Differences in Perception of Medical Cannabis Policies Among Chronic Pain Patients and Physicians: Survey Results

A recently published study examined how two different groups of people perceived policies and regulations for medical cannabis as a treatment for chronic pain. Specifically, the people surveyed were adults with noncancer chronic pain and physicians who treated chronic pain in states with medical cannabis programs. The study, “Support for Expanding Access to Cannabis Among Physicians and Adults With Chronic Pain,” was published in August 2024 in JAMA Network Open and received funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

For the study, 1661 people with chronic pain were surveyed in 2022, and 1000 physicians were surveyed in 2023. Both groups were asked about their support for or opposition to several policies that expand access to medical cannabis or increase regulations for medical cannabis. Those with chronic pain were also asked about their cannabis use, and physicians were asked if they’d ever recommended cannabis for patients.

The study highlighted results from respondents with chronic pain, who, compared with physicians, reported more support for these four policies expanding access to cannabis (1):

• Federal legalization of medical cannabis (70.8% of people with chronic pain vs 59.0% of physicians)
• Federal legalization of cannabis for adult use (54.9% vs 38.0%)
• Requiring insurance coverage of cannabis for chronic pain treatment (64.0% vs 50.6%)
• Requiring states with medical cannabis programs to provide subsidies for people with low income (50.1% vs 30.6%)

“Compared with physicians, adults with chronic pain reported greater support for policies expanding access to cannabis and less support for policies further regulating medical cannabis,” the researchers stated. “People who used cannabis for chronic pain were most in favor of expanding access, while physicians who had not recommended cannabis to people with chronic pain reported the least support." Specifically, more physicians supported requiring patient registration with the state medical cannabis program in order to access cannabis for medical use (49.2% of people with chronic pain vs 68.1% of physicians).

Additionally, the researchers noted that “most respondents supported training requirements for medical students and physicians on the use of cannabis for chronic noncancer pain.” Leady study author Elizabeth Stone, PhD, commented on this result in a news release from Rutgers University (2): "I think it points to the need for future guidance around cannabis use and efficacy," she stated. "Is it something they should be recommending? If so, are there different considerations for types of products or modes of use or concentration?"

References

1. Stone, EM.; Tormohlen, K.; Bicket, MC.; McGinty, EE. Support for Expanding Access to Cannabis Among Physicians and Adults With Chronic Pain. JAMA Netw Open. 2024; 7(9). DOI:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.35843
2. Rutgers. Chronic Pain Patients Are More Supportive of Cannabis Access Than Doctors https://www.rutgers.edu/news/chronic-pain-patients-are-more-supportive-cannabis-access-doctors (accessed Oct 3, 2024).