Cancer patients in Georgia struggle to access medical cannabis despite having legal authorization
In a survey of 101 cancer patients with medical marijuana cards in Georgia, 68% reported difficulty obtaining THC products and 64% had concerns about legality, despite being legally authorized.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Among 101 patients in Georgia's low-THC oil program, 76% had advanced cancer as their qualifying condition. Cannabis was rated extremely helpful for pain. Major concerns: ability to obtain THC (68%) and legality issues (64%). Several patients were using unapproved cannabis formulations. Physicians were the primary information source for 48%.
Key Numbers
101 respondents. 56% male. 64% over age 50. 76% qualified for advanced cancer. 68% concerned about obtaining product. 64% concerned about legality. 48% got information from physicians. 38% used unapproved formulations.
How They Did This
Survey of patients registered for medical marijuana (low-THC oil cards) in an ambulatory palliative care practice in Georgia.
Why This Research Matters
Georgia exemplifies the problem of restrictive medical cannabis laws: patients are legally authorized but have no in-state dispensaries or reliable access points, forcing them to navigate a confusing and potentially illegal landscape.
The Bigger Picture
Several states have authorized medical cannabis in restrictive forms but failed to build access infrastructure. This creates a cruel gap where patients know cannabis could help but cannot legally obtain it.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Single clinic, single state. Small sample. Self-reported outcomes. Georgia's laws are among the most restrictive and may not generalize to other medical cannabis states.
Questions This Raises
- ?Should states be required to provide access infrastructure before authorizing medical cannabis?
- ?How many patients turn to unregulated products when legal access fails?
- ?Do restrictive laws inadvertently increase patient risk?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 68% of legally authorized patients struggled to obtain cannabis
- Evidence Grade:
- Preliminary: small single-site survey with self-reported data.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2019.
- Original Title:
- Concerns of Patients With Cancer on Accessing Cannabis Products in a State With Restrictive Medical Marijuana Laws: A Survey Study.
- Published In:
- Journal of oncology practice, 15(10), 531-538 (2019)
- Authors:
- Singh, Vinita, Zarrabi, Ali J, Curseen, Kimberly A, Sniecinski, Roman, Welsh, Justine W, McKenzie-Brown, Anne M, Baer, Wendy, Gillespie, Theresa W
- Database ID:
- RTHC-02296
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Georgia's law restrictive?
Georgia permits low-THC oil for qualifying patients but did not initially establish in-state dispensaries, meaning patients had no legal way to purchase the products they were authorized to use.
Were patients using illegal products?
Several respondents reported using unapproved cannabis formulations, likely obtained outside the legal program due to access barriers.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-02296APA
Singh, Vinita; Zarrabi, Ali J; Curseen, Kimberly A; Sniecinski, Roman; Welsh, Justine W; McKenzie-Brown, Anne M; Baer, Wendy; Gillespie, Theresa W. (2019). Concerns of Patients With Cancer on Accessing Cannabis Products in a State With Restrictive Medical Marijuana Laws: A Survey Study.. Journal of oncology practice, 15(10), 531-538. https://doi.org/10.1200/JOP.19.00184
MLA
Singh, Vinita, et al. "Concerns of Patients With Cancer on Accessing Cannabis Products in a State With Restrictive Medical Marijuana Laws: A Survey Study.." Journal of oncology practice, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1200/JOP.19.00184
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Concerns of Patients With Cancer on Accessing Cannabis Produ..." RTHC-02296. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/singh-2019-concerns-of-patients-with
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.