Does Legal Access To CBD Reduce Opioid Prescription Rates? New Study Investigates

Titled "CBD as a cure-all? The impacts of state-level legalization of prescription cannabidiol (CBD) on opioid prescriptions," delves into the effects of state-level legalization of CBD acceess on opioid prescribing rates.

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Key Findings

CBD Legalization Alone's Impact

"We investigate the impacts of state legalization of products containing cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive alternative to marijuana, on opioid prescribing rates," begins the study.

It highlights that while research has suggested that legalized medical marijuana may reduce opioid prescriptions, there has been no empirical link between CBD and opioids established.

The study was published in the Southern Economic Journal by economists at Wofford College in South Carolina and California State University Bakersfield.

See Also: What's Impact Of Adult-Use Cannabis Legalization On Opioid Use And Prescriptions?

The Role Of Supply-Side Access

The study underscores the significance of supply-side access, stating, "Using supply-side access measures for access to CBD through legal and open dispensaries, we find that the ability to purchase CBD legally leads to 6.6% to 8.1% fewer opioid prescriptions at pre-legalization means."

Impact Of Regulations

Regarding regulations, the study notes, "We also find that mandating CBD be purchased with an ID or through a patient registry offsets most potential benefits of CBD legalization." It highlights how strict regulations, such as ID laws, can diminish the potential benefits of demand-side CBD legalization.

Empirical Evidence

The study concludes by providing "the first empirical evidence that: (i) state legalization of prescription CBD alone does not reduce opioid usage; (ii) regulations limiting purchasing, such as ID laws, negate nearly all of the benefits of demand-side legalization; and (iii) supply-side access, either via interstate purchasing or legal and open dispensaries, are vital in using pain-management substances to fully combat the opioid epidemic."

“While further work is needed to understand the degree to which our results are generalizable to the over-the-counter market for CBD,” researchers conclude, “our results suggest policymakers should consider the costs of regulation and carefully balance the tradeoffs between ensuring the quality of and restricting access to CBD.”

The study was first reported on by Marijuana Moment.

Read Next: Cannabis Can Help Reduce Unregulated Opioid Use And Manage Cravings, Study Finds

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