Half of New Zealand IBD patients had used cannabis, with most reporting symptom improvement
Among 334 IBD patients in New Zealand, 51% had used cannabis, with 31% of users reporting medicinal use for IBD symptoms, and most noting improvements in pain, nausea, and appetite.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
51% reported ever using cannabis. Of users, 63% used recreationally and 31% for IBD symptom reduction. Cannabis users were younger (by 6.4 years), more likely to have ongoing symptoms, unemployed/self-employed, and current/ex-smokers. Most reported improvements in abdominal pain/cramping, nausea/vomiting, and appetite. 54% of all participants said they would request medicinal cannabis if legal.
Key Numbers
334 eligible respondents (84% NZ European, 71% female). 61% Crohn's, 34% UC. 51% ever used cannabis. 31% of users for IBD symptoms. Symptoms improved: abdominal pain, nausea, appetite. 54% would request medicinal cannabis if legal.
How They Did This
Anonymous online questionnaire distributed to IBD patients via hospital database and Crohn's and Colitis New Zealand. 378 respondents, 334 eligible. Assessed cannabis use patterns, motivations, symptom effects, and attitudes toward legalization.
Why This Research Matters
IBD patients are using cannabis regardless of legal status and reporting symptom benefits. Understanding these patterns can help clinicians have informed conversations and guide future clinical trial design.
The Bigger Picture
The high proportion of IBD patients using cannabis for symptoms, even in a jurisdiction without legal medical cannabis, underscores the gap between patient need and available evidence-based treatments.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Self-selected sample with possible response bias. Self-reported symptom improvements without objective measures. New Zealand population may not represent other regions. Cross-sectional design cannot establish causation.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would randomized trials confirm the symptom improvements patients report?
- ?What cannabinoid formulations and doses work best for specific IBD symptoms?
- ?How should clinicians counsel IBD patients who ask about cannabis?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 54% of IBD patients would request medicinal cannabis if legal
- Evidence Grade:
- Well-designed cross-sectional survey with good response, but self-reported outcomes and possible selection bias.
- Study Age:
- 2021 study from New Zealand. Conducted before medicinal cannabis became more widely available there.
- Original Title:
- Attitudes towards and use of cannabis in New Zealand patients with inflammatory bowel disease: an exploratory study.
- Published In:
- The New Zealand medical journal, 134(1530), 38-47 (2021)
- Authors:
- Appleton, Kerry, Whittaker, Elizabeth, Cohen, Zarife, Rhodes, Heather May, Dunn, Cathy, Murphy, Siobhan, Gaastra, Mabel, Galletly, Anna, Dougherty, Sean, Haren, Andrew, Sukumaran, Nitin, Aluzaite, Kristina, Dockerty, John D, Turner, Robin M, Schultz, Michael
- Database ID:
- RTHC-02973
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
What IBD symptoms did cannabis help with?
Patients most commonly reported improvement in abdominal pain/cramping, nausea/vomiting, and loss of appetite. These are symptom reports, not objectively measured outcomes.
Were cannabis users sicker than non-users?
Cannabis users were more likely to have ongoing symptoms, suggesting they may have turned to cannabis because conventional treatments were insufficient for their disease.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-02973APA
Appleton, Kerry; Whittaker, Elizabeth; Cohen, Zarife; Rhodes, Heather May; Dunn, Cathy; Murphy, Siobhan; Gaastra, Mabel; Galletly, Anna; Dougherty, Sean; Haren, Andrew; Sukumaran, Nitin; Aluzaite, Kristina; Dockerty, John D; Turner, Robin M; Schultz, Michael. (2021). Attitudes towards and use of cannabis in New Zealand patients with inflammatory bowel disease: an exploratory study.. The New Zealand medical journal, 134(1530), 38-47.
MLA
Appleton, Kerry, et al. "Attitudes towards and use of cannabis in New Zealand patients with inflammatory bowel disease: an exploratory study.." The New Zealand medical journal, 2021.
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Attitudes towards and use of cannabis in New Zealand patient..." RTHC-02973. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/appleton-2021-attitudes-towards-and-use
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.