminder that nothing the federal government is planning to do to end the opioid crisis will actually work. While Sessions and Trump may not be ready to acknowledge it, the times are changing. Even Dr. Oz admitted, “medical marijuana might offer an option to help prevent you from ever getting opioids in the first place, and maybe help in getting you off of them.”

As TFTP reported in August, a first of its kind study was published that shows undeniable evidence of the ability of cannabis to treat opioid addiction by actively working to block the opioid reward in the brain.

If cannabis can reduce opioid-related deaths in Colorado by nearly 7 percent, at a time when the state’s population was rapidly increasing, then other states should start paying attention to the indications from research and should consider legalizing cannabis as an option to combat the ongoing opioid epidemic.


https://thefreethoughtproject.com/opioid-deaths-decreased-cannabis-legalization/
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Betterhaff

Active member
Veteran
It’s too bad the people in charge probably see this as propaganda from the pro-legalization crowd, if they even see it at all. We still have Sessions touting “just say No”, even if benefits are shown or proven.
 

Gypsy Nirvana

Recalcitrant Reprobate -
Administrator
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....and of course MILK is a gateway drug/food to alcohol addiction.

MILK is addictive and always makes us a bit sleepy, and we have been fed it since birth, and is a liquid like alcohol, so that makes even more sense than cannabis being a gateway drug to heroin addiction, wouldn't you agree?....lol
 

troutman

Seed Whore
....and of course MILK is a gateway drug/food to alcohol addiction.

MILK is addictive and always makes us a bit sleepy, and we have been fed it since birth, and is a liquid like alcohol, so that makes even more sense than cannabis being a gateway drug to heroin addiction, wouldn't you agree?....lol

Milk is the Gateway drug. I bet every hardcore drug addict or axe murderer drank milk at one time.

Time to start killing cows. :biggrin:
 

Gypsy Nirvana

Recalcitrant Reprobate -
Administrator
Veteran
Milk is the Gateway drug. I bet every hardcore drug addict or axe murderer drank milk at one time.

Time to start killing cows. :biggrin:

Yeah SURE....they need to get the Feds to start busting dairys and those scurrilous people that sneakily make YOGHURT in their basements!....not to mention the ones who make that dreaded milk concentrate CHEESE!
 

oldchuck

Active member
Veteran
....and of course MILK is a gateway drug/food to alcohol addiction.

MILK is addictive and always makes us a bit sleepy, and we have been fed it since birth, and is a liquid like alcohol, so that makes even more sense than cannabis being a gateway drug to heroin addiction, wouldn't you agree?....lol


Most of us Euro Americans are lactose tolerant. Most of the rest of the world is not. Add that in Gyp.
 

Gypsy Nirvana

Recalcitrant Reprobate -
Administrator
Veteran
Most of us Euro Americans are lactose tolerant. Most of the rest of the world is not. Add that in Gyp.

Oh yeah oldchuck?.....that's news to me....so the rest of the world has to suffer for America's MILK addiction?

*This is getting too silly.
 

Gypsy Nirvana

Recalcitrant Reprobate -
Administrator
Veteran
Getting back on topic

According to the American Academy of Pain Medicine, more than 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain. In an effort to relieve that constant pain, the number of opiate prescriptions has nearly doubled over the last decade. Today, opiates like hydrocodone, oxycodone, and morphine flood the streets, driving up addiction rates and fatal opiate overdoses.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has officially labeled the problem an “opiate epidemic.” As experts scramble to come up with a plan that combats the nation’s dependence on opiates, a new study published last week in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine indicates medical marijuana might be the key.

Over the past two decades, deaths from drug overdoses have become the leading cause of injury death in the United States. In 2011, 55 percent of drug overdose deaths were related to prescription medications; 75 percent of those deaths involved opiate painkillers. However, researchers found that opiate-related deaths decreased by approximately 33 percent in 13 states in the following six years after medical marijuana was legalized.

“The striking implication is that medical marijuana laws, when implemented, may represent a promising approach for stemming runaway rates of nonintentional opioid-analgesic-related deaths,” wrote opiate abuse researchers Dr. Mark S. Brown and Marie J. Hayes in a commentary published alongside the study.

Getting Down to the Numbers

Researchers looked at medical marijuana laws and death certificate data in all 50 states between the years of 1999 and 2010. During that time, only 13 states had medical marijuana laws in place. Researchers quickly noticed that the rates of fatal opioid overdoses were significantly lower in states that had legalized medical marijuana. In 2010 alone, states with legalized medical marijuana saw approximately 1,700 fewer opiate-related overdose deaths.

“We found there was about a 25 percent lower rate of prescription painkiller overdose deaths on average after implementation of a medical marijuana law,” lead study author Dr. Marcus Bachhuber said.

Marijuana and Chronic Pain

About 60 percent of the nation’s fatal opioid overdoses occur among patients who have legitimate prescriptions for their medications. In states where medical marijuana is legal, however, a legitimate opiate user is able to significantly decrease his or her dosage, making overdose less likely.

Currently, 23 states and the District of Columbia have passed medical marijuana laws. Use of medicinal cannabis is approved for a number of conditions, including cancer, HIV, multiple sclerosis, and glaucoma. Despite the diagnosis, medical marijuana is primarily used to relieve chronic or severe pain. It’s that pain-relieving effect that decreases the number of fatal opioid overdoses.

Major Pain-Relieving Components of Cannabis

In a 2011 study published in the journal Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, researchers suggest the following medical marijuana components offer pain-relieving properties:

Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta-9 THC)
Cannabidiol (CBD)
Cannabinol (CBN)
Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV)

https://drugabuse.com/legalizing-marijuana-decreases-fatal-opiate-overdoses/
 

Betterhaff

Active member
Veteran
I can’t remember where I read it but it was comments from one of the medical organizations. It was stated that opiods are meant for treating acute pain, such as after surgery, traumatic injury, etc. They really shouldn’t be used for chronic pain but that is what is being pushed by the manufacturers to increase sales. This has led to overprescribing and excess supply and that contributes to the current opiod abuse situation.
 

aridbud

automeister
ICMag Donor
Veteran
I can’t remember where I read it but it was comments from one of the medical organizations. It was stated that opiods are meant for treating acute pain, such as after surgery, traumatic injury, etc. They really shouldn’t be used for chronic pain but that is what is being pushed by the manufacturers to increase sales. This has led to overprescribing and excess supply and that contributes to the current opiod abuse situation.

I'm one that has been taking SAME low dose oxycodone for 8 yrs. It's NOT just for acute trauma/pain. I've had chronic pain for 25 years. Due to health, I cannot take any other type of pain Rx due to bleeding/clot risk. Cannabis helps and I take less, but in a quandary because of the narcotic contract prohibiting cannabis use. It's a dance I do and my practitioner knows and alerts me ahead of time (usually) when I have a urine screen to make sure I'm in accordance with DEA laws using an opioid.

It's the DEA that is in bed with distributors: McKesson, Cardinal Health and one other to push opioids, abusing the system.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/opioid-crisis-dea-responds-60-minutes-report/
 

Betterhaff

Active member
Veteran
Sorry to hear of your condition aridbud, and the dance you have to do, that’s almost against medical ethics. I was just recalling what was stated in what I read. I’m sure there are situations where treatment with opiods are suitable or good for treating certain conditions, in moderation. What was said with what I read is there is overprescribing of opiods for conditions that really weren’t necessary and there were better alternatives or options available. I wish I would have saved the article.
 

aridbud

automeister
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Oh, definitely either over prescribed and too, people taking more than prescribed and body becomes accustomed to much higher dose leading to addiction.

NM in coming years....not this election, is striving for MMJ use to decrease opioid dependence, trying to be first in the nation to recognize MMJ as a viable option, or decrease Rx use.

Even tho once MMJ for 6 yrs., I haven't renewed license. In CO, doctors frowned MAJORLY on my oxycodone and cannabis...worse than other MMJ states where I've lived. Talk about an oxymoronic view. Yikes!
 

greenfox

Member
This is good news for cannabis. I really look forward to the upcoming research, and I'm ready for the good and bad.
 

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