Cannabis-related healthcare visits were far less costly than cocaine, opioid, or multiple drug visits in Florida
In an analysis of 709,658 illicit drug-related healthcare encounters in Florida, cannabis SUD was the lowest-cost reference group, with cocaine increasing ED costs by 9.25% and opioids increasing inpatient costs by 23.4%.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Across 709,658 drug-related healthcare observations in Florida (2016-2018), total costs were estimated at $6.4 billion. Using cannabis SUD as the reference group, cocaine increased ED visit costs by 9.25% and multiple drug use by 6.12%. For inpatient stays, opioids increased costs by 23.4% and inhalants by 16.3% compared to cannabis. Medicare paid the largest share ($2.16B), followed by Medicaid and commercial insurance ($1.36B each).
Key Numbers
$6.4B total over 3 years; 709,658 observations; cannabis as lowest-cost reference; cocaine +9.25% ED; multiple drugs +6.12% ED; opioids +23.4% inpatient; inhalants +16.3% inpatient; Medicare $2.16B, Medicaid $1.36B.
How They Did This
Retrospective analysis of Florida Agency for Health Care Administration ED and inpatient datasets (2016-2018) with 709,658 observations, using cost-to-charge ratios and linear regression comparing healthcare costs by substance type.
Why This Research Matters
Healthcare cost data helps quantify the relative burden of different substances. Cannabis SUD being the least costly drug-related condition supports harm reduction arguments and resource allocation decisions.
The Bigger Picture
Over half of the $6.4 billion in drug-related healthcare costs were paid with taxpayer dollars. The relative cost hierarchy (opioids highest, cannabis lowest) has direct implications for how healthcare systems should prioritize prevention and treatment spending.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Florida only (may not represent other states); administrative coding may misclassify substances; cannot account for polysubstance use complexity; cost-to-charge ratios are estimates; does not capture outpatient, mental health, or long-term costs.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would cannabis legalization reduce total drug-related healthcare costs by shifting users away from more harmful substances?
- ?What are the hidden costs (lost productivity, family impact) not captured in hospital data?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- $6.4B in drug-related costs; cannabis lowest-cost; opioids +23.4%
- Evidence Grade:
- Strong: large state-level administrative database with 709,658 observations and appropriate cost estimation methods.
- Study Age:
- Published 2020.
- Original Title:
- Healthcare cost associations of patients who use illicit drugs in Florida: a retrospective analysis.
- Published In:
- Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy, 15(1), 73 (2020)
- Authors:
- Ryan, Jessica L, Rosa, Veronica R
- Database ID:
- RTHC-02811
Evidence Hierarchy
Looks back at existing records to find patterns.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
How expensive is cannabis-related healthcare compared to other drugs?
Cannabis SUD was the least costly drug-related condition in Florida hospitals. Compared to cannabis, cocaine-related ED visits cost 9.25% more, opioid inpatient stays cost 23.4% more, and inhalant hospitalizations cost 16.3% more.
Who pays for drug-related healthcare?
Medicare paid the most ($2.16 billion), followed by Medicaid and commercial insurance ($1.36 billion each). Over half of the $6.4 billion total came from taxpayer-funded sources.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-02811APA
Ryan, Jessica L; Rosa, Veronica R. (2020). Healthcare cost associations of patients who use illicit drugs in Florida: a retrospective analysis.. Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy, 15(1), 73. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13011-020-00313-2
MLA
Ryan, Jessica L, et al. "Healthcare cost associations of patients who use illicit drugs in Florida: a retrospective analysis.." Substance abuse treatment, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13011-020-00313-2
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Healthcare cost associations of patients who use illicit dru..." RTHC-02811. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/ryan-2020-healthcare-cost-associations-of
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.