A recent study highlights a disparity in views between patients and doctors regarding medical marijuana regulations.
Individuals suffering from chronic pain show a much greater level of support for increased cannabis access policies than the doctors who care for them, according to research conducted by Rutgers Health and other affiliated organizations.
The findings, published in JAMA Network Open, involved a survey of over 1,600 adults experiencing chronic pain and 1,000 physicians practicing in states that allow medical cannabis, including New Jersey. The research indicated that 71% of chronic pain patients endorsed the federal legalization of medical marijuana, while only 59% of physicians agreed.
“Cannabis presents a distinct challenge due to its complex policy environment,” stated Elizabeth Stone, a key faculty member at the Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy, and Aging Research, who led the study. “Depending on your state, cannabis could be legal for medical use, legal for both medical and recreational purposes, not legal at all, or partially decriminalized.”
At present, 38 states along with Washington, D.C., have legalized the use of medical cannabis, and New Jersey along with 23 other states (plus D.C.) have permitted it for recreational use among adults. Nevertheless, cannabis remains classified as a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law, signifying that it is deemed to have a high potential for abuse without any accepted medical application, as defined by the National Institutes of Health.
According to the survey results, 55% of chronic pain patients favored federal legalization of cannabis for adult recreational use, contrasting with only 38% of physicians. Furthermore, 64% of patients, but 51% of physicians, supported the idea of mandatory insurance coverage for cannabis treatment addressing chronic pain.
“In general, individuals with chronic pain were more in favor of policies that would enhance access to medical cannabis, while healthcare providers were more inclined towards policies that would limit access,” noted Stone, who is also an instructor in the Department of Psychiatry at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
The researchers utilized two distinct survey populations for their study: one consisting of adults with non-cancer pain persisting for six months or longer, and the other including primary care and various specialty physicians.
Personal experiences influenced the perspectives of both groups significantly. Those who had utilized cannabis for managing chronic pain exhibited the strongest support for expanding access, while physicians who had not recommended cannabis for that purpose were the least supportive.
The study additionally revealed robust backing for greater education for doctors who prescribe medical cannabis. About 70% of both patients and physicians advocated for requiring medical schools to educate upcoming doctors about cannabis treatments for chronic non-cancer pain.
“This underscores the necessity for future guidance concerning cannabis usage and its effectiveness,” Stone commented. “Should doctors be recommending it? If yes, are there different factors to consider with respect to product types, methods of consumption, or concentrations?”
The researchers acknowledged that federal limitations on cannabis hinder comprehensive studies that could answer these important questions. Federal legalization could streamline regulations across different states and eliminate barriers to conducting more thorough research into cannabis’s role in pain management.
“At present, research into cannabis is quite restricted,” said Stone. “Expanding these research opportunities would likely lead to a better understanding.”
Stone’s study forms part of a project funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, investigating the impacts of state medical cannabis regulations on opioid-related outcomes for individuals managing chronic pain.
