Study Links Medical Marijuana and Lower Opioid OD Rates, Comp Payers Need More Discussion

A study released Aug. 25 established a link between lower opioid overdose deaths and legalized medical marijuana, but even as the workers’ compensation industry fights to curb opioid use, the field has low acceptance of cannabis. The study, conducted mostly by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia and published in the American Medical Association’s Journal of Internal Medicine, monitored opioid overdose trends in states before and after they adopted medical marijuana laws between 1999 and 2010. Marcus Bachhuber, the lead author, said the team developed an &...