Researchers at the University of Georgia studied data from Medicare Part D from 2010 to 2013 to determine whether legalization of marijuana changes doctors’ clinical practice and whether it could curb public health costs.
The study found that states which legalized medical marijuana — which is sometimes recommended for symptoms like chronic pain, anxiety or depression — saw declines in the number of Medicare prescriptions for drugs used to treat those conditions and a drop in spending by Medicare Part D, which covers the cost on prescription medications.
The study determined that medical marijuana saved Medicare about $165 million in 2013. The study estimated that if medical marijuana were legalized nationwide, Medicare Part D spending would have declined in the same year by about $470 million.
Read more at this University of Georgia article – Research finds medical marijuana lowers prescription drug use.