Thai Chronic Disease Patients Used Cannabis Tea Daily but Few Knew About Drug Interactions
Among 124 Thai chronic disease patients using cannabis post-legalization, most used cannabis tea daily for diabetes or hypertension, but only 35% were aware of potential drug interactions.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Patients primarily used cannabis tea daily to manage diabetes or hypertension, viewing it as a complement rather than alternative to conventional medicines. Many believed cannabis could improve their health, while fewer considered it a threat. However, only 34.7% were aware of potential drug interactions with concurrent medications.
Key Numbers
11 qualitative interviews, 124 survey participants. Most male, married, Buddhist. Daily cannabis tea was the primary form. Complementary use predominant. Only 34.7% aware of drug interactions. Patients viewed cannabis as quality-of-life enhancing.
How They Did This
Exploratory-sequential mixed methods. Phase 1: qualitative semi-structured interviews with 11 patients. Phase 2: cross-sectional survey of 124 patients with diabetes and/or hypertension in southern Thailand, post-legalization.
Why This Research Matters
Thailand's cannabis legalization created a unique situation where traditional herbal medicine practices merged with modern chronic disease management. The low awareness of drug interactions poses a real clinical safety concern.
The Bigger Picture
Thailand's experience is globally relevant as more countries legalize cannabis. The integration of cannabis into traditional medicine practices and chronic disease self-management creates both opportunities and risks that other countries may face.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Small sample from one region of Thailand. Self-reported cannabis use and health beliefs. No clinical outcome data. Cross-sectional design. Cultural context may limit generalizability. No verification of what patients were actually consuming.
Questions This Raises
- ?Does cannabis tea interact with common diabetes and hypertension medications?
- ?Would pharmacist-led education improve drug interaction awareness?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Evidence Grade:
- Small mixed-methods study from a single region with no clinical outcomes provides preliminary evidence on an important practical question.
- Study Age:
- Conducted during the post-legalization period in Thailand.
- Original Title:
- Cannabis use experience of patients with chronic disease after revisions to the cannabis legalization regulations: a mixed-methods study in primary care settings in the south of Thailand.
- Published In:
- Primary health care research & development, 26, e89 (2025)
- Authors:
- Sripaew, Supakorn, Sornsenee, Phoomjai, Vichitkunakorn, Polathep, Assanangkornchai, Sawitri, Fumaneeshoat, Orapan
- Database ID:
- RTHC-07712
Evidence Hierarchy
Watches what happens naturally without intervening.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
How are Thai patients using cannabis for chronic disease?
Most drink cannabis tea daily as a complement to their conventional medications for diabetes or hypertension, drawing on traditional Thai medicine practices.
Is it safe to use cannabis with diabetes or blood pressure medications?
Only 35% of patients in this study were aware of potential drug interactions. The study highlights a safety gap that healthcare providers need to address.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-07712APA
Sripaew, Supakorn; Sornsenee, Phoomjai; Vichitkunakorn, Polathep; Assanangkornchai, Sawitri; Fumaneeshoat, Orapan. (2025). Cannabis use experience of patients with chronic disease after revisions to the cannabis legalization regulations: a mixed-methods study in primary care settings in the south of Thailand.. Primary health care research & development, 26, e89. https://doi.org/10.1017/S146342362510056X
MLA
Sripaew, Supakorn, et al. "Cannabis use experience of patients with chronic disease after revisions to the cannabis legalization regulations: a mixed-methods study in primary care settings in the south of Thailand.." Primary health care research & development, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1017/S146342362510056X
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Cannabis use experience of patients with chronic disease aft..." RTHC-07712. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/sripaew-2025-cannabis-use-experience-of
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.