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The impact of medical and recreational marijuana laws on opioid prescribing in employer‐sponsored health insurance

Author

Listed:
  • Jiebing Wen
  • Hefei Wen
  • J. S. Butler
  • Jeffery C. Talbert

Abstract

Using data from Truven Health MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters Database between 2009 and 2015, we studied the effects of medical and recreational marijuana laws on opioid prescribing in employer‐sponsored health insurance. We used a differences‐in‐differences (DD) approach and found that the implementation of medical marijuana laws (MMLs) and recreational marijuana laws (RMLs) reduced morphine milligram equivalents per enrollee by 7% and 13%, respectively. The reduction associated with MMLs was predominately in people aged 55–64, whereas the reduction associated with RMLs was largely in people aged 35–44 and aged 45–54. Our findings suggest that both MMLs and RMLs have the potential to reduce opioid prescribing in the privately insured population, especially for the middle‐aged population.

Suggested Citation

  • Jiebing Wen & Hefei Wen & J. S. Butler & Jeffery C. Talbert, 2021. "The impact of medical and recreational marijuana laws on opioid prescribing in employer‐sponsored health insurance," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(5), pages 989-1000, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:hlthec:v:30:y:2021:i:5:p:989-1000
    DOI: 10.1002/hec.4237
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. McMichael, Benjamin J. & Van Horn, R. Lawrence & Viscusi, W. Kip, 2020. "The impact of cannabis access laws on opioid prescribing," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    3. Kim, J.H. & Santaella-Tenorio, J. & Mauro, C. & Wrobel, J. & Cerda, M. & Keyes, K.M. & Hasin, D. & Martins, S.S. & Li, G., 2016. "State medical marijuana laws and the prevalence of opioids detected among fatally injured drivers," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 106(11), pages 2032-2037.
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    5. Livingston, M.D. & Barnett, T.E. & Delcher, C. & Wagenaar, A.C., 2017. "Recreational cannabis legalization and opioid-related deaths in Colorado, 2000-2015," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 107(11), pages 1827-1829.
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    Cited by:

    1. Davide Fortin, 2024. "Legalizing cannabis in Colorado: Displacement or market expansion?," French Stata Users' Group Meetings 2024 03, Stata Users Group.
    2. Amanda C. Cook & E. Tice Sirmans & Brenda Wells, 2024. "Does the legalisation of cannabis for medicinal use impact private health insurer prescription drug expenditures?," The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice, Palgrave Macmillan;The Geneva Association, vol. 49(1), pages 212-226, January.
    3. Shelby R. Steuart, 2025. "The addition of cannabis to prescription drug monitoring programs and medication fills in Medicaid," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(2), pages 283-296, February.
    4. Coleman Drake & Jiebing Wen & Jesse Hinde & Hefei Wen, 2021. "Recreational cannabis laws and opioid‐related emergency department visit rates," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(10), pages 2595-2605, September.
    5. Amanda C. Cook & E. Tice Sirmans & Rhet A. Smith, 2025. "The Effects of Medical and Recreational Cannabis Laws on Prescription Drug Claims in Commercial Group Insurance Markets," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(8), pages 1396-1409, August.
    6. Shyam Raman & Ashley C. Bradford, 2022. "Recreational cannabis legalizations associated with reductions in prescription drug utilization among Medicaid enrollees," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(7), pages 1513-1521, July.

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