Most IBD patients using cannabis in Puerto Rico had limited knowledge and did not tell their doctor
Among 100 IBD patients in Puerto Rico, 27% reported cannabis use, but most had limited knowledge about medical cannabis, 78% had not discussed it with their physician, and 68% of users reported symptom improvement.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
27% reported cannabis use. Among users, 53% reported little to no knowledge of medical cannabis. 78% had not discussed their use with their physician. 68% of users reported symptom improvement. Cannabis was legal for Crohn's disease in Puerto Rico since 2017.
Key Numbers
100 patients; 27% reported cannabis use; 53% limited knowledge; 78% did not discuss with physician; 68% reported improvement
How They Did This
Cross-sectional survey of 100 IBD patients aged 21+ at the University of Puerto Rico Center for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases using a voluntary anonymous questionnaire.
Why This Research Matters
Even after legalization, the gap between patient cannabis use and physician awareness is wide. Most IBD patients using cannabis are doing so without medical guidance, potentially missing interactions with IBD medications or missing opportunities for optimized treatment.
The Bigger Picture
The physician communication gap is a recurring finding across cannabis studies, but this is particularly concerning in IBD where cannabis could interact with immunosuppressive therapies or mask symptoms that indicate disease progression.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Small sample of 100 patients from a single center. Voluntary anonymous questionnaire may have response bias. Self-reported symptoms without objective disease measures. Puerto Rico-specific context.
Questions This Raises
- ?Why are patients not disclosing cannabis use to their physicians?
- ?Would physician-initiated conversations increase disclosure?
- ?Does cannabis actually improve IBD inflammation or just mask symptoms?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 78% of cannabis-using IBD patients did not tell their physician
- Evidence Grade:
- Small single-center survey with self-reported outcomes and no objective disease measurement.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2021.
- Original Title:
- Knowledge, Perception, and Use of Cannabis Therapy in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
- Published In:
- Puerto Rico health sciences journal, 40(3), 110-114 (2021)
- Authors:
- Muñiz-Camacho, Luis A, Negrón-Quintana, Frances I, Ramos-Burgos, Luis A, Cruz-Cruz, Jorge J, Torres, Esther A
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03367
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does cannabis help IBD symptoms?
68% of users in this survey reported improvement, but this was based on self-report without objective measurement. Whether cannabis addresses underlying inflammation or just masks symptoms is unclear.
Do IBD patients tell their doctors about cannabis use?
Mostly no. In this study, 78% of cannabis-using IBD patients had not discussed their use with their physician.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03367APA
Muñiz-Camacho, Luis A; Negrón-Quintana, Frances I; Ramos-Burgos, Luis A; Cruz-Cruz, Jorge J; Torres, Esther A. (2021). Knowledge, Perception, and Use of Cannabis Therapy in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.. Puerto Rico health sciences journal, 40(3), 110-114.
MLA
Muñiz-Camacho, Luis A, et al. "Knowledge, Perception, and Use of Cannabis Therapy in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.." Puerto Rico health sciences journal, 2021.
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Knowledge, Perception, and Use of Cannabis Therapy in Patien..." RTHC-03367. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/muniz-camacho-2021-knowledge-perception-and-use
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.