Most IBD patients using cannabis in Puerto Rico had limited knowledge and did not tell their doctor | Research

The takeaway

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.

Gastroenterologists, IBD patients, and anyone interested in the patient-physician communication gap around cannabis use.

78% of cannabis-using IBD patients did not tell their physician

What the researchers 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.

Why it 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 numbers in context

100 patients; 27% reported cannabis use; 53% limited knowledge; 78% did not discuss with physician; 68% reported improvement

How the study worked

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.

What this study cannot 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.

How to read the evidence

Small single-center survey with self-reported outcomes and no objective disease measurement.

When this study was published

Published in 2021.

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.

Questions still open

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?

Common 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.

Read the original research

Knowledge, Perception, and Use of Cannabis Therapy in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Puerto Rico health sciences journal, 40(3), 110-114

View on PubMed ↗

Citation

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.