How cannabis prescriptions differ based on medical condition and patient demographics
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.
Quick Facts
What This Study 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.
Key Numbers
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 They Did This
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.
Why This Research 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 Bigger Picture
As medical cannabis programs expand globally, understanding prescribing pattern differences can inform more individualized treatment approaches and dosing guidelines.
What This Study Doesn't 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.
Questions This Raises
- ?Are the sex-based dosing differences clinically justified or do they reflect prescribing bias?
- ?Do these patterns translate to different clinical outcomes?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Men prescribed 47% more cannabis than women (25.48g vs 17.32g/month)
- Evidence Grade:
- Small single-center retrospective study describes prescribing patterns but cannot establish whether differences reflect optimal care.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2025.
- Original Title:
- Patterns of medicinal cannabis prescriptions in diverse patient populations: a retrospective analysis.
- Published In:
- Journal of cannabis research, 7(1), 43 (2025)
- Authors:
- Edni, Omer, Naamany, Eviatar, Izhakian, Shimon, Shiber, Shachaf
- Database ID:
- RTHC-06389
Evidence Hierarchy
Looks back at existing records to find patterns.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked 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.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-06389APA
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
MLA
Edni, Omer, et al. "Patterns of medicinal cannabis prescriptions in diverse patient populations: a retrospective analysis.." Journal of cannabis research, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42238-025-00307-6
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Patterns of medicinal cannabis prescriptions in diverse pati..." RTHC-06389. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/edni-2025-patterns-of-medicinal-cannabis
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.