Marijuana May Alleviate America’s Opioid Crisis, New Study Suggests [View all]

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Marijuana May Alleviate America’s Opioid Crisis, New Study Suggests
In 2014, more than 14,000 people ― nearly 40 per day ― died from overdoses of prescribed opiates.
09/17/2016 04:34 pm ET Chris D’Angelo Associate Editor, HuffPost Hawaii

The United States is currently facing an epidemic of opioid painkiller abuse. Since 1999, opioid prescriptions and sales have quadrupled in the United States, a boom that the CDC said has “helped create and fuel” the current opioid abuse crisis. In 2014 alone, more than 14,000 people ― nearly 40 per day ― died from overdoses of prescribed opiates.

The Columbia study adds to a growing body of evidence showing cannabis can be an effective, alternative treatment for pain relief.

A 2014 study, for example, found that states with medical marijuana had fewer prescription painkiller overdose deaths than those without. And in July, researchers documented that states with medical marijuana saw a drop in prescription drugs, saving an estimated $165.2 million in Medicare costs.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/medical-marijuana-curb-opioid-use_us_57dc610ce4b0071a6e0799f8?section=&