Posted on 07/24/2016 1:08:30 PM PDT by Wolfie
One striking chart shows why pharma companies are fighting legal marijuana
There's a body of research showing that painkiller abuse and overdose are lower in states with medical marijuana laws. These studies have generally assumed that when medical marijuana is available, pain patients are increasingly choosing pot over powerful and deadly prescription narcotics. But that's always been just an assumption.
Now a new study, released in the journal Health Affairs, validates these findings by providing clear evidence of a missing link in the causal chain running from medical marijuana to falling overdoses. Ashley and W. David Bradford, a daughter-father pair of researchers at the University of Georgia, scoured the database of all prescription drugs paid for under Medicare Part D from 2010 to 2013.
They found that, in the 17 states with a medical-marijuana law in place by 2013, prescriptions for painkillers and other classes of drugs fell sharply compared with states that did not have a medical-marijuana law. The drops were quite significant: In medical-marijuana states, the average doctor prescribed 265 fewer doses of antidepressants each year, 486 fewer doses of seizure medication, 541 fewer anti-nausea doses and 562 fewer doses of anti-anxiety medication.
But most strikingly, the typical physician in a medical-marijuana state prescribed 1,826 fewer doses of painkillers in a given year.
These conditions are among those for which medical marijuana is most often approved under state laws. So as a sanity check, the Bradfords ran a similar analysis on drug categories that pot typically is not recommended for — blood thinners, anti-viral drugs and antibiotics. And on those drugs, they found no changes in prescribing patterns after the passage of marijuana laws.
"This provides strong evidence that the observed shifts in prescribing patterns were in fact due to the passage of the medical marijuana laws," they write.
In a news release, lead author Ashley Bradford wrote, "The results suggest people are really using marijuana as medicine and not just using it for recreational purposes."
One interesting wrinkle in the data is glaucoma, for which there was a small increase in demand for traditional drugs in medical-marijuana states. It's routinely listed as an approved condition under medical-marijuana laws, and studies have shown that marijuana provides some degree of temporary relief for its symptoms.
The Bradfords hypothesize that the short duration of the glaucoma relief provided by marijuana — roughly an hour or so — may actually stimulate more demand in traditional glaucoma medications. Glaucoma patients may experience some short-term relief from marijuana, which may prompt them to seek other, robust treatment options from their doctors.
The tanking numbers for painkiller prescriptions in medical marijuana states are likely to cause some concern among pharmaceutical companies. These companies have long been at the forefront of opposition to marijuana reform, funding research by anti-pot academics and funneling dollars to groups, such as the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, that oppose marijuana legalization.
Pharmaceutical companies have also lobbied federal agencies directly to prevent the liberalization of marijuana laws. In one case, recently uncovered by the office of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), the Department of Health and Human Services recommended that naturally derived THC, the main psychoactive component of marijuana, be moved from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3 of the Controlled Substances Act — a less restrictive category that would acknowledge the drug's medical use and make it easier to research and prescribe. Several months after HHS submitted its recommendation, at least one drug company that manufactures a synthetic version of THC — which would presumably have to compete with any natural derivatives — wrote to the Drug Enforcement Administration to express opposition to rescheduling natural THC, citing "the abuse potential in terms of the need to grow and cultivate substantial crops of marijuana in the United States."
The DEA ultimately rejected the HHS recommendation without explanation.
In what may be the most concerning finding for the pharmaceutical industry, the Bradfords took their analysis a step further by estimating the cost savings to Medicare from the decreased prescribing. They found that about $165 million was saved in the 17 medical marijuana states in 2013. In a back-of-the-envelope calculation, the estimated annual Medicare prescription savings would be nearly half a billion dollars if all 50 states were to implement similar programs.
"That amount would have represented just under 0.5 percent of all Medicare Part D spending in 2013," they calculate.
Cost-savings alone are not a sufficient justification for implementing a medical-marijuana program. The bottom line is better health, and the Bradfords' research shows promising evidence that medical-marijuana users are finding plant-based relief for conditions that otherwise would have required a pill to treat.
"Our findings and existing clinical literature imply that patients respond to medical marijuana legislation as if there are clinical benefits to the drug, which adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting that the Schedule 1 status of marijuana is outdated," the study concludes.
One limitation of the study is that it only looks at Medicare Part D spending, which applies only to seniors. Previous studies have shown that seniors are among the most reluctant medical-marijuana users, so the net effect of medical marijuana for all prescription patients may be even greater.
The Bradfords will next look at whether similar patterns hold for Medicaid.
I helped a friend who was sure (told by foot doctor) she needed surgery for foot pain realize she had tight leg muscles that were referring into her foot. She just every day or 2 takes a few minutes to massage that part of her leg and pain is gone, she can work her job standing full time 5 days/week.
sometimes simple things like drinking more water, eating certain nutrient foods, a little stretching, epsom salt bath, cold packs and such can relieve pain and tiredness.
A relative diagnosed w/ Polymyalgia Rheumatica (causes severe stiffness and pain shoulders and hips and fatigue - initially literally could not move her shoulders or legs to get out of bed and when someone helped her had sever pain) and cannot take usual Rx due to other health issues - she uses combination of epsom salt baths, getting in pool to move around loosen joints, Far infrared heat and cleaned up her diet to avoid foods that cause inflammation and she’s virtually pain free, no OTCs even.
lots of simple healthy ways without any possible negative effects to relieve minor and major pain and tiredness, for a wide variety of situations.
They are not addicted.
Most people who think they know addicts do not even know what an addiction is.
Just because someone likes to do something doesn’t mean that they are addicted to that thing.
You don’t know any pot addicts, because pot is not addictive.
I’m sorry.
Yeah, me too, but many years ago things were different for me.
I did lots of really stupid things, and apparently I didn’t want to remember much of that time period.
There is nothing better than sobriety, but it took me about 20 years to learn that.
I’ve heard that opiate withdrawal is bad. I have heard that methadone withdrawal is downright awful, but I have no direct knowledge of any of that.
I do know that withdrawal from benzodiazepines is Hell.
Certainly Epsom salts are very important.
Since we have been drinking (mostly) mountain water, the amount of Americans with magnesium deficiencies has risen dramatically. Most say at least 60%, but some say as much as 90%.
And magnesium is one of the most important minerals you need!
One of my sisters, who was a fan of Oprah’s, had as a result an inaccurate understanding of what constitutes an addiction. It seems that is not unusual.
A benzo withdrawal is an alcohol withdrawal same receptors. Xanax is the most addictive, and slowest withdrawal, I know a psychiatrist who actually slowly files the pills for Xanax withdrawal.
Opiates? Like a bad flu. But it is over with and treated symptomatically. No big deal.
You can be sorry all you want
When one shows signs of withdrawal one is addicted
When one has no choice but to feed one’s addiction or otherwise suffer actual physical harm, one is addicted.
Simply because someone chooses to do a thing on a regular basis does not mean one is addicted. It simply means a person like doing that thing and continues to make the choice to do it. Adults are free to make such choices, and they do not need your approval.
Regardless, people are going to continue to do what they choose to do, whether it’s legal or not, just as they have always done with this thing and every other thing.
Other people’s choices in life are beyond your control.
The first time I quit Xanax, I quit cold turkey and suffered terrible withdrawal. I’m lucky I didn’t die honestly.
Of course, being as incredibly stupid as I am, I then abused Xanax two more times after that, developing a lesser addiction than the first, but an addiction nonetheless. So I backslid twice basically.
Those two subsequent times I quit by reducing dosage until I was taking a .5 mg piece and cutting that piece into 4 crumbs and taking 1 crumb per day. After a plateau at that dosage, I was able to drop taking it with no problem.
The second time I found myself reducing dosage like that, it occurred to me that boy I really am a frickin’ idiot for continuing to mess with this poison, so I finally stopped permanently that time.
My friend in New Orleans, whose name is Rocky, is the person I started into this junk with, and he has been addicted to Xanax and taking large doses on a daily basis for about 15 straight years that I know of.
I tried to help him quit by imparting what I had learned and how to gradually reduce intake, but it was no good. I couldn’t help him.
He’s the only one who can do it, he is the ultimate guardian of his own body, but he can’t.
Very sad.
Yeah a lot of people don’t really have an understanding of addiction, but I imagine that is because they have never been addicted to a substance, and that is a blessing IMO.
I personally put no stock or value in “psychological addiction”.
I view that term as an excuse made for those who simply do not have the willpower to overcome their own desire.
Just because you may feel like you want to do a thing very badly does not mean that you have to do that thing. If you want to stop doing that thing, you simply stop.
Making a change in one’s life takes work, effort and discipline. You have to want that change and make it happen.
Conversely, when you want to make a change in your life so badly but you can’t because if you do you will very likely die as a result, then you are in the realm of addiction.
That’s a hard place to be, a very difficult road to travel.
But I am grateful that God put me on that road. I had some things that I needed to learn and a demon that I needed to defeat.
I killed that demon with the strength that He gave me, and now I am loving my life, so that makes me very happy :)
In the post I replied to, you said: “Aspirin or Tylenol actually does the same thing without having to kill your lungs.”
My point was, and remains, that there is no need to “kill your lungs” to use medical marijuana.
I could cite statistics about how it’s ingested — and you could, no doubt, come up with a bunch of different statistics. If it makes you feel better, I’ll retract the “most ...” part. My point still stands: there’s no need to “kill your lungs” to use it. Your straw-man argument is knocked down.
Medical-marijuana use isn’t the same as the recreational use. Here, in Canada, medical marijuana is produced under federal-government license. Medical marijuana often has little THC (the “high”). It’s grown for medical purposes: stimulating appetite, reducing nausea from chemo-therapy, pain reduction, a sleep aid, etc.
I could go on; but, I can sum it up by simply saying you have no idea what you’re talking about.
And since you are in Canada you have zero idea of what happens in American licensed clinics.....For example in California there is a doc on sight who will write you a scrip if you say you have trouble sleeping, or unspecified pain or headaches. There is no physical. There is nothing that would constitute a real evaluation.
In the US there is NO THC level standardization. Marigolds is the only way you can guarantee the dosage level.....and for oil that is not used as often
I do not care one way or the other what or how people ingest anything. Just don’t kid yourself.
Smoking is so unhealthy, especially smoking leaves.
I am using CBD oil to fight very frequent migraines and taking it only at night because it does relax and fatigue me too much for daytime uses. There is absolutely no high and I do not want any high. I was desperate. The Triptan migraine meds are expensive and not good for your heart. I was taking them nearly every day and I was so worried they would harm me, using them too often. It seems to cut the occurrences down a lot, but it isn’t a cure.
But I would not smoke pot or anything. Vaping or ingesting is much healthier.
I have been on morphine for three surgeries. There is one thing I like about it, and it is the sensation with my eyes closed of flying closely over either a giant cupcake with white frosting or over a beautiful snowy mountain. Either the frosting or the snowpack has an incredible texture that it seems I “get into” as I slowly fly over the surface. It is very enjoyable.
But I have a strong will not to get addicted to the shots or the opiate pills. I know when to stop taking them: the second I hear myself wanting to take another pill, not because I’m in pain, but because “I might feel pain later.” Then BOOM I make myself stop. It always works. But I don’t have much of an addictive personality. I admit it may be harder for some. And I don’t like being out of it. But I love flying over that frosting. :)
CBD oil is a wonderful herbal medicine. It is giving me back more quality of life, not having 5 migraine days a week, and not taking dangerous drugs. Now I might get 1-2 migraines a week. It took a month for me to start seeing the difference and I hope it grows.
My daughter was too shy and scared of people to function. There is an herb we started giving her in her milk when she was 3 a year ago and after a few months she started coming out of her shell more.
When anyone is sick at our house we rub oregano oil on their feet at bedtime. We use garlic lemonade and garlic honey to ward off illnesses. Probiotics to settle stomachs. Marijuana is just one more herbal treatment for some conditions.
I’m very happy to hear that! :)
Must be a result of the new Fed narcotic laws where you now need a script every month. It has really hit those of us with chronic pain hard. When they reduced the Tylenol in Loretabs and they became NORCO they became useless for pain control. And POT only gets you high so you forget you are in pain, not that it stops pain. Smoking it can give you lung cancer. DUH!
Doctors are pushing high cost Lyrica and Neurontin (generic gabapentin, which are HIGHLY addictive with a ton of horrid side effects. 50% of Lyrica users end up quitting it because of the side effects. Per my Pain Management Doc who retired rather than be forced to practice under DUMBOCARE.
Lyrica and these are only the stated side effects, weight gain was one of the highest reported side effects, but it also makes your hair fall our and kills your LIBIDO. http://www.rxlist.com/lyrica-side-effects-drug-center.htm
Neurontin is no better. http://www.rxlist.com/neurontin-drug.htm
For all those concerned with lung damage, vaping is a great option.
I ingest several times a day. The vaporizer has made a huge, noticeable difference in my lung health.
I use an Indica medical strain that is descended from the Diesel strain.
It’s currently harvest time in my household!
I am glad to hear the CBD oil is working for you.
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