Understanding how recreational cannabis laws affect opioid use and overdoses
Official title: CE24-012 - The Impact of Recreational Cannabis Legalization on Substance Use Outcomes
Funded at Northwestern University · NIH-11169655 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how legalizing recreational cannabis changes opioid use and overdose rates across the United States.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2024 |
| Project end | September 29, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $319,336 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CE003675-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11169655 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research is relevant to individuals who use opioids for pain management or those at risk of opioid overdose, as it examines broad policy impacts on substance use behaviors.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not impacted by recreational cannabis policies or opioid use may not directly benefit from this specific policy-focused research.
What this research studies
We want to understand if and how changes in cannabis laws influence how people manage pain with substances, especially opioids. Our team will use information from national surveys about drug use and combine it with nationwide data on overdoses. This helps us see if non-fatal and fatal overdoses change after recreational cannabis becomes legal. We will also explore if these effects differ based on specific policy details or individual backgrounds, providing important insights for public health.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help policymakers create better public health strategies to address substance use and overdoses, potentially saving lives.
How similar studies have gone: While some studies have explored aspects of cannabis policy, this project uses rigorous statistical methods to provide a comprehensive, nationwide assessment of its impact on opioid outcomes.
Where this research is happening
-
Northwestern University
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Allen, Lindsay — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Allen, Lindsay
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.