Getting a medical cannabis license did not reduce opioid prescription use in Rhode Island
In a population-based study linking medical cannabis registry and prescription monitoring data, obtaining a medical cannabis license was not associated with any change in opioid prescription use.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Among 5,296 medical cannabis license holders in Rhode Island, licensure was not associated with changes in odds of filling any opioid prescription (OR 0.99), filling prescriptions at 50+ morphine equivalent dose (OR 0.93), or at 90+ MED (OR 0.99). None of these associations were statistically significant.
Key Numbers
5,296 medical cannabis license holders. Any opioid prescription OR 0.99 (CI 0.94-1.05). 50+ MED OR 0.93 (CI 0.84-1.04). 90+ MED OR 0.99 (CI 0.86-1.15). All non-significant.
How They Did This
Population-based retrospective cohort linking Rhode Island medical cannabis registry with prescription drug monitoring program data (April 2016-March 2019). Within-person analysis examined changes in opioid prescriptions before and after cannabis licensure.
Why This Research Matters
Many states authorize medical cannabis as an alternative to opioids for pain. This study finds no evidence that obtaining a medical cannabis license actually reduces opioid prescription use.
The Bigger Picture
The null finding challenges the narrative that medical cannabis licenses naturally lead to opioid reduction and highlights the need for randomized trials to test cannabis as an opioid alternative.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cannot confirm whether license holders actually used cannabis. Prescription monitoring captures filled prescriptions, not consumption. Rhode Island-specific findings may not generalize.
Questions This Raises
- ?Do medical cannabis patients who actually use cannabis regularly reduce opioid use?
- ?Would results differ with cannabis consumption data rather than licensure alone?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- No change in opioid prescriptions after medical cannabis licensure (OR 0.99)
- Evidence Grade:
- Strong population-based design with within-person analysis, but licensure is an imperfect proxy for actual cannabis use.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2022 with data from 2016-2019.
- Original Title:
- Association of medical cannabis licensure with prescription opioid receipt: A population-based, individual-level retrospective cohort study.
- Published In:
- The International journal on drug policy, 100, 103502 (2022)
- Authors:
- Goedel, William C, Macmadu, Alexandria, Shihipar, Abdullah, Moyo, Patience, Cerdá, Magdalena, Marshall, Brandon D L
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03876
Evidence Hierarchy
Looks back at existing records to find patterns.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Doesn't medical cannabis reduce opioid use?
This study found no evidence for that. Having a medical cannabis license was not associated with any change in opioid prescription patterns, including at high doses.
Why might the results be null?
Having a license doesn't mean using cannabis, and using cannabis doesn't necessarily mean substituting it for opioids. The study measured licensure, not actual cannabis consumption or pain management behavior.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03876APA
Goedel, William C; Macmadu, Alexandria; Shihipar, Abdullah; Moyo, Patience; Cerdá, Magdalena; Marshall, Brandon D L. (2022). Association of medical cannabis licensure with prescription opioid receipt: A population-based, individual-level retrospective cohort study.. The International journal on drug policy, 100, 103502. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103502
MLA
Goedel, William C, et al. "Association of medical cannabis licensure with prescription opioid receipt: A population-based, individual-level retrospective cohort study.." The International journal on drug policy, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103502
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Association of medical cannabis licensure with prescription ..." RTHC-03876. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/goedel-2022-association-of-medical-cannabis
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.