In states where each medical and recreational marijuana are legal, fewer patients are filling prescriptions for drugs used to treat anxiety. That is Key Findings My recent research, published within the journal JAMA Network Open.
I'm one. Applied Policy Researcher who study the economics of dangerous behaviors and substance use within the United States. My colleagues and I wanted to know how medical and recreational marijuana laws and the opening of marijuana dispensaries have affected the speed at which patients fill prescriptions for anti-anxiety medications amongst those that have private medical health insurance. .
These include:
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BenzodiazepinesIt works by increasing the extent of Gamma aminobutyric acid, or GABAa neurotransmitter that produces a relaxing effect by reducing activity within the nervous system. This category includes antidepressants like Valium, Xanax and Ativan.
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Antipsychoticsa category of medication that address psychotic symptoms in quite a lot of ways.
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Antidepressantswhich relieves symptoms of depression by affecting neurotransmitters similar to serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. The most well-known example of those are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs.
We also added Barbituratesthat are sedatives and hypnotics – Sometimes called “Z-Drugs”. – Both of those are used to treat insomnia. Unlike the opposite three categories, we didn't estimate policy effects for any of those drugs.
We find consistent evidence that increased access to marijuana is related to decreased benzodiazepine prescription filling. “Fills” consult with the variety of prescriptions picked up by patients somewhat than the variety of prescriptions written by doctors. It is predicated on calculating the speed of individual patients who filled a prescription within the state, the common days filled per prescription, and the common days filled per prescription per patient.
Specifically, we found that not all state policies led to similar changes in prescription filling patterns.
Why it matters
In 2021, approx 23% of the adult US population A diagnosable mental health disorder was reported. Yet only 65.4 percent of those individuals reported having received treatment inside the past yr. This lack of treatment can exacerbate existing mental health disorders, resulting in Increased risk of additional chronic conditions..
Access to marijuana introduces another treatment to traditional pharmaceuticals which will provide easier access for some patients. Many state medical laws allow patients with a mental health disorder similar to post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. Use medical cannabis.While entertainment laws extend access to all adults.
Our findings have necessary implications for insurance systems, prescribers, policymakers, and patients. Benzodiazepine use, like opioid use, may be dangerous for patients, especially when the 2 sorts of drugs are used together. Given the high levels of opioid poisonings—including benzodiazepines—in 2020, they evolved 14% of opioid overdose deaths – Our findings offer insight into possible alternatives to marijuana where abuse is feasible.
What isn't yet known.
Our research doesn't explain whether changes in shelling out patterns led to measurable changes in patient outcomes.
There is a few evidence that marijuana acts as a Effective anxiety treatment. If that is the case, keep away from benzodiazepine use—that's. Associated with significant adverse side effects – Marijuana use can improve patient outcomes.
This finding is very important to him 5% of the US population Benzodiazepines are prescribed. Switching to marijuana has the potential to supply fewer negative uncomfortable side effects across the country, however it stays unclear whether marijuana can be equally effective in treating anxiety.
Our study also found evidence of – although somewhat less important – a rise in antipsychotic and antidepressant shelling out. But it's Not clear Yet access to marijuana, especially recreational access, increases rates of psychiatric disorders and depression.
While we found that, overall, marijuana access increased antidepressant and antipsychotic responses, decreases were observed in some individual states.
There is considerable variation in the small print of state marijuana laws, and it is feasible that a few of these details account for these meaningful differences in results. I think this variation in results from state to state is a vital finding for policymakers who need to tailor their laws to specific goals.