Legalizing marijuana for adult use is associated with decreased use of prescription drugs for the treatment of conditions such as anxiety, sleep, pain, and seizures, according to a new research paper. Several previous studies have identified associations with the enactment of medical cannabis legalization at the state level and reduced pharmaceutical prescriptions, but this latest paper published in the journal Health Economics focuses on the potential impact of recreational legalization in 10 states plus Washington, D.C. Researchers used data from Medicaid reporting on prescription drugs from 2011 to 2019, using two-way fixed effects event study models to determine whether there’s a statistically significant relationship between giving adults legal access to regulated marijuana and the use of pharmaceuticals for six different conditions. The study found that there are “significant reductions in the volume of prescriptions within the drug classes that align with the medical indications for pain, depression, anxiety, sleep, psychosis, and seizures” in states that legalized cannabis for adult use.
Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 04/19/2022 08:49:00