On March 19, 2025, Dustin Sulak, DO, founder of Healer, led a webinar analyzing the effects of recent cannabis policies in the United States. This event was open to the public and aimed to provide valuable insights for advocates and those interested in cannabis regulations. Sulak presented five studies that examined how these policies influence patients, parents, and other groups.
The first study discussed was titled “Highs and Lows: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of the Impact of Adult Use Legalization on Medical Cannabis Patients,” which appeared in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs in November 2024. This study involved an online survey of 505 participants in medical cannabis programs to explore the effects of recreational cannabis laws on medical access and product availability. Participants generally reported that after adult use laws were enacted, they found it easier to access products and were satisfied with their state’s medical program. However, prices for these products were seen to rise, and around 18% of patients indicated they did not renew their medical cards, citing cost as a significant factor. Dr. Sulak expressed relief at the findings, stating, “I’m glad to hear that a lot of people feel like they have better access and better efficacy after adult use. This might be less of a problem than I thought it was.”
The second study, “Recreational Cannabis Laws and Fills of Pain Prescriptions in the Privately Insured,” published in Cannabis in January 2025, examined the correlation between cannabis legalization and opioid prescriptions. The study found a notable 13% decrease in opioid prescriptions, although it did not directly measure whether patients were substituting cannabis for opioids. Dr. Sulak pointed out that this supports the idea that increased cannabis availability can lead to reduced opioid use, emphasizing the broader public health implications of cannabis prohibition.
Another study presented was titled “Using Penalized Synthetic Controls on Truncated Data: A Case Study on Effect of Marijuana Legalization on Direct Payments to Physicians by Opioid Manufacturers,” published in the Journal of the American Statistical Association in November 2024. Dr. Sulak summarized that the research indicated opioid manufacturers might adjust their marketing strategies in response to the availability of cannabis for pain management. Specifically, the study tracked payments made to physicians by opioid companies, revealing a significant drop in these payments following the enactment of medical cannabis laws. This suggests that cannabis may serve as a viable alternative to opioid medications.
