Thor Benson / Cannabis News Box Contributor

New York’s state assembly recently approved a bill that would let medical cannabis be used to treat people addicted to opioids. If also approved by the state’s Senate, then it could be a big help to those struggling to deal with opioid addiction. Studies have already shown New Yorkers who have enrolled in the state’s existing medical cannabis program have reduced their reliance on opioids.

“Opioid overdose deaths doubled between 2010 and 2015 in New York State. An increasing amount of research has shown that marijuana helps people using opioids to significantly reduce their opioid consumption,” Doug Greene, the legislative director for NORML’s New York office, told Cannabis News Box. “In consultation with their medical practitioners, New Yorkers should be able to access medical marijuana as a potential treatment modality for opioid use disorders.”

Greene said there is support for this bill in the state, and the state needs more resources for combatting the opioid epidemic. He was not sure if there are any large interest groups who are opposed to passing this bill.

Overall, we’ve seen that medical cannabis legalization has the effect of lessening people’s reliance on addictive and dangerous opioids across the country. Many studies have shown people will start using cannabis to treat pain instead of these pharmaceutical drugs. This is one reason veterans groups across the country have been fighting for legalization, as many of them die from addiction to opioid while treating pain when they’d prefer to be using cannabis.

Cannabis legalization generally has become a big issue in New York recently, because the two Democratic candidates for governor are trying to win over the pro-legalization voters. Incumbent Gov. Andrew Cuomo is currently facing a primary challenger to his left in Cynthia Nixon. Nixon quickly took a stance supporting full legalization in New York, and Cuomo has been trying to play catch-up ever since.

Though there may still be some roadblocks, it seems like this bill to use medical cannabis to treat opioid addiction has a good chance of passing. Medical cannabis is supported by the vast majority of New Yorkers, and they are very concerned with the effects of the opioid epidemic in their state. One would hope that no special interest groups get in the way to try to stop this important bill from being passed in New York and possibly surrounding states that may follow its lead.