A description of self-medication with cannabis among adults with legal access to cannabis in Quebec, Canada.
J Cannabis Res
; 4(1): 26, 2022 May 26.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-35619155
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
Cannabis is increasingly used for medical purposes, particularly in countries like Canada where cannabis was recently legalized for recreational use. We aimed to assess self-medication with cannabis post-cannabis legalization among adults in the Canadian province of Quebec.METHODS:
This is a cross-sectional online survey of a self-selected convenience sample conducted in Quebec, Canada, from November 2020 to January 2021. Individuals aged ≥ 21 years who endorsed using cannabis bought in legal recreational cannabis stores to self-medicate a health condition were included. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and stratified according to sex, age, and the type of cannabis use (exclusively medical versus medical and recreational use).RESULTS:
Four hundred eighty-nine participants were included. The median age was 34 years, and 48% were women. About 25% reported exclusive medical use of cannabis. Treated conditions included anxiety (70%), insomnia (56%), pain (53%), depression (37%), and many others. Reasons for not consulting in cannabis clinics included lack of information (52%), the complexity of the process (39%), accessibility of cannabis clinics (23%), and others. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) dosage > 20% was reported by 32%. Smoking was the main route of use (81%). Possession of prescribed drugs was reported by 56%. Professionals consulted for information on cannabis included recreational cannabis store agents (36%), physicians (29%), and others. Overall, significant differences were observed for many of the comparisons according to sex, age, and the type of cannabis use.CONCLUSIONS:
Many conditions are self-medicated with cannabis. The use of high doses of cannabis, smoking as a preferred method of use, and concurrent use of other medications may pose some risks to individuals. Addressing the reported barriers to medical access to cannabis is urgently needed.
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MEDLINE
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En
Año:
2022
Tipo del documento:
Article