Medical cannabis cardholders viewed cannabis as having fewer side effects and better quality of life than prescription medications, but cited stigma, cost, and lack of dosing guidance as major barriers.
Medical cannabis patients, prescribers, and policymakers designing medical cannabis programs.
No dosing guidance available
What the researchers found
Three key themes emerged: (1) patients perceived cannabis as having fewer/better side effects and improving quality of life versus prescriptions, (2) patients used cannabis to supplement or replace other medications including opioids, and (3) stigma, travel restrictions, cost, and inability of providers to give dosing/strain guidance significantly limited use.
Why it matters
Patient perspectives reveal practical barriers that surveys miss. The inability of healthcare providers to give dosing guidance leaves patients to experiment on their own, potentially leading to suboptimal or unsafe use.
The numbers in context
25 participants (Rhode Island medical cannabis cardholders); 3 major themes identified; patients specifically mentioned opioid substitution as a primary use case.
How the study worked
Qualitative semi-structured interviews with 25 Rhode Island medical cannabis cardholders, with audio recording, verbatim transcription, and thematic coding.
What this study cannot tell us
Small qualitative sample (25) from one state. Self-selected medical cannabis users may have more positive views. No clinical outcome verification. Rhode Island policies may not generalize.
How to read the evidence
Preliminary: small qualitative study from one state.
When this study was published
Published in 2019.
The bigger picture
The paradox of medical cannabis: patients view it positively and use it as medicine, but the medical system cannot treat it like medicine (no dosing guidance, no strain recommendations, stigma from providers). This gap may limit both safety and efficacy.
Questions still open
- How can healthcare providers offer meaningful cannabis guidance within current regulatory constraints? Would standardized dosing frameworks improve patient outcomes?
Common questions
Do patients prefer medical cannabis over prescription drugs?
What barriers do medical cannabis patients face?
Read the original research
Marijuana as a Substitute for Prescription Medications: A Qualitative Study.
Substance use & misuse, 54(11), 1894-1902
Citation
Mercurio, Alana; Aston, Elizabeth R; Claborn, Kasey R; Waye, Katherine; Rosen, Rochelle K. (2019). Marijuana as a Substitute for Prescription Medications: A Qualitative Study.. Substance use & misuse, 54(11), 1894-1902. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2019.1618336
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