German IBD patients using cannabis reported benefits but most obtained it from the black market
Among 417 German IBD patients surveyed, 4.3% currently used cannabis for their condition, reporting benefits like reduced pain and improved sleep, but 52.9% obtained cannabis from the black market and users had lower quality of life and more anxiety/depression than non-users.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
17.5% had used cannabis recreationally; 4.3% currently used cannabis to treat IBD. Users reported reduced abdominal pain, improved sleep, and relief of anxiety. However, users had lower quality of life and more anxiety/depression than non-users. 52.9% obtained cannabis from the black market. 76.5% of former and 50% of current users did not report cannabis use to their physician.
Key Numbers
417 respondents; 4.3% current medical use; 17.5% recreational history; 52.9% black market; 76.5% former users and 50% current users did not tell physician
How They Did This
Cross-sectional survey mailed to a randomly selected representative sample of 1,000 IBD patients in Germany, with 417 responses (55.8% women; 43.4% ulcerative colitis, 54.7% Crohn's disease).
Why This Research Matters
Even in Germany, where medical cannabis is available by prescription, more than half of IBD patients using cannabis obtain it from unregulated sources. The physician communication gap is also striking, mirroring findings from other countries.
The Bigger Picture
The finding that cannabis users had lower quality of life and more anxiety/depression than non-users raises the chicken-and-egg question: are sicker patients turning to cannabis, or does cannabis use worsen outcomes? The black market procurement is a quality and safety concern.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Response rate of 41.7% may introduce selection bias. Self-reported data. Cross-sectional design. German healthcare context may not generalize.
Questions This Raises
- ?Why do patients use the black market when medical cannabis is legally available in Germany?
- ?Would physician-guided cannabis use produce better outcomes than self-directed use?
- ?Are patients with more severe disease more likely to try cannabis?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 52.9% of cannabis-using IBD patients obtained it from the black market
- Evidence Grade:
- Representative random sample with reasonable response rate, though cross-sectional self-report design.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2021.
- Original Title:
- Cannabis use of patients with inflammatory bowel disease in Germany: a cross-sectional survey.
- Published In:
- Zeitschrift fur Gastroenterologie, 59(10), 1068-1077 (2021)
- Authors:
- Neufeld, Tanja, Pfuhlmann, Katrin, Stock-Schröer, Beate, Kairey, Lana, Bauer, Nina, Häuser, Winfried, Langhorst, Jost
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03378
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Do IBD patients find cannabis helpful?
Users reported reduced abdominal pain, improved sleep, and less anxiety. However, cannabis users overall had lower quality of life and more anxiety/depression than non-users, making it hard to separate cause from effect.
Do patients tell their doctors about cannabis use?
No, often not. 76.5% of former and 50% of current cannabis users in this German IBD sample did not disclose use to their physician.
Read More on RethinkTHC
- CBD-oil-quality-guide
- anxiety-medication-after-quitting-weed
- cannabis-chemotherapy-nausea
- cannabis-chronic-pain-research
- cannabis-epilepsy-CBD-Epidiolex
- cbd-anxiety-research-evidence
- cbd-for-weed-withdrawal
- cbd-vs-thc-difference
- medical-benefits-of-cannabis
- quitting-weed-before-surgery
- quitting-weed-medication-interactions
- quitting-weed-pregnancy
- quitting-weed-pregnant
- seniors-older-adults-cannabis-risks-medications
- weed-breastfeeding-THC-breast-milk
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03378APA
Neufeld, Tanja; Pfuhlmann, Katrin; Stock-Schröer, Beate; Kairey, Lana; Bauer, Nina; Häuser, Winfried; Langhorst, Jost. (2021). Cannabis use of patients with inflammatory bowel disease in Germany: a cross-sectional survey.. Zeitschrift fur Gastroenterologie, 59(10), 1068-1077. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1400-2768
MLA
Neufeld, Tanja, et al. "Cannabis use of patients with inflammatory bowel disease in Germany: a cross-sectional survey.." Zeitschrift fur Gastroenterologie, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1400-2768
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Cannabis use of patients with inflammatory bowel disease in ..." RTHC-03378. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/neufeld-2021-cannabis-use-of-patients
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.