Publications by authors named "Elena L Stains"

Background: Florida, which led the country in terms of its number of opioid-prescribing physicians, was unique during the height of the opioid epidemic because of its lax prescribing laws and high number of unregulated pain clinics. Here, we address differences in the distribution rates of oxycodone and hydrocodone across Florida counties during the peak years of the opioid epidemic using an under-utilized database.

Methods: The Washington Post and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration's Automation of Reports and Consolidated Orders System (ARCOS) databases provided longitudinal oxycodone and hydrocodone distribution data in grams per county (2006-2014) and state (2006-2021).

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Introduction: Pennsylvania opened its first medical marijuana (MMJ) dispensary in 2018. Qualifying conditions include six conditions determined to have no or insufficient evidence to support or refute MMJ effectiveness. We conducted a study to describe MMJ dispensary access in Pennsylvania and to determine whether dispensary proximity was associated with MMJ certifications and community demographics.

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Objective: To compare the 2017 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NAS) report to state medical cannabis (MC) laws defining approved qualifying conditions (QC) from 2017 to 2024 and to determine if there exist gaps in evidence-based decision making.

Methods: The 2017 NAS report assessed therapeutic evidence for over twenty medical conditions treated with MC. We identified the QCs of 38 states (including Washington, D.

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