In a paper published in Health Economics, new data shows that patients are turning to cannabis to treat medical issues that had typically been treated with prescription drugs. The team includes researchers from Bowling Green State University, Illinois State University and the University of Texas at El Paso.
The researchers analyzed prescription drug claims reported by small and large group insurers from 2010 to 2019 for working-age individuals. They found significant reductions in prescription drug claims per enrollee. In the small group insurance market, following recreational cannabis legalization, drug claims per enrollee dropped $34 to $42 annually.
According to the study, net prescription drug claims in these markets dropped by some 6% following recreational cannabis legalization.
However, the researchers didn't find similar reductions in claims in large group insurance markets. They also didn't find strong evidence of an impact of medical cannabis legalization on prescription drug claims in either market.
Data was pulled from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), a nonprofit standard-setting and regulatory support organization in the U.S.
