Study: Legalizing Medical Cannabis in Utah Reduced Opioid Use

New Study Suggests Medical Cannabis Helps Reduce Opioid Use and Overdose Deaths in Utah

BOSTON, MA — A new study on prescription opioid use in Utah following the state’s legalization of medical marijuana has revealed promising results, suggesting that the availability of legal cannabis has led to significant reductions in opioid use among chronic pain patients and helped drive down prescription opioid overdose deaths across the state. The findings indicate that cannabis is playing an increasingly important role in pain management, offering a less addictive alternative to opioids.

Background: Utah’s Legalization of Medical Cannabis

In 2018, Utah legalized medical marijuana, allowing qualified patients with certain conditions to use cannabis for therapeutic purposes. This move was part of a broader trend across the United States, as several states have turned to cannabis as a means to address the opioid crisis. As prescription opioid overdose deaths continued to rise, medical marijuana was presented as a potential alternative to help curb dependency and reduce harm from pain management treatments.

This latest study, prepared by the analytics firm Management Science Associates (MSA), looks at the impact of cannabis legalization on opioid consumption and overdose deaths in Utah. The study’s findings were recently presented to Utah’s Medical Cannabis Policy Advisory Board.

Key Findings: Reduced Opioid Use and Overdose Deaths

According to the report, there has been a noticeable decrease in deaths related to prescription opioids in Utah since the state’s medical cannabis law took effect. The researchers suggest that cannabis use may have contributed to this decline by offering patients an alternative to opioid prescriptions for chronic pain management.

“Since the legalization of medical cannabis in 2018, there has been a noticeable decrease in deaths related to prescription opioids in the state,” the report reads. “This shift suggests that the introduction of cannabis as a therapeutic alternative may have contributed to a reduction in opioid use among patients seeking pain relief.”

The study analyzed 186 chronic pain patients in Utah, comparing their opioid use before and after they began using cannabis. The results showed that more than 8 in 10 patients (84.4%) decreased their opioid consumption after using medical cannabis. On average, these patients reduced their opioid use by 53.1%, going from 3,832 morphine milligram equivalents (MME) per month to 1,798 MME per month after starting cannabis.

A Promising Alternative to Opioids

The MSA study underscores the role cannabis can play in managing chronic pain, particularly in reducing reliance on opioid medications. Chronic pain, which affects millions of Americans, has long been treated with opioids, despite the well-known risks of addiction, overdose, and other serious side effects. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 9 out of 10 adults who smoke cigarettes daily first tried smoking by age 18, which underscores the importance of exploring alternative pain relief options.

“Cannabis has a substantial role to play in pain management and the reduction of opioid use,” the study concludes. It adds that cannabis may become a key component in future pain management strategies, particularly as the medical community seeks safer alternatives to opioids.

The study also aligns with findings from other research, including a similar study conducted in Minnesota, which suggested that medical cannabis is an effective adjunctive therapy for chronic pain. The MSA researchers recommend that future studies focus on larger, more diverse populations and explore specific dosages of cannabinoids to better understand how cannabis can best be used in treating chronic pain.

Impact on Specific Types of Chronic Pain

The study found that patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain were most likely to reduce their opioid use after starting medical cannabis. In particular, those suffering from chronic neuropathic pain saw the sharpest reduction in opioid consumption.

Interestingly, the study also found that patients with chronic headache and orofacial pain were an exception. For this group, cannabis use was associated with a 20.6% increase in opioid consumption, suggesting that cannabis may not be as effective in treating these specific conditions.

Broader Implications: A Growing Body of Evidence

The new study from Utah is the latest in a growing body of research showing that access to medical marijuana can help reduce opioid consumption and overdose deaths. Other studies have similarly indicated that cannabis can serve as an effective alternative to opioids for pain management, with minimal side effects.

For example, a yearlong study from the University of Melbourne found that medical cannabis use was associated with reduced pain and improved mental well-being over a 12-month period. A separate review of research on cannabinoids for chronic nerve pain concluded that treatment with cannabis offers significant relief with minimal to no side effects. Similarly, a study published by the American Medical Association found that medical cannabis was associated with significant improvements in quality of life for people with chronic conditions such as pain and insomnia.

These findings suggest that cannabis may be a viable option for those struggling with chronic pain, especially for those at risk of opioid dependency.

Challenges and Calls for Further Research

Despite these promising results, the study’s authors caution that more research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects of cannabis use for pain management. Specifically, they recommend further studies to confirm the findings from their research and to explore how different types and dosages of cannabinoids affect pain relief and opioid use.

“We found evidence supporting the efficacy of cannabis in reducing opioid use, but larger studies are needed to confirm these findings and refine cannabis treatment protocols,” the report states.

Additionally, the study highlights the need for research on diverse populations, as well as better understanding of how cannabis can be integrated into treatment regimens for patients with chronic pain.

National and Global Context: Cannabis as a Harm Reduction Tool

The Utah study adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting that cannabis can be an effective tool in combating the opioid epidemic. A recent review published by the American Medical Association found that 71% of chronic pain patients and 59% of physicians are in favor of nationally legalizing medical cannabis. This sentiment is echoed in other parts of the world.

For example, New Zealand recently passed a law that imposes a lifetime ban on selling tobacco to anyone born after January 1, 2009. In the United Kingdom, a similar proposal to raise the legal age to purchase cigarettes has been debated.

Cannabis is also being considered as a tool in reducing harm caused by opioid use disorder, with recent research suggesting that cannabis may help patients reduce their intake of opioids and other harmful substances like alcohol and methamphetamine.

A Safer Path Forward for Chronic Pain Patients

The new findings from Utah suggest that medical cannabis could play a crucial role in tackling the opioid crisis, offering chronic pain patients a safer and less addictive alternative to prescription opioids. With growing evidence supporting its effectiveness, cannabis may become an increasingly important part of pain management strategies in the years to come.

However, as with any new treatment, further research is needed to refine treatment protocols, better understand dosage guidelines, and ensure the safety of cannabis use for chronic pain management. For now, the evidence points to cannabis as a promising tool in the fight against opioid dependency and overdose deaths, offering hope for a safer and healthier future for patients in Utah and beyond.