How cannabis prescriptions differ based on medical condition and patient demographics | Research

The takeaway

Cannabis prescription patterns varied significantly across disease groups and between sexes, with gastrointestinal patients receiving the highest doses and men receiving higher doses and THC content than women.

Clinicians prescribing medical cannabis, patients curious about typical prescription patterns, and researchers studying cannabis dosing optimization.

Men prescribed 47% more cannabis than women (25.48g vs 17.32g/month)

What the researchers found

Patients with gastrointestinal conditions were prescribed the highest mean monthly cannabis dose (22.26g), while male patients received significantly higher doses (25.48g vs 17.32g) and higher THC content (14% vs 11.39%) compared to females.

Why it matters

Despite growing cannabis prescriptions worldwide, there is limited data on how prescribing patterns actually differ across conditions and patient demographics, making it harder to develop evidence-based guidelines.

The numbers in context

263 patients analyzed. GI patients: 22.26g/month average. Males: 25.48g vs females: 17.32g. Male THC content: 14% vs female: 11.39%. Neurological patients had highest oil consumption at 31.75%.

How the study worked

Retrospective analysis of 263 patients aged 30+ from a cannabis clinic at a tertiary hospital in Israel, categorized by neurological (n=63), rheumatological (n=106), and gastrointestinal (n=94) conditions.

What this study cannot tell us

Single center in Israel with a relatively small sample. Patients aged 30+ only, excluding younger adults. Retrospective design cannot determine whether prescription differences reflect optimal treatment or prescriber bias.

How to read the evidence

Small single-center retrospective study describes prescribing patterns but cannot establish whether differences reflect optimal care.

When this study was published

Published in 2025.

The bigger picture

As medical cannabis programs expand globally, understanding prescribing pattern differences can inform more individualized treatment approaches and dosing guidelines.

Questions still open

Are the sex-based dosing differences clinically justified or do they reflect prescribing bias? Do these patterns translate to different clinical outcomes?

Common questions

Do cannabis prescriptions differ by medical condition?

Yes. This study found gastrointestinal patients received the highest monthly doses, while neurological patients were most likely to use cannabis oil rather than smoking.

Do men and women get different cannabis prescriptions?

In this study, men were prescribed significantly higher cannabis doses and higher THC percentages than women, though the reasons for this difference are unclear.

Read the original research

Patterns of medicinal cannabis prescriptions in diverse patient populations: a retrospective analysis.

Journal of cannabis research, 7(1), 43

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Edni, Omer; Naamany, Eviatar; Izhakian, Shimon; Shiber, Shachaf. (2025). Patterns of medicinal cannabis prescriptions in diverse patient populations: a retrospective analysis.. Journal of cannabis research, 7(1), 43. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42238-025-00307-6