Medical students in Israel held more permissive views on medical cannabis than those in Thailand
A cross-national survey of 430 medical students found Israeli students were more likely to recommend medical cannabis and support legalization, but felt less prepared to answer patient questions than Thai students.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Israeli secular students were more likely to recommend medical cannabis, less concerned about health risks, and more supportive of recreational legalization. However, Thai students reported feeling more prepared to answer patient questions about medical cannabis despite lower personal use rates.
Key Numbers
430 students (163 Israeli, 267 Thai); personal cannabis use: 55.6% Israeli vs 6.9% Thai (P < .001)
How They Did This
A cross-sectional survey of 430 medical students (163 from Israel, 267 from Thailand) measured attitudes, beliefs, and perceived efficacy of medical cannabis for pain-related conditions. Comparisons used Pearson chi-squared tests.
Why This Research Matters
Medical students become the next generation of prescribers. Their attitudes and perceived preparedness around medical cannabis will shape clinical practice and patient access in the coming decades.
The Bigger Picture
The gap between permissive attitudes and actual clinical preparedness, particularly among Israeli students, highlights a broader problem in medical education around cannabis that extends well beyond these two countries.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Only two countries represented. Cross-sectional design captures a single point in time. Selection bias possible in survey participation. Cultural factors beyond medical education likely influence attitudes.
Questions This Raises
- ?Does personal cannabis use influence clinical recommendations?
- ?What specific curriculum elements make Thai students feel more prepared?
- ?How do these attitudes translate to actual prescribing behavior after graduation?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 55.6% of Israeli vs 6.9% of Thai medical students reported personal cannabis use
- Evidence Grade:
- Reasonable sample size with cross-national comparison, though only two countries and potential selection bias limit generalizability.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2021.
- Original Title:
- Cross national comparison of medical students' attitudes and beliefs about medical cannabis and its application for pain management.
- Published In:
- Complementary therapies in medicine, 59, 102720 (2021)
- Authors:
- Likhitsathian, Surinporn, Edelstein, Offer E, Srisurapanont, Manit, Zolotov, Yuval, Karawekpanyawong, Nuntaporn, Reznik, Alexander, Isralowitz, Richard
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03293
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Which students felt more prepared to discuss medical cannabis with patients?
Thai students reported feeling more prepared, despite having much lower personal cannabis use rates and less permissive attitudes overall.
Did students think medical cannabis worked for pain?
The study measured perceived efficacy for pain conditions including arthritis, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, and multiple sclerosis, with differences emerging between the two groups based on cultural context.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03293APA
Likhitsathian, Surinporn; Edelstein, Offer E; Srisurapanont, Manit; Zolotov, Yuval; Karawekpanyawong, Nuntaporn; Reznik, Alexander; Isralowitz, Richard. (2021). Cross national comparison of medical students' attitudes and beliefs about medical cannabis and its application for pain management.. Complementary therapies in medicine, 59, 102720. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2021.102720
MLA
Likhitsathian, Surinporn, et al. "Cross national comparison of medical students' attitudes and beliefs about medical cannabis and its application for pain management.." Complementary therapies in medicine, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2021.102720
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Cross national comparison of medical students' attitudes and..." RTHC-03293. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/likhitsathian-2021-cross-national-comparison-of
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.