Importance Opioid-related mortality increased by 15.6% from 2014 to 2015 and increased
almost 320% between 2000 and 2015. Recent research finds that the use of all pain
medications (opioid and nonopioid collectively) decreases in Medicare Part D and Medicaid
populations when states approve medical cannabis laws (MCLs). The association between
MCLs and opioid prescriptions is not well understood. Objective To examine the association
between prescribing patterns for opioids in Medicare Part D and the implementation of state …