Medical marijuana laws are associated with increases in substance use treatment admissions by pregnant women

• DOI: 10.1111/add.14661
• Publication Date: 2019-05-20T08:16:27Z
• Authors: Angélica Meinhofer; Allison Witman; Sean M. Murphy; Yuhua Bao
• Keywords: Specialty

Abstract Background and Aims Between 2002 2014, past‐month marijuana use among pregnant women in the United States increased 62%, nearly twice growth of general population. This coincides with proliferation state medical laws (MMLs) authorizing physicians to recommend for approved conditions. We estimated association between MMLs substance treatment utilization non‐pregnant reproductive age. also examined whether varied across MML provisions, age groups referral sources clarify potential pathways. Design Nation‐wide administrative data from 2002–14 Treatment Episodes Data Set Admissions, a difference‐in‐differences design that exploited staggered implementation compare changes outcomes before after non‐MML states. Setting Twenty‐one 27 US Participants Pregnant aged 12–49 admitted publicly funded specialty facilities. Measurements The primary outcome variable was number admissions per 100 000 12–49, aggregated at state‐year level ( n = 606). Admissions marijuana, alcohol, cocaine opioids were considered. independent an indicator state. Findings Among women, rate by 4.69 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.32, 8.06] states relative accompanied increases involving alcohol (β 3.19; 95% CI 0.97, 5.410 2.56; 0.34, 4.79), specific adults 5.50; 1.52, 9.47) largest granting legal protection dispensaries 6.37; –0.97, 13.70). There no statistically significant women. Conclusions Medical law has been associated greater adult especially legally protected dispensaries.