One in Five Black and Hispanic Men With Chronic Conditions Use Cannabis | Research

The takeaway

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.

Primary care providers serving minority populations, health equity researchers, chronic disease managers

21.3% of Black and Hispanic men with chronic conditions reported current cannabis use

What the researchers 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.

Why it 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 numbers in context

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 the study worked

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.

What this study cannot 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.

How to read the evidence

Large national sample with multivariable analysis, but cross-sectional design limits causal inference.

When this study was published

2025 study focused on an understudied population in cannabis research.

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.

Questions still open

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?

Common 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.

Read the original research

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

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

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