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Study: Adult-Use Marijuana Legalization Associated with Reduction in Medicaid Prescriptions

Ithaca, NY: The enactment of adult-use marijuana legalization laws is associated with reduced demand for certain prescription drugs, according to data published in the journal Health Economics.

A pair of researchers affiliated with Cornell University and Indiana University assessed trends in Medicaid prescriptions in all 50 states during the years 2011 to 2019. They identified "significant reductions in the volume of prescriptions within the drug classes that align with the medical indications for pain, depression, anxiety, sleep, psychosis, and seizures" in those states that had enacted legalization versus those that did not.

"These results have important implications," the study's lead author said. "The reductions in drug utilization that we find could lead to significant cost savings for state Medicaid programs. The results also indicate an opportunity to reduce the harm that can come with the dangerous side effects associated with some prescription drugs."

Prior ecological studies have similarly identified an association between the adoption of medical cannabis access laws and reduced Medicaid prescription drug spending.

"Our results suggest substitution away from prescription drugs and potential cost savings for state Medicaid programs," the study's authors concluded. "This study adds to the growing body of literature surrounding the effects of RCLs [recreational cannabis laws] on pharmaceutical utilization."

Full text of the study, "Recreational cannabis legalization associated with prescription drug utilization among Medicaid enrollees," appears in Health Economics.

Poll: Two-Thirds of Americans Say Marijuana Should Be Legal for Adults

Washington, DC: Two-thirds of Americans say that the adult use of marijuana ought to be legal under federal law as well as under the laws of their home states, according to nationwide survey data compiled by CBS News and YouGov.com.

Support for federal legalization was strongest (73 percent) among those respondents between the ages of 30 and 44; however, majorities in all age groups - including those ages 65 and older - supported a change in federal policy. Democrats (79 percent) and Independents (67 percent) were strong supporters of legalization, but Republicans (49 percent) were not.

Twenty-four percent of respondents acknowledged that they consumed cannabis either regularly or occasionally. Sixty-three percent said that they had never tried marijuana.

Poll: Democrats, Younger Voters Say Federal Lawmakers Should Prioritize Cannabis Legalization

Washington, DC: The majority of Democrats, African Americans, and younger voters believe that federal action on cannabis should be among Congress' "top" or more "important" legislative priorities, according to national polling data providing by Morning Consult and Politico.

When surveyed on the question of what issues ought to be prioritized by Congress, 63 percent of Black voters said that "passing a bill to legalize marijuana" should be either a "top" or "important priority." The majority of voters ages 18 to 34 (53 percent), and Democrats (52 percent) also expressed support for prioritizing legalization.

By contrast, only 29 percent of Republican voters expressed a similar attitude.

Overall, 41 percent of voters said that federal lawmakers ought to prioritize legalizing cannabis.

Legislation (The MORE Act) to remove cannabis from the US Controlled Substances Act and to explicitly permit financial institutions to service state-licensed cannabis businesses (The SAFE Banking Act) have been passed by the Democrat-led House in recent months, but neither effort has ever been advanced in the US Senate. Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has repeatedly promised to introduce his own comprehensive reform legislation, but he has yet to do so.

During his Presidential campaign, Joe Biden repeatedly pledged that he would take steps to end federal marijuana prohibition and that he would move to expunge the records of those with marijuana convictions. However, the White House has yet to take any executive action following through on those campaign promises. According to recent polling compiled by YouGov.com, nearly 60 percent of Americans doubt the President intends to make any effort to advance marijuana-specific issues in 2022.

The Morning Consult/Politico polling data is available online.

Survey: 53 Percent of US Adults Have Tried Cannabis

Washington, DC: Most Americans over 18 years of age acknowledge having consumed cannabis, according to survey data compiled by the analytics firm New Frontier Data.

Fifty-three percent of respondents admitted having tried cannabis - a percentage that is consistent with those reported in prior national surveys.

Sixty percent of active consumers were between 18 and 44 years of age. They were most likely to report consuming cannabis for the purposes of relaxation, reducing anxiety, and managing pain. Consistent with prior surveys, consumers were most likely to indulge in herbal formulations of cannabis.

Detailed survey findings appear in the report, Cannabis Consumers in America: Dynamics Shaping Normalization in 2022, available from New Frontier Data.

Survey: One in Five Medicare Recipients Acknowledge Consuming Cannabis for Symptom Relief

Washington, DC: Twenty-one percent of Medicare recipients report consuming cannabis for therapeutic purposes, according to survey data compiled by the group MedicarePlans.com.

Survey respondents were most likely to report using cannabis products to address symptoms of anxiety, chronic pain, depression, glaucoma, and HIV/AIDS.

Two-thirds of respondents either "strongly agree" or "agree" that Medicare should cover the costs associated with medical cannabis products. Among those who opposed the idea, over a third said that their opposition was based upon concerns that doing so would drive up the cost of cannabis products.

About one-half of seniors consuming medical cannabis said that they spent $200 or less per month on marijuana-related products. Thirty-six percent of respondents reported spending between $200 and $500 per month.

In recent years, self-reported cannabis use among those ages 65 and older has increased significantly, particularly among those residing in legal states. Studies of older populations consistently report that seniors experience improvements in their health-related quality of life after initiating cannabis therapy.

Full results of the survey are online. Additional information is available from NORML's fact sheet, 'Cannabis Use by Older Adult Populations.'