A recent study published in JAMA Network Open sheds light on a disparity in perspectives surrounding cannabis access. The research, conducted by Rutgers Health and other institutions, surveyed over 1,600 individuals with chronic pain and 1,000 physicians in states where medical cannabis is legal. The findings indicate a significant difference in opinion between patients and their healthcare providers regarding cannabis policy.
Patients suffering from chronic pain overwhelmingly favor policies that expand access to cannabis. Over 70% of these individuals support federal legalization of medical marijuana, with nearly 55% supporting federal legalization for adult use. A majority (64%) also desire insurance coverage for cannabis treatment for their condition, and half believe that states with medical cannabis programs should provide subsidies for low-income individuals.
While physicians are more supportive of federal legalization of medical cannabis (59%), they tend to favor stricter regulations. Notably, physicians are more likely to support requiring patient registration with the state medical cannabis program for access compared to chronic pain patients (68.1% vs. 49.2%, respectively).
Elizabeth Stone, the study’s lead author and a core faculty member at the Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research, highlights the complexities of the cannabis policy landscape. “Depending on what state you’re in, it could be that medical cannabis is legal, it could be that medical and recreational use are legal, it could be that neither is legal, but some things are decriminalized,” she explains.
This study, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, delves into the potential impact of state medical cannabis policies on opioid-related outcomes for chronic pain sufferers. The findings suggest that while patients are seeking broader access to cannabis as a potential pain management tool, physicians are more cautious in their approach, favoring tighter controls and access restrictions. This disparity in opinion presents a critical issue in the ongoing debate surrounding cannabis policy, particularly in the context of chronic pain management and its relationship to opioid use.
