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Recreational Marijuana Laws and the Use of Opioids: Evidence from NSDUH Microdata

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Listed:
  • Mir M. Ali
  • Chandler B. McClellan
  • Ryan Mutter
  • Daniel I. Rees

Abstract

Recent studies have concluded that state laws legalizing medical marijuana can reduce deaths from opioid overdoses. Using data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a survey uniquely suited to assessing drug misuse, we examine the relationship between recreational marijuana laws (RMLs) and the use of opioids. Standard difference-in-differences (DD) regression estimates indicate that RMLs do not affect the likelihood of misusing prescription pain relievers such as OxyContin, Percocet, and Vicodin. Although DD regression estimates provide evidence that state laws legalizing recreational marijuana can reduce the frequency of misusing prescription pain relievers, event-study estimates are noisy and suggest that any effect on the frequency of misuse is likely transitory.

Suggested Citation

  • Mir M. Ali & Chandler B. McClellan & Ryan Mutter & Daniel I. Rees, 2021. "Recreational Marijuana Laws and the Use of Opioids: Evidence from NSDUH Microdata," NBER Working Papers 29087, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:29087
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    Cited by:

    1. Shyam Raman & Johanna Catherine Maclean & W. David Bradford & Coleman Drake, 2023. "Recreational cannabis and opioid distribution," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(4), pages 747-754, April.
    2. Mathur, Neil K. & Ruhm, Christopher J., 2023. "Marijuana legalization and opioid deaths," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior

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