Cancer patients who seek medical cannabis use it differently than other patients
Cancer patients seeking medical cannabis certification used less cannabis, less frequently, and were less likely to smoke it compared to non-cancer patients.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Among 1,485 adults pursuing medical cannabis certification in Michigan, 72 cancer patients used less cannabis and used it less often than the 1,413 non-cancer patients. Cancer patients were also less likely to smoke cannabis (80% vs. 91%) and showed a trend toward more edible use (57% vs. 44%).
Key Numbers
1,485 adults surveyed; 72 (4.8%) had cancer; cancer patients were older (mean 53.4 vs. 44.7 years); more were disabled (44.4% vs. 26.5%); fewer smoked cannabis (80% vs. 91%, p=0.015); lower quantity (p=0.033) and frequency (p=0.032) of use
How They Did This
Cross-sectional survey of patients seeking medical cannabis certification at Michigan dispensaries. Compared demographics, employment, pain, mental health, and cannabis use patterns between those with and without cancer diagnosis using chi-square and t-tests.
Why This Research Matters
Cancer patients have driven much of the policy discussion around medical cannabis legalization, yet their actual patterns of use remain poorly characterized. This study shows they are a distinct population with different usage behaviors compared to the broader medical cannabis patient pool.
The Bigger Picture
Understanding how cancer patients use medical cannabis differently could inform tailored dosing guidance, product development, and policy decisions specific to oncology populations rather than applying one-size-fits-all frameworks.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design at a single time point. Only patients seeking certification were included, which may not represent all cancer patients using cannabis. Self-reported data with potential recall bias. Small cancer subgroup (n=72).
Questions This Raises
- ?Why do cancer patients use less cannabis than non-cancer medical users?
- ?Do the different consumption patterns reflect different symptom profiles or different relationships with the substance?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 80% vs. 91% smoked cannabis (cancer vs. non-cancer patients)
- Evidence Grade:
- Cross-sectional survey with a reasonable sample size but a small cancer subgroup and self-reported measures.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2021 using data from Michigan dispensaries.
- Original Title:
- Differences between cancer patients and others who use medicinal Cannabis.
- Published In:
- PloS one, 16(3), e0248227 (2021)
- Authors:
- Cousins, Matthew M, Jannausch, Mary, Jagsi, Reshma, Ilgen, Mark
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03077
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
How did cancer patients differ in their cannabis use?
They used less cannabis, less frequently, and were less likely to smoke it. There was also a trend toward greater edible use (57% vs. 44%), though this did not reach statistical significance.
Were cancer patients different demographically?
Yes. They were older on average (53.4 vs. 44.7 years) and more likely to be disabled (44.4% vs. 26.5%) compared to non-cancer patients seeking medical cannabis.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03077APA
Cousins, Matthew M; Jannausch, Mary; Jagsi, Reshma; Ilgen, Mark. (2021). Differences between cancer patients and others who use medicinal Cannabis.. PloS one, 16(3), e0248227. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0248227
MLA
Cousins, Matthew M, et al. "Differences between cancer patients and others who use medicinal Cannabis.." PloS one, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0248227
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Differences between cancer patients and others who use medic..." RTHC-03077. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/cousins-2021-differences-between-cancer-patients
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.