Population-Level Analyses Cannot Tell Us Anything About Individual-Level Marijuana-Opioid Substitution

Abstract

Livingston et al.1 studied the state-level correlation between opioid overdose deaths and recreational marijuana legislation. In the articles introduction, the authors claim that the study will contribute to the literatureon whether cannabis is substituted for opioids in pain management, and the reader is given the premise that with this substitution, an immediate reduction in opioid-related poisonings would be expected.