Legalization of cannabis may reduce opioid use, study with 28,000 people suggests

The legalization of cannabis may be associated with changes in the pattern of opioid consumption among people who inject drugs in the United States. This is the conclusion of a study that analyzed data from over 28,000 participants in 13 states between 2012 and 2022.

According to the study 'Cannabis legalization and cannabis and opioid use in a large multi-state sample of people who inject drugs', researchers used data from the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System, maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to assess the impact of changes in state laws.

Changes in consumption patterns

According to the research, states that adopted laws combining medical cannabis and adult use showed a reduction of about 9% to 11% in the likelihood of daily non-medical opioid use, compared to locations that only had medical legislation.

Researchers also observed a reduction in the likelihood of daily injectable opioid use, with variations ranging from approximately 2% to 19%, depending on the statistical model applied.

According to the authors, the results indicate that changes in cannabis-related policies can influence consumption patterns of other substances, especially among populations more exposed to opioid use.