By DANIEL BREEN
Arkansas’ medical marijuana program is the subject of a new study examining its link to overall health outcomes.
Researchers with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement will lead the three-year study, funded by a $1.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.
ACHI president and CEO Dr. Joe Thompson says little research exists on the link between medical cannabis and health outcomes.
“We don’t know whether we’re going to have findings that medical marijuana helps, for example, lowering individuals that have pain, their opioid prescription rate, or whether medical marijuana may have unintended effects of having new mental health conditions emerge,” Thompson said.
