Sarah S Stith1, Jacob M Vigil2, Ian Marshall Adams3, Anthony P Reeve4. 1. Department of Economics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM. 2. Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM. Electronic address: vigilJ@unm.edu. 3. Department of Emergency Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM; Industrial Rehabilitation Clinics, Albuquerque, NM. 4. Industrial Rehabilitation Clinics, Albuquerque, NM.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Co-prescribing of scheduled drugs is endemic in the United Sates, increasing health risks to patients and the burden on healthcare systems. PURPOSE: We conducted a pragmatic historical cohort study to measure the effect of enrollment in a state-authorized United States' Medical Cannabis Program (MCP) on scheduled II-V drug prescription patterns. PROCEDURES: Eighty-three chronic pain patients, who enrolled in the New Mexico MCP between April 1, 2010 and October 3, 2015, were compared with 42 nonenrolled patients over a 24-month period (starting 6 months before enrollment for the MCP patients) using the Prescription Monitoring Program. The outcome variables include baseline levels and pre- and postenrollment monthly trends in the number of drug prescriptions, distinct drug classes, dates prescription drugs were filled, and prescribing providers. FINDINGS: Twenty-eight MCP patients (34%) and 1 comparison group patient (2%) ceased the use of all scheduled prescription medications by the last 6 months of the observation period. Age- and sex-adjusted regressions show that, although no statistically significant differences existed in pre-enrollment levels and trends, the postenrollment trend among MCP patients is statistically significantly negative for all 4 measures (decreases in counts of -0.02 to -0.04, P values between <.001 and .017), whereas the postenrollment trend is 0 among the comparison group. Controlling for time-invariant patient characteristics suggested that MCP patients showed statistically significantly lower levels across all 4 measures by 10 months postenrollment. CONCLUSIONS: Legal access to cannabis may reduce the use of multiple classes of dangerous prescription medications in certain patient populations.
BACKGROUND: Co-prescribing of scheduled drugs is endemic in the United Sates, increasing health risks to patients and the burden on healthcare systems. PURPOSE: We conducted a pragmatic historical cohort study to measure the effect of enrollment in a state-authorized United States' Medical Cannabis Program (MCP) on scheduled II-V drug prescription patterns. PROCEDURES: Eighty-three chronic painpatients, who enrolled in the New Mexico MCP between April 1, 2010 and October 3, 2015, were compared with 42 nonenrolled patients over a 24-month period (starting 6 months before enrollment for the MCP patients) using the Prescription Monitoring Program. The outcome variables include baseline levels and pre- and postenrollment monthly trends in the number of drug prescriptions, distinct drug classes, dates prescription drugs were filled, and prescribing providers. FINDINGS: Twenty-eight MCP patients (34%) and 1 comparison group patient (2%) ceased the use of all scheduled prescription medications by the last 6 months of the observation period. Age- and sex-adjusted regressions show that, although no statistically significant differences existed in pre-enrollment levels and trends, the postenrollment trend among MCP patients is statistically significantly negative for all 4 measures (decreases in counts of -0.02 to -0.04, P values between <.001 and .017), whereas the postenrollment trend is 0 among the comparison group. Controlling for time-invariant patient characteristics suggested that MCP patients showed statistically significantly lower levels across all 4 measures by 10 months postenrollment. CONCLUSIONS:Legal access to cannabis may reduce the use of multiple classes of dangerous prescription medications in certain patient populations.
Authors: Robert A Duarte; Stephen Dahmer; Shayna Y Sanguinetti; Grace Forde; Diana P Duarte; Lawrence F Kobak Journal: Curr Pain Headache Rep Date: 2021-10-09
Authors: Xiaoxue Li; Jegason P Diviant; Sarah S Stith; Franco Brockelman; Keenan Keeling; Branden Hall; Jacob M Vigil Journal: Med Cannabis Cannabinoids Date: 2022-04-13
Authors: Theresa E Matson; David S Carrell; Jennifer F Bobb; David J Cronkite; Malia M Oliver; Casey Luce; Udi E Ghitza; Clarissa W Hsu; Cynthia I Campbell; Kendall C Browne; Ingrid A Binswanger; Andrew J Saxon; Katharine A Bradley; Gwen T Lapham Journal: JAMA Netw Open Date: 2021-05-03
Authors: Braedon Paul; Madison Thulien; Rod Knight; M J Milloy; Ben Howard; Scarlett Nelson; Danya Fast Journal: PLoS One Date: 2020-07-28 Impact factor: 3.240