As stated by economists associated with South Carolina-based Wofford College and California State University Bakersfield: “The ability to legally purchase CBD leads to a reduction of the prescriptions of opiates between 6.6 and 8.1%".
The new scientific study, published on Southern Economic Journal, clarified that the cause of the decrease is not found only in the legalization of the cannabinoid, but rather in the possibility of purchase the products legally that contain CBD in authorized shops throughout the area.
CBD and opiates: with legal access to products, prescriptions decrease
“Overall, we find that state-level legalization of CBD products leads to a reduction statistically significant of opioid prescriptions only when States allow their sale also to open and legal dispensaries - confirm the authors of the research, highlighting that - to realize the potential benefits of legalization adequate access on the supply side is necessary."
“Our paper provides important preliminary evidence that CBD can effectively reduce opioid prescription rates,” the researchers continue, specifying that “CBD products, while they may not necessarily be the panacea they are marketed as, appear to be the substitutes net of opioids”.
“Our findings suggest that policymakers should consider the costs of regulation and balance carefully the trade-offs between ensuring quality and limiting access to CBD", conclude the scholars. Confirming that their study on benefits of CBD and its effect on opioid prescriptions is only just beginning.
