State medical marijuana laws and the prevalence of opioids detected among fatally injured drivers

J.H. Kim, J. Santaella-Tenorio, C. Mauro, J. Wrobel, M. Cerda, K.M. Keyes, D. Hasin, S.S. Martins and G. Li

American Journal of Public Health, 2016, vol. 106, issue 11, 2032-2037

Abstract: Objectives. To assess the association between medical marijuana laws (MMLs) and the odds of a positive opioid test, an indicator for prior use. Methods. We analyzed 1999-2013 Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data from 18 states that tested for alcohol and other drugs in at least 80% of drivers who died within 1 hour of crashing (n = 68 394). Within-state and between-state comparisons assessed opioid positivity among drivers crashing in states with an operational MML (i.e., allowances for home cultivation or active dispensaries) versus drivers crashing in states before a future MML was operational. Results. State-specific estimates indicated a reduction in opioid positivity for most states after implementation of an operational MML, although none of these estimates were significant. When we combined states, we observed no significant overall association (odds ratio [OR] = 0.79; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.61, 1.03). However, age-stratified analyses indicated a significant reduction in opioid positivity for drivers aged 21 to 40 years (OR = 0.50; 95% CI = 0.37, 0.67; interaction P

Keywords: alcohol blood level; medical cannabis; narcotic analgesic agent, adolescent; adult; age distribution; alcohol blood level; blood; car driving; female; human; male; mortality; prevalence; statistics and numerical data; traffic accident; young adult, Accidents, Traffic; Adolescent; Adult; Age Distribution; Analgesics, Opioid; Automobile Driving; Blood Alcohol Content; Female; Humans; Male; Medical Marijuana; Prevalence; Young Adult (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2016.303426_4

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2016.303426

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