An internal medicine study performed by UPenn researchers found a startlingly clear correlation between states with implemented medical marijuana laws and the lowering of opioid death rates. Simply put, states that allow medical marijuana had a 24.8% lower mean annual opioid overdose mortality rate than states that don’t have medical marijuana available as a medicine.
“Approximately 60 percent of all deaths resulting from opioid analgesic overdoses occur in patients who have legitimate prescriptions,” stated Dr. Bachhuber. Moreover, it’s clearly evident that states that offer medical marijuana have a lower rate of opioid deaths and see a favorable decrease in opioid deaths over time.
The statistics show that: year 1 (-19.9%; 95% CI, -30.6% to -7.7%; P?=?.002), year 2 (-25.2%; 95% CI, -40.6% to -5.9%; P?=?.01), year 3 (-23.6%; 95% CI, -41.1% to -1.0%; P?=?.04), year 4 (-20.2%; 95% CI, -33.6% to -4.0%; P?=?.02), year 5 (-33.7%; 95% CI, -50.9% to -10.4%; P?=?.008), and year 6 (-33.3%; 95% CI, -44.7% to -19.6%; P?<?.001).
This study clearly shows that mortality death rates decrease and continue to decrease over time in states with medical marijuana.