Since proponents first began pushing for legal medical cannabis more than 20 years ago, there has been a nagging question among those who aren’t so sure cannabis should be given the green light: will consumers use medical approval as an umbrella to consume marijuana recreationally? It is possible. However, a recently published study out of Israel suggests otherwise.
The study demonstrates, among other things, the patients consuming cannabis under medical supervision have a high rate of adherence to treatment plans. In other words, they are using cannabis just as their doctors have instructed them to.
Assuming the principles carry over to the U.S., they would mean good news for medical-only states like Utah. They would suggest high adherence rates among Beehive State patients using medical cannabis under the supervision of either a medical provider or licensed pharmacist.
More About the Study
Researchers from a number of Israeli institutions wanted to learn more about the epidemiological characteristics of people who use cannabis medicinally. So they put together a study through which they would measure treatment adherence, safety, and effectiveness. They enrolled 10,000 patients and then studied their behaviors.
Patients in the study used cannabis for a number of conditions. Cancer and chronic pain were the two most cited. During the study and its follow up, just over 19% of the patients died while approximately 17% ceased treatments. Researchers compiled all their data to reach the following conclusions:
- 89.7% maintained treatment adherence through 6 months.
- 34.2% reported at least one side effect; none of the side effects were considered serious.
- 70.6% of those who finished the study reported experiencing treatment success.
In terms of the last statistic, it must be noted that only 64.5% of the patients completed the study, with completion being defined as reaching month 6 and completing the final questionnaire. Had all participants completed the questionnaire, the success rate may have been significantly different.
Researchers concluded that medically supervised cannabis consumption is safe and effective. When supervised by healthcare providers, patients adhere to treatment recommendations. That is about it in a nutshell.
Things Are a Bit Different Here
It is not clear if a similar study conducted in the U.S. would show similar results. Things are a bit different here. For example, most states with medical cannabis programs do not require doctors to write the equivalent of cannabis prescriptions. Doctors only recommend medical cannabis.
That is the way it is in Utah, according to the operators of Salt Lake City’s Beehive Farmacy. They say patients obtain medical cannabis cards after the recommendation of a healthcare provider. But ultimately, patients themselves decide which medicines they will use, the dose they will take, and the frequency of their consumption.
Such loose guidelines suggest there is little for American patients to adhere to – with the possible exception of prescription instructions in those states where doctors are required to issue them. Personally, I would be interested in knowing how faithfully patients in those states adhere to what their doctors tell them.
A Non-Issue in Recreational States
All of this has become a non-issue in states that have approved recreational marijuana. Once recreational use is okayed, anyone previously relying on medical cannabis to procure marijuana for recreational consumption no longer needs to do so.
It would seem as though legitimate medical cannabis users are adhering to treatment recommendations. That’s good. Like any other medicine, medical cannabis is not as safe and effective as it can be when patients do not use it appropriately. Following the advice of a doctor or pharmacist is always the best way to go.
