As more of the United States implements medical marijuana laws, there is considerable interest on the effect, if any, this has on marijuana use among youth. This article states that a previous publication by Stolzenberg et al. (2015) entitled “The effect of medical cannabis laws on juvenile cannabis use”, erroneously claimed that medical marijuana laws […]
medical
Why Some Use Marijuana Instead Of Opioids
Even though there is little evidence that they are effective for the long term, chronic pain patients are commonly treated with opioids. The purpose of this study was to determine if using medical cannabis (marijuana) for chronic pain changed individual patterns of opioid use. A survey of 244 medical marijuana patients with chronic pain was […]
Medical Marijuana Reduces Prescriptions In Medicare D
Using data on all prescriptions filled by Medicare Part D enrollees from 2010 to 2013, the authors of this study found that the use of prescription drugs for which marijuana (cannabis) could serve as a clinical alternative fell significantly, once a medical marijuana law was implemented. National overall reductions in Medicare program and enrollee spending […]
Medical Marijuana May Enhance Brain Function
Although medical marijuana is derived from the same plant species as recreational marijuana, those seeking medical relief often choose strains with unique chemical ratios not often sought by the recreational user. For example, medical users are more likely to choose profiles with significant CBD ratios present instead of seeking the highest level of THC possible. […]
Medical Marijuana: Too Much Weight Gain?
It is well known that cannabis (marijuana) can stimulate appetite and promote weight gain in cancer patients. This study evaluates any relationship between adolescent marijuana use and weight change to midlife, while accounting for the use of other substances. This study applies 20-22 years of follow-up data to 712 Danish participants who were between the […]
Medical Marijuana May Decrease Prescription Use
In this Canadian study of 271 medical marijuana patients, results were similar to that found for dispensary patients in New England, where many were able to reduce prescription medication. Cannabis (marijuana) is perceived to be an effective treatment for many diverse conditions, including pain and mental health, and 63% of these patients substituted marijuana for […]
Medical Marijuana Use Patterns By Age Group
Data was collected from a San Francisco dispensary on 217 patients that were placed into three age groups: younger (18-30), middle (30-50) and older (51-72). The age groups were compared on several measures of cannabis (marijuana) use, motives and medical conditions. This study found that all 3 age groups had similar frequency of use in […]
Medical Marijuana Often Substituted For Other Medicines
Previous studies have demonstrated that opioid deaths have reduced in states that have legalized medical cannabis (marijuana). One explanation is that patients simply substitute marijuana for opioids. This study evaluated whether substituting marijuana was true for other psychoactive medications. 1,513 dispensary members in New England completed an online survey regarding their marijuana usage and substitution […]
Medical Marijuana: Less Depression Than Opioid User
Significant rates of depression and anxiety are consistently reported among patients with chronic pain. Since medical marijuana (cannabis) has become more prevalent for treatment of chronic pain, this cross sectional study compared depression among opioid users, marijuana users, and those who used both. Depression rates in opioid users was 57%, for marijuana users 22%, and […]
Medical Marijuana Users Substitute For Medical Drugs
The use of medical marijuana (cannabis) is continually increasing and it is most commonly used for pain, anxiety and depression. New information suggests that use and abuse of prescription drugs is decreasing where marijuana laws have been enacted. In this study, 2,774 individuals who reported using marijuana at least once in the previous 90 days, […]