Research: Legal cannabis stores linked to fewer opioid deaths in the United States

Access to legal cannabis stores is associated with a reduction in opioid-related deaths in the United States, particularly those linked to synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, finds a study published by The BMJ.

It is estimated that an increase from one to two cannabis dispensaries in a county was associated with an estimated 17% reduction in all opioid-related mortality rates. An increase from two to three dispensaries was associated with a further 8.5% reduction in all opioid related mortality rates. Their findings are based on data for 812 counties within the 23 US states that allowed legal cannabis dispensaries to operate by the end of 2017.