One in Five Black and Hispanic Men With Chronic Conditions Use Cannabis
Among nearly 2,000 Black and Hispanic men over 40 with chronic conditions, 21.3% reported current cannabis use, driven by pain, stress, and multiple health problems.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Of 1,982 non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic men with chronic conditions, 21.3% reported past 30-day cannabis use. Greater pain (AOR=1.11), higher stress (AOR=1.06), and more chronic conditions (AOR=1.23) were independently associated with cannabis use. Those using both medicinally and recreationally used most frequently.
Key Numbers
N=1,982, mean age 56.6, 58.2% Black. 21.3% current cannabis use. Pain AOR=1.11 (1.07-1.16). Stress AOR=1.06 (1.01-1.10). Number of conditions AOR=1.23 (1.10-1.38). Dual users had highest frequency.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional analysis of a national sample of 1,982 non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic men aged 40+ with at least one chronic condition, using logistic regression to examine cannabis use correlates.
Why This Research Matters
Black and Hispanic men face disproportionate chronic disease burden and are understudied in cannabis research. Understanding their use patterns is essential for equitable healthcare delivery.
The Bigger Picture
As cannabis becomes legal in more states, men of color with chronic conditions may increasingly turn to cannabis for symptom management. Clinicians need to proactively discuss cannabis use in these populations.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design cannot determine if cannabis helps or worsens chronic conditions. Self-reported data subject to bias. Cannot distinguish between different cannabis products or consumption methods.
Questions This Raises
- ?Is cannabis use helping or harming chronic condition management in this population?
- ?Does dual medicinal/recreational use indicate higher risk?
- ?How can clinicians better address cannabis use in minority men?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 21.3% of Black and Hispanic men with chronic conditions reported current cannabis use
- Evidence Grade:
- Large national sample with multivariable analysis, but cross-sectional design limits causal inference.
- Study Age:
- 2025 study focused on an understudied population in cannabis research.
- Original Title:
- Correlates of Recreational and Medicinal Cannabis Use Among Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic Men with Chronic Conditions.
- Published In:
- Journal of community health, 50(6), 1127-1136 (2025)
- Authors:
- Montemayor, Benjamin N, Merianos, Ashley L(3), Bergeron, Caroline D, Sherman, Ledric D, Jacobs, Wura, Chung, Sunghyun, Hassan, Arham, Smith, Matthew Lee
- Database ID:
- RTHC-07172
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Why do Black and Hispanic men with chronic conditions use cannabis?
The strongest predictors were pain, stress, and having multiple chronic conditions. Cannabis use was especially common among those with chronic pain, depression/anxiety, and arthritis.
Is dual medicinal and recreational cannabis use riskier?
People who reported both medicinal and recreational use consumed cannabis most frequently, which the researchers suggest may signal increased health risks that warrant clinical monitoring.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-07172APA
Montemayor, Benjamin N; Merianos, Ashley L; Bergeron, Caroline D; Sherman, Ledric D; Jacobs, Wura; Chung, Sunghyun; Hassan, Arham; Smith, Matthew Lee. (2025). Correlates of Recreational and Medicinal Cannabis Use Among Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic Men with Chronic Conditions.. Journal of community health, 50(6), 1127-1136. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-025-01500-7
MLA
Montemayor, Benjamin N, et al. "Correlates of Recreational and Medicinal Cannabis Use Among Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic Men with Chronic Conditions.." Journal of community health, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-025-01500-7
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Correlates of Recreational and Medicinal Cannabis Use Among ..." RTHC-07172. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/montemayor-2025-correlates-of-recreational-and
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.