Study Reveals Astonishing Surge in Medical Cannabis Use Across America, Fueled by State Legalization
Medical cannabis prevalence has experienced a remarkable surge in the United States, driven primarily by state-level legalization, according to a recent study analyzing data from a federally funded survey.
The study, conducted by Greg Rhee and Robert Rosenheck from the Yale School of Medicine’s psychiatry department and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, found that the usage of medical cannabis more than doubled between 2013 and 2020. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which included a question about medical marijuana in 2013, revealed that 1.2 percent of respondents reported using medical cannabis in the first year, compared to 2.5 percent seven years later.
Throughout the seven-year period, the proportion of Americans using medical marijuana increased at an average annual rate of 12.9 percent, as highlighted by Rhee and Rosenheck’s study. Their findings, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, emphasize the continuous nationwide growth of cannabis use for diverse medical purposes. The study also underscores the significant association between residing in a state with legalized medical cannabis and higher odds of medical cannabis use.
Various factors were identified in the report as having significant correlations with medical marijuana use, such as being aged 18 to 25, male, unmarried, having completed some college education, and lacking health insurance. However, it is important to note that these associations do not imply that these groups were more likely to use medical cannabis or experienced greater increases in usage over the study period. The observed associations simply indicate that these groups exhibited the most statistically significant interactions with survey years.
Regarding health insurance status, the prevalence of medical marijuana use among uninsured individuals demonstrated the slowest increase over the seven-year timeframe compared to other groups. However, this change was still considered statistically significant, ruling out the possibility of chance. While the study does not delve into the effects of transitioning from medical-only legalization to broader adult-use legalization on medical marijuana use, Rhee clarifies that such analysis was beyond its scope due to the inability to differentiate states based on legalization status.
Moreover, the study explored medical marijuana use among respondents with specific medical conditions. It revealed that certain clinically relevant subgroups, including those with poorer self-rated health, a past-year major depressive episode, cocaine use disorder, and use of non-prescription pain relievers, exhibited significantly higher odds of medical cannabis use. The authors suggested that medical cannabis may have been prescribed or used independently for these conditions, although the data from the national survey did not provide sufficient information to draw definitive conclusions.
Throughout the study, the authors repeatedly emphasized the lack of conclusive health data regarding the risks and benefits of cannabis. While medical cannabis generally does not result in overdose deaths, unlike opioids, the study acknowledges the existence of unintended consequences such as the development of psychosis and motor vehicle accidents.
In contrast to the increasing use of medical cannabis, recent federal data indicated that overall past-month cannabis use among U.S. teenagers reached a record low since 2011.
In summary, the study’s findings highlight the exponential growth of medical cannabis prevalence in the United States, driven by state-level legalization. However, it also underscores the need for further research to comprehensively evaluate the long-term benefits and potential risks associated with medical cannabis usage across various medical conditions.
