Cannabis Access Tied to Lower Opioid Use in Patients With Cancer

A national claims analysis found that opening medical or recreational cannabis dispensaries was associated with fewer opioid prescriptions and shorter opioid supplies among commercially insured adults with cancer. Medical cannabis dispensary openings were associated with a reduction of 41.07 patients with opioid prescriptions per 10,000, whereas recreational dispensaries were associated with a smaller but significant decrease of 20.63 patients per 10,000, suggesting cannabis may serve as an alternative for managing cancer-related pain. Read more »