Medical Marijuana and Opioid Usage: An Analysis of Patient Perceptions in Louisiana

<b><i>Background</i></b>: The opioid crisis has continued in the United States, resulting in a healthcare crisis. Medical marijuana (MM) offers an alternative to those with addictions or in search of pain and inflammation management without the negative aspects of opioids. <b><i>Methods</i></b>: A survey of more than 2,000 Louisianians on the frequency and amount of MM use revealed significant relationships between race, age, reason for use, prescription use, and whether they stopped using MM, as well as time in the MM program and the method of ingestion. <b><i>Results</i></b>: Respondents reported lower levels of pain with MM usage by an average of 3.4 points on a ten-point scale (Z = -35.77, <i>ρ</i> ≤ .001). Those using prescriptions for pain were 1.5 times more likely to use MM less frequently (OR = 1.524, 95% CI: 1.114 - 2.074, <i>ρ</i> ≤ .01). Concordantly, those reporting that they had stopped using prescriptions for pain increased the odds of using more MM by 26.5 percent (OR = .735, 95% CI: .586 - .923, <i>ρ</i> ≤ .001). <b><i>Conclusions</i></b>: These relationships support the idea that MM substitutes for prescription painkillers.