Non-medical Cannabis Self-Exposure as a Dimensional Predictor of Opioid Dependence Diagnosis

[mountaineer]

I noticed that a U.S. Attorney (Southern District W.Va.) cited this scientific article, tweeting, "Study: Increasing self-exposure to non-medical cannabis was a predictor of GREATER ODDS of opioid dependence. Many conflicting studies. Much more research needed. We must “look” before we “leap” BEFORE potentially making huge mistake legalizing marijuana."
This is the abstract:

Non-medical Cannabis Self-Exposure as a Dimensional Predictor of Opioid Dependence Diagnosis: A Propensity Score Matched Analysis.
Butelman ER1, Maremmani AGI2, Bacciardi S2, Chen CY1, Correa da Rosa J3, Kreek MJ1.


Background: The impact of increasing non-medical cannabis use on vulnerability to develop opioid use disorders has received considerable attention, with contrasting findings. A dimensional analysis of self-exposure to cannabis and other drugs, in individuals with and without opioid dependence (OD) diagnoses, may clarify this issue. Objective: To examine the age of onset of maximal self-exposure to cannabis, alcohol, cocaine, and heroin, in volunteers diagnosed with OD, using a rapidly administered instrument (the KMSK scales). To then determine whether maximal self-exposure to cannabis, alcohol, and cocaine is a dimensional predictor of odds of OD diagnoses. ...

Conclusions/Importance: Increasing self-exposure to non-medical cannabis, as measured with a rapid dimensional instrument, was a predictor of greater odds of opioid dependence diagnosis, in propensity score-matched samples.

[the_doc]

I noticed that a U.S. Attorney (Southern District W.Va.) cited this scientific article, tweeting, "Study: Increasing self-exposure to non-medical cannabis was a predictor of GREATER ODDS of opioid dependence. Many conflicting studies. Much more research needed. We must “look” before we “leap” BEFORE potentially making huge mistake legalizing marijuana."

Duh.

[the_doc]

Duh.

People who like to get high like to get higher.

[mountaineer]

People who like to get high like to get higher.

Is there any legitimate, scientific study establishing marijuana's medicinal benefits for particular conditions? So far, all I hear is anecdotal accounts from cancer or MS patients. When I ran for the state legislature, I knew I'd have to have an answer ready, because everyone is asking of politicians where they stand on the legalization of pot (allegedly for medicinal purposes).

[Suppressed]

Where marijuana is legal, opioid prescriptions fall, studies find
By KATE SHERIDAN @sheridan_kate APRIL 2, 2018

As more states legalize medical and recreational marijuana, doctors may be replacing opioid prescriptions with suggestions to visit a local marijuana dispensary. Two papers published Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine analyzing more than five years of Medicare Part D and Medicaid prescription data found that after states legalized weed, the number of opioid prescriptions and the daily dose of opioids went way down.

That indicates that some people may be shifting away from prescription drugs to cannabis, though the studies can’t say whether this substitution is actually happening or if patients or doctors are the driving force.

[...]

https://www.statnews.com/2018/04/02/marijuana-legal-opioid-prescriptions/

[the_doc]

Is there any legitimate, scientific study establishing marijuana's medicinal benefits for particular conditions? So far, all I hear is anecdotal accounts from cancer or MS patients. When I ran for the state legislature, I knew I'd have to have an answer ready, because everyone is asking of politicians where they stand on the legalization of pot (allegedly for medicinal purposes).

I knew a very good shrink who said that smoking a joint actually triggered psychotic episodes in some of his psych patients.  These were patients who were already on psych meds. 

There probably are some medical benefits--maybe even in cancer treatment, for example--but I am not familiar with the research literature.  In the meantime, I would be leery about making marijuana too easily accessible.  We do have evidence of worrisome anatomic changes in the brain, if nothing else.

(By the way, there are several anecdotal reports that CBD oil under the tongue can stop seizures almost instantly, but there are no formal studies that I know of, however.)

[Suppressed]

Opioid-related hospitalizations go down, too...

 
Medical marijuana policies and hospitalizations related to marijuana and opioid pain reliever
Yuyan Shi
Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
PlumX Metrics
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.01.006

[Suppressed]

Is there any legitimate, scientific study establishing marijuana's medicinal benefits for particular conditions? So far, all I hear is anecdotal accounts from cancer or MS patients. When I ran for the state legislature, I knew I'd have to have an answer ready, because everyone is asking of politicians where they stand on the legalization of pot (allegedly for medicinal purposes).

Remember that it's still illegal federally, so the laws make it very difficult to do legitimate research.

[the_doc]

Opioid-related hospitalizations go down, too...

Thanks for the link.

[Suppressed]

Laws allowing medical cannabis seem to help, too...

October 2014
Medical Cannabis Laws and Opioid Analgesic Overdose Mortality in the United States, 1999-2010
Marcus A. Bachhuber, MD1,2,3; Brendan Saloner, PhD3,4; Chinazo O. Cunningham, MD, MS5; et al Colleen L. Barry, PhD, MPP3,6
Author Affiliations Article Information
JAMA Intern Med. 2014;174(10):1668-1673. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.4005
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/1898878

Results:
[...] States with medical cannabis laws had a 24.8% lower mean annual opioid overdose mortality rate (95% CI, −37.5% to −9.5%; P = .003) compared with states without medical cannabis laws. [...]

Conclusions and Relevance:
Medical cannabis laws are associated with significantly lower state-level opioid overdose mortality rates. Further investigation is required to determine how medical cannabis laws may interact with policies aimed at preventing opioid analgesic overdose.

[Suppressed]

Thanks for the link.

You're welcome.  Some more good cites here: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2676997