EMBARGOED FOR USE UNTIL: 11 A.M. (EDT) ON JUNE 5, 2024 Cannabis use common among patients, with most using it to manage a symptom or health condition Newswise — One in six patients in primary care reported cannabis use, with 35% of those using at levels indicating moderate- to high-risk for cannabis use disorder, new UCLA research finds.
The findings, to be published June 5 in JAMA Network Open, suggest that most patients reported using cannabis for symptom management, despite identifying as recreational users, indicating the need for routine cannabis screening. Currently few healthcare systems offer this screening in primary care settings. “Patients may not tell their primary care providers about their cannabis use, and their doctors may not ask about it,” said lead author Dr.
Lillian Gelberg, professor of family medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and of health policy and management at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health “Not asking patients about their cannabis use results in a missed opportunity for opening up doctor-patient communication regarding use of cannabis generally and for management of their symptoms. “ Thirty-eight states, three US territories and the District of Columbia allow cannabis for medical use, and 24 of these states also permit recreational use. Stigma over cannabis use has fallen likely due to these legal moves.
While there has been an increased perception that its use is risk free, cannabis potency has increased. .
