- Legalization of medical marijuana was associated with a relative 6–19—% reduction in opioid delivery in middle-aged patients on active cancer treatment.
Why this matters
- Patients receiving cancer treatment may be using medical marijuana as a substitute for opioids.
Study design
- US cross-sectional cohort study in adults aged 18–64 Years in the 6 months after rediagnosis, received cancer treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy): 38,189 with breast cancer, 12,816 with colorectal cancer and 7,190 with lung cancer
- Patients lived in the 34 States where medical marijuana was legalized during the study period (2012–2017).
- Key Findings: Determination of opioid use, monitoring for changes in prescription guidelines
- Funding: Arnold Ventures, NIH
Key Results
- 12.4 %, 13.7 % and 19.4 % of patients with breast cancer, colorectal cancer and lung cancer were recently given opioids (in the year prior to diagnosis).
- Following the legalization of medical marijuana, during the 6-month cancer treatment period, there were reductions in the percentages of patients assigned to ≥ 1 Day opioids were dispensed:
- From 90.1 % to 84.4 % (p = 0.001) in breast cancer patients with previous opioid use
- From 89.4 % to 84.4 % (p = 0.03) in patients with colorectal cancer with previous opioid use
- From 33.8 % to 27.2 % (p = 0, 02) in patients with lung cancer with previous opioid use
- Also in lung cancer patients with previous opioid use:
- , the percentage of patients with ≥ 1 pain-related emergency room visit or hospitalization decreased from 19.3 % to 13.0 % (p = 0.03).
- Decreased the percentage for ≥ 1 Day long-acting opioids from 31.5 % to 22.1 % (p = 0.03).
- From 90.1 % to 84.4 % (p = 0.001) in breast cancer patients with previous opioid use
- From 89.4 % to 84.4 % (p = 0.03) in patients with colorectal cancer with previous opioid use
- From 33.8 % to 27.2 % (p = 0, 02) in patients with lung cancer with previous opioid use
- , the percentage of patients with ≥ 1 pain-related emergency room visit or hospitalization decreased from 19.3 % to 13.0 % (p = 0.03).
- Decreased the percentage for ≥ 1 Day long-acting opioids from 31.5 % to 22.1 % (p = 0.03).
Restrictions
- The study was based on data from insurance claims.
- The medical use of marijuana has not been studied.
- The results may not be generalizable to older cancer patients.
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