Majority Of Patients With Chronic Pain Support Federal Legalization of Medical Marijuana

A majority of patients with chronic pain support federally legalizing marijuana for medical use, according to the results of a study reported by Rutgers Today.

The study by Rutgers Health and other institutions was published in JAMA Network Open.  It found that 71% of chronic pain patients and 59% of physicians supported federal legalization of medical cannabis,.

Over 1,600 people with chronic pain and 1,000 physicians in states with medical cannabis programs were surveyed as part of the research.  38 states and Washington, D.C., have legalized medical cannabis use while 24 states and D.C. have legalized it for adult recreational use.

“Cannabis is unique in terms of the complicated policy landscape,” said Elizabeth Stone, a core faculty member at the Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research and lead author of the study. “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.”

Among those surveyed, 55% of chronic pain patients supported federal legalization of cannabis for adult recreational use but only 38% of doctors backed it. 64% of patients and 51% of physicians favored requiring insurance coverage for cannabis treatment of chronic pain.

“Overall, people with chronic pain were more supportive of the policies that would expand access to medical cannabis, and providers were more supportive of the policies that would restrict access to medical cannabis,” said Stone.

People who had used cannabis for chronic pain reported the highest levels of support for expanding access. Physicians who hadn’t recommended cannabis for chronic pain management reported the lowest levels of support.

The study also found about 70% of both patients and physicians favored requiring medical schools to train future doctors on cannabis treatment for chronic non-cancer pain.

“I think it points to the need for future guidance around cannabis use and efficacy,” Stone said. “Is it something they should be recommending? If so, are there different considerations for types of products or modes of use or concentration?”

The researchers said federal legalization would make it easier to compile accurate studies on how effective cannabis is for managing pain. because regulations throughout the country would then be standardized.

“Currently, there are limitations on the research that can be done on cannabis,” Stone said. “Opening up those avenues would likely lead to better understanding.”

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