--- title: Medical Cannabis Cuts Emergency Care Visits Now description: Study shows medical cannabis reduces emergency care visits and improves quality of life for chronic pain patient. image: https://420intel.com/hubfs/elsa-olofsson-82rCkiKmCgo-unsplash.jpg --- [![420intel.com](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Asset%2016-1.png?width=300&height=162&name=Asset%2016-1.png "420intel.com")](https://420intel.com) - [Home](https://420intel.com) - [Advertise](https://420intel.com/advertise) - [Directory](https://420intel.com/directory) - [Topics](https://420intel.com/blog) - [Recreational News](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/recreational-cannabis-news) - [Business News](https://420intel.com/tag/cannabis-business-news) - [Politics](https://420intel.com/tag/cannabis-politics) - [Technology](https://420intel.com/tag/cannabis-technology-news) - [Research](https://420intel.com/tag/medical-cannabis-news) - [Contact](https://420intel.com/contact-us) - [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/420intel) - [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/420-intel/) - [Follow us on Twitter](https://x.com/420intel) - [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/420intel) ### Press ESC to close [![420intel.com](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Asset%2016-1.png?width=300&height=162&name=Asset%2016-1.png "420intel.com")](https://420intel.com) - [Home](https://420intel.com) - [Advertise](https://420intel.com/advertise) - [Directory](https://420intel.com/directory) - [Topics](https://420intel.com/blog) - [Recreational News](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/recreational-cannabis-news) - [Business News](https://420intel.com/tag/cannabis-business-news) - [Politics](https://420intel.com/tag/cannabis-politics) - [Technology](https://420intel.com/tag/cannabis-technology-news) - [Research](https://420intel.com/tag/medical-cannabis-news) - [Contact](https://420intel.com/contact-us) - [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/420intel) - [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/420-intel/) - [Follow us on Twitter](https://x.com/420intel) - [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/420intel) # Medical Cannabis Cuts Emergency Care Visits Now - [![Buzz](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png?width=80&height=80&name=Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png) Buzz](https://420intel.com/blog/author/buzz) - [Medical Cannabis News](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/medical-cannabis-news) - 7 August 2025 A recently published study examined how the use of medical cannabis affected how often chronic pain patients use healthcare services (1). The study noted that chronic pain affects an estimated 20% of adults in the US, and patients are more likely to use emergency treatment services. It also states that cannabis has been suggested in previous studies to be an effective treatment option for chronic pain while conventional treatments tend to have short-lived improvements in pain. To find out how medical cannabis use impacted healthcare utilization in chronic pain patients, researchers examined data from the telehealth platform Leafwell, analyzing patient self-reported data on urgent care visits, emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and quality of life. The retrospective cohort study, “Medical Cannabis Use and Healthcare Utilization Among Patients with Chronic Pain: A Causal Inference Analysis Using TMLE,” was published in July 2025 in *Pharmacy*. The researchers analyzed data across 36 states from 5242 patients, 3943 with cannabis exposure (prior cannabis use within the past year and renewing their medical cannabis card through Leafwell) and 1299 patients with no exposure (applying for a card for the first time). Patients were ages 18 and older with chronic noncancer pain. Individuals using cannabis recreationally were not included in the study. Patients were asked about their healthcare utilization within the past six months. The researchers used Targeted Maximum Likelihood Estimation (TMLE) within SuperLearner to estimate the effect of cannabis on healthcare utilization. Changes in quality of life were measured using the Healthy Days measure from the Centers for Disease Control.   Highlighted results included: - Cannabis exposure was associated with a 2.0 percentage point reduction (27%) in urgent care visits - It was also associated with 3.2 percentage point reduction (33%) in emergency department visits - Cannabis exposure was associated with 3.5 fewer unhealthy days per month (an 18% decrease) - Differences in hospital visits were not significant statistically The lower rates of urgent care and emergency department visits in the cannabis exposed group were suggested to be caused by improved day-to-day functioning and wellbeing, resulting in less need for urgent symptom care. The limitations of the study included reliance on self-reported data to categorize patient cannabis exposure and healthcare utilization. Differences in cannabis dosage, consumption method, or frequency were also not accounted for. Based on the results, additional longitudinal studies were called for in order to further examine the long-term cost efficiency of cannabis. “These real-world gains build on prior work which finds small health improvements associated with medical cannabis use and noncancer chronic pain,” the researchers stated. “Taken together, these findings suggest that medical cannabis may offer a meaningful complement to existing pain management strategies by not only alleviating symptoms but also reducing the burden on acute-care systems.” “These findings demonstrate the tangible benefits that medical cannabis offers people with chronic pain, who are often overburdened by excessive healthcare costs,” stated study author Mitchell Doucette, Senior Director of Research at Leafwell, in a news release (2). “While more clinical trials are needed to establish the ideal dosing strategies and potential risks, this study is a step in the right direction toward recognizing the meaningful impact of cannabis in healthcare.” [by Cannabis Science and Technology](https://www.cannabissciencetech.com/view/study-finds-medical-cannabis-significantly-reduces-emergency-and-urgent-care-visits-for-chronic-pain-patients)   [Medical Cannabis News](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/medical-cannabis-news) ![Buzz](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png?width=200&height=200&name=Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png) #### [Buzz](https://420intel.com/blog/author/buzz) At 420 Intel, we cover cannabis legalization news throughout the world, offer reliable information for cannabis business owners, detail technological advances that impact the marijuana industry, cover marijuana rallies from across the globe, and everything in between. - - - [Cannabis Laws](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/cannabis-laws) [![Alabama Faces Legal Action Over Cannabis Database](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Al.png?width=550&height=395&name=Al.png)](https://420intel.com/blog/alabama-faces-legal-action-over-cannabis-database) - [![Buzz](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png?width=80&height=80&name=Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png) Buzz](https://420intel.com/blog/author/buzz) - 29 April 2025 #### [Alabama Faces Legal Action Over Cannabis Database](https://420intel.com/blog/alabama-faces-legal-action-over-cannabis-database) HUNTSVILLE, Ala. \[WHNT\] —  [Marijuana Business News](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/marijuana-business-news) [![California ICE Raids Shake Cannabis Sector](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/The%20image%20depicts%20a%20tense%20scene%20outside%20a%20large%20cannabis%20farm%20in%20California%20during%20a%20federal%20raid%20In%20the%20foreground%20a%20group%20of%20weary%20farmworkers%20stands%20with%20concerned%20expressions%20some%20clutching%20their%20phones%20while%20others%20speak%20in%20hushed%20tones%20Distantl.jpeg?width=550&height=395&name=The%20image%20depicts%20a%20tense%20scene%20outside%20a%20large%20cannabis%20farm%20in%20California%20during%20a%20federal%20raid%20In%20the%20foreground%20a%20group%20of%20weary%20farmworkers%20stands%20with%20concerned%20expressions%20some%20clutching%20their%20phones%20while%20others%20speak%20in%20hushed%20tones%20Distantl.jpeg)](https://420intel.com/blog/california-ice-raids-shake-cannabis-sector) - [![Buzz](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png?width=80&height=80&name=Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png) Buzz](https://420intel.com/blog/author/buzz) - 23 July 2025 #### [California ICE Raids Shake Cannabis Sector](https://420intel.com/blog/california-ice-raids-shake-cannabis-sector) In one of the largest coordinated immigration enforcement actions in recent years, federal agents... [Recreational Cannabis News](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/recreational-cannabis-news) [![US (CA): California officials fund project to preserve ‘legacy cannabis’ genetics and culture](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/AdobeStock_314290551.jpeg?width=550&height=395&name=AdobeStock_314290551.jpeg)](https://420intel.com/blog/us-ca-california-officials-fund-project-preserve-legacy-cannabis-genetics-and) - [![Buzz](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png?width=80&height=80&name=Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png) Buzz](https://420intel.com/blog/author/buzz) - 27 September 2024 #### [US (CA): California officials fund project to preserve ‘legacy cannabis’ genetics and culture](https://420intel.com/blog/us-ca-california-officials-fund-project-preserve-legacy-cannabis-genetics-and) In California, a state-funded effort is underway to analyze the genetic information of various... - [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/420intel) - [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/420intel) - [Follow us on Twitter](https://twitter.com/420intel) - [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/420intel) Back to Top ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Buzz", "url" : "https://420intel.com/blog/author/buzz" }, "dateModified" : "2025-08-07T12:23:11.501Z", "datePublished" : "2025-08-07T11:14:41.000Z", "headline" : "Medical Cannabis Cuts Emergency Care Visits Now", "image" : [ "https://420intel.com/hubfs/elsa-olofsson-82rCkiKmCgo-unsplash.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://420intel.com/blog/medical-cannabis-cuts-emergency-care-visits-now", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://420intel.com/hubfs/Asset%2016.png" }, "name" : "420 Intel" } } ```