The nationwide effort to monitor opioid prescribing to curb the opioid epidemic has worked to reduce prescriptions, but it has had a knock on effect for those in pain who legitimately need painkillers and can no longer obtain medications. Since the CDC issued monitoring guidelines in 2016, more than 500 laws and policies have been put into effect to help wipeout pill mills that fuelled the opioid crisis. Yet the pendulum may have swung to far: one in six Americans, or some 50 million individuals, suffer from chronic pain so extreme it prevents them from working or participating in daily activities, and these people must have access to drugs that ease their suffering.
Meanwhile, as the Connecticut legislature moves forward with a marijuana legalization bill, Yale University professor Cyril Desouza continues to study cannabis addiction, noting that approximately three out of ten people are developing a cannabis use disorder. The main reason is the elevated level of intoxicating THC—up to 90 percent in some edible marijuana products—that is a huge increase over the past. All the more reason for the Connecticut legalization bill to include THC curbs.
And finally, the Upstate New York Poison Center is warning about a drastic increase in calls for young children who have ingested marijuana products and are having frightening reactions. Such edibles often come in bright-colored, kid-friendly packaging that look just like popular candy products. The Center says it is preparing for even more marijuana-related calls now that New York has legalized marijuana.