Are medical marijuana users different from recreational users? The view from primary care

The American Journal on Addictions
Peter Roy-ByrneRichard Ries

Abstract

Marijuana is currently approved for medical use in 23 states. Both clinicians and the lay public have questioned whether users of marijuana for medical purposes are different from users of marijuana for recreational purposes. This study examined similarities and differences in important clinical characteristics between users of medical marijuana and users of recreational marijuana. The sample consisted of 868 adult primary care patients in Washington State, who reported use of medical marijuana (n = 131), recreational marijuana (n = 525), or drugs other than marijuana (n = 212). Retention was over 87% at 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month assessments. The majority of medical, psychiatric, substance use, and service utilization characteristic comparisons were not significant. However, medical marijuana users had significantly more medical problems, a significantly larger proportion reported >15 days medical problems in the past month, and significantly smaller proportions reported no pain and no mobility limitations (p < .001). Medical marijuana users also had significantly lower drug problem severity, lower alcohol problem severity, and significantly larger proportions reported using marijuana alone and concomitant opioid use only (p < ....Continue Reading

References

Feb 24, 2001·Journal of Psychoactive Drugs·A C OgborneC Birchmore-Timney
May 15, 2004·AIDS Patient Care and STDs·Michelle D FurlerReina Bendayan
Apr 29, 2005·International Journal of Clinical Practice·M A WareG W Guy
Oct 19, 2006·Drug and Alcohol Dependence·John S CacciolaKevin G Lynch
Feb 20, 2007·Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment·Errol YudkoAdriana Fouts
Jul 14, 2010·Archives of Internal Medicine·Peter C SmithRichard Saitz
Mar 24, 2011·British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology·Mary E Lynch, Fiona Campbell
Aug 24, 2011·Journal of Psychoactive Drugs·Craig ReinarmanTom Heddleston
Oct 7, 2011·Epidemiologic Reviews·Mu-Chen LiGuohua Li
Jul 26, 2012·Sociology of Health & Illness·Willy Pedersen, Sveinung Sandberg
Aug 29, 2012·The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse·Anna Lembke
Feb 7, 2013·Pharmacotherapy·Laura M BorgeltGeorge S Wang
Feb 15, 2014·World Journal of Clinical Cases·Raj GopalVikram Kate
Apr 18, 2014·The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience·Jodi M GilmanHans C Breiter
May 23, 2014·JAMA : the Journal of the American Medical Association·Samuel T Wilkinson, Deepak Cyril D'Souza
Jun 5, 2014·The New England Journal of Medicine·Nora D VolkowSusan R B Weiss
Aug 27, 2014·JAMA Internal Medicine·Marcus A BachhuberColleen L Barry
Nov 12, 2014·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Francesca M FilbeyJudith Segall

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Oct 1, 2016·Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research·Susan I WoodruffMichael J Sise
Oct 25, 2016·Drug and Alcohol Dependence·Namkee G ChoiC Nathan Marti
Jan 21, 2017·The International Journal on Drug Policy·Sharon R Sznitman
Jun 22, 2017·Depression and Anxiety·Jasmine TurnaMichael Van Ameringen
Oct 24, 2017·The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse·Mallory LoflinMarcel Bonn-Miller
Jun 16, 2017·Substance Abuse : Research and Treatment·Peter Baumgartner, Nicholas Peiper
Sep 1, 2017·Substance Abuse : Research and Treatment·Nicholas C PeiperNicco Reggente
Sep 5, 2018·International Review of Psychiatry·Jennifer R RineerNicholas C Peiper
Feb 23, 2019·Current Drug Research Reviews·Brienna N MeffertAdrienne J Heinz
Jan 27, 2019·Pain Management·Sara P KhanDaniel J Berlau
Jun 1, 2016·Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research·Michelle SextonLaurie K Mischley
Dec 2, 2020·Journal of Neurotrauma·Danielle C HergertAndrew R Mayer
Aug 25, 2020·The Journal of Adolescent Health : Official Publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine·Jeffrey D WardellHayley A Hamilton
Feb 18, 2021·Journal of Psychopharmacology·Anne K SchlagH Valerie Curran
Mar 7, 2021·Drug and Alcohol Dependence·Ekaterina V FedorovaStephen E Lankenau
Jun 3, 2020·The International Journal on Drug Policy·Bin ZhuYuyan Shi
Jul 14, 2021·Drug and Alcohol Dependence·Ellen T Kurtzman, Kelly C Young-Wolff

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.