In recent years, the debate on legalization of cannabis has taken on an increasingly central role, with implications that go far beyond simple recreational consumption.
In fact, recent studies suggest that regulation could have a significant impact on fight against the opioid epidemic, offering safe and less lethal alternatives to consumers.
Opioids: legalization lowers the mortality rate
An analysis published on the Social Science Research Network (SSRN) highlighted one "constant negative relationship" between recreational cannabis legalization policies and opioid overdose death rates.
According to the study, the introduction of legalization policies has led to a almost immediate drop in overdose deaths, with effects that have remained stable over time.
What's new about this research?
The adoption of a innovative method, called "C&S", developed to overcome the discrepancies that emerged in previous studies.
Thanks to this approach, scientists were able to trace a plausible causal link between the legalization of cannabis and the decrease in overdose deaths.
The effects observed were almost immediate:-
In states that first legalized recreational cannabis, deaths they decreased immediately and the trend remained stable even after five years
- In states that legalized later, preliminary data show similar trends, although it is still early to draw definitive conclusions
These findings are particularly relevant considering that, in the United States, almost 50,000 people die every year from opioid overdoses, making the epidemic one of the main health emergencies in the country.
CBD: decrease due to opioid prescriptions
"The ability to legally purchase CBD leads to a reduction of the prescriptions of opiates between 6.6 and 8.1%".
There is one to confirm it scientific study published in the Southern Economic Journal in 2023, which clarified a key factor.
Surprisingly, in fact, the real cause of the decrease in prescriptions does not lie only in the legalization of CBD, but in the possibility of purchase the products legally that contain CBD in authorized shops throughout the area.
| For further information: "Opiate prescriptions drop with legal CBD"
* Image by freepik
