Surprising Information About the Role Medical Cannabis Can Play in the Opiate Epidemic

1. Surprising Information About the Role Medical Cannabis Can Play in the Opiate Epidemic When a conversation about medical marijuana took place back in the day, this subject was something that only young people were interested in. At least that's what economist W. David Bradford thought, that is until his own research began to show him some surprising information. Intriguing News About Medical Marijuana Use Recently Bradford and his daughter, Ashley C. Bradford, published one of the most intriguing studies about medical marijuana in America ever. This important report was published in the journal Health Affairs and looked at prescriptions filled by Medicare enrollees between the years of 2010 and 2013. From the data, it was surmised that older Medicare users - when they could - were making use of medical cannabis. Furthermore, the researchers also found that when medical marijuana became legalized in its respective prescriptions for painkillers - as well as other drugs that medical cannabis substitute significantly. In fact, doctors prescribed almost 2,000 fewer painkiller prescriptions per year in those states. states, can - dropped The Opiate Epidemic Over the past 20 years or so, opioid (heroin and prescription painkiller) overdose deaths in America quadrupled. In fact, medical costs associated with opiate abuse were estimated to be over $72 billion in the US alone. Furthermore, the Bradfords' research found that the states with medical marijuana laws saved over a $150 million dollars every year in medical costs. So while many may still oppose the legalization of medical cannabis, a growing

2. number of experts, some US states, also the neighboring Mexican president are seriously looking at the fact that medical marijuana may play both a legal and vital role in fighting the nation's painkiller epidemic. Medical Marijuana - An Important Tool in the Fight Against Opiates? When states legalize marijuana for medical purposes both doctors and patients start looking at it differently. Instead of a drug used to escape from reality, they start to see its medicinal potential. But, this doesn't happen all the time - there are still plenty of practicing physicians that don't believe that medical marijuana isn't regulated well. Others simply say that there isn't enough scientific evidence to back up the claims of those who say that it's an effective alternative to painkillers. Dr. Donald Abrams, a leading physician at San Francisco General Hospital thinks about this issue differently. In his mind, anything that can make even the smallest dent in an epidemic that kills almost a hundred Americans a day is worth considering - especially since there have been studies proving that medical marijuana is an effective treatment for pain. Important Considerations If more medical experts were to see that marijuana is an effective painkiller, one that is less harmful and addictive than opiates, it can make a difference in the opiate abuse epidemic. But, there are still obstacles in the way of proponents - mainly that it's hard to get funding for studies that show the therapeutic value of medical marijuana. But, this doesn't mean that the medical marijuana movement doesn't have momentum. In fact, just a couple of months ago, Maine was the first state to consider adding opiate addiction to its list of medical issues that can be treated with medical cannabis. Although it was ultimately denied, it managed to create a vital conversation. And, while you may think that it's just talk - remember it was just a couple years ago that marijuana was illegal in all states in America. But, a growing conversation about the benefits of cannabis has started to change that.