Veterans say cannabis is an important health tool but are reluctant to discuss it with VA clinicians
Interviews with 23 veterans found they view cannabis as valuable for managing multiple health conditions but rely on peers, dispensaries, and trial-and-error rather than clinicians for guidance, citing provider judgment and lack of knowledge as barriers.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Veterans used cannabis for a variety of health conditions and perceived few or no harms, or felt benefits outweighed risks. They obtained cannabis information from trusted peers, dispensary staff, and personal experimentation rather than healthcare providers. Veterans identified strategies for VA providers including increasing cannabis knowledge and engaging in unbiased discussions.
Key Numbers
23 veterans interviewed; mostly rural; past 30-day medical cannabis users; from 3 states with legal cannabis (Connecticut, Michigan, Oregon)
How They Did This
Qualitative semistructured interviews via Webex with 23 mostly rural veterans with past 30-day medical cannabis use in Connecticut, Michigan, or Oregon. Inductive thematic analysis with iterative codebook development.
Why This Research Matters
Veterans use cannabis at high rates and often have complex health needs. The disconnect between patient behavior and clinical engagement means veterans are making cannabis decisions without medical guidance, potentially missing drug interactions or dosing issues.
The Bigger Picture
This reflects a broader pattern in medical cannabis: patients self-directing their use while clinicians remain uninformed or uncomfortable. The veteran population faces unique barriers given the VA system's federal constraints on cannabis.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Small sample of 23 participants from only 3 states limits generalizability. Self-selected participants likely have positive views of cannabis. Only included current users, missing perspectives of those who tried and stopped.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would VA clinician training on cannabis change veterans' willingness to disclose use?
- ?Do veterans in states without legal cannabis have different experiences?
- ?What specific conditions are veterans most commonly treating with cannabis?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Veterans rely on peers, dispensaries, and trial-and-error over clinicians for cannabis guidance
- Evidence Grade:
- Preliminary: small qualitative study providing rich perspectives but no generalizable outcomes or clinical measurements.
- Study Age:
- 2026 publication from interviews with veterans in 3 legal-cannabis states.
- Original Title:
- In Their Own Words: A Qualitative Exploration of Veterans' Perspectives and Experiences of Medical Cannabis Use.
- Published In:
- Journal of general internal medicine (2026)
- Authors:
- Ward, Rachel(2), Christensen, Vivian, Saxton, Lauren, Varnum, Melissa, Ayers, Chelsea, Pleasant, Traben, Kansagara, Devan
- Database ID:
- RTHC-08704
Evidence Hierarchy
Uses interviews or focus groups to understand experiences in depth.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Why don't veterans talk to their doctors about cannabis?
Veterans described reluctance due to perceived clinician judgment, lack of provider knowledge about cannabis, and concerns about how disclosure might affect their VA care or benefits.
Where do veterans get cannabis information?
Primarily from trusted peers with personal experience, dispensary staff recommendations, and their own trial-and-error process rather than healthcare professionals.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-08704APA
Ward, Rachel; Christensen, Vivian; Saxton, Lauren; Varnum, Melissa; Ayers, Chelsea; Pleasant, Traben; Kansagara, Devan. (2026). In Their Own Words: A Qualitative Exploration of Veterans' Perspectives and Experiences of Medical Cannabis Use.. Journal of general internal medicine. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-025-10160-1
MLA
Ward, Rachel, et al. "In Their Own Words: A Qualitative Exploration of Veterans' Perspectives and Experiences of Medical Cannabis Use.." Journal of general internal medicine, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-025-10160-1
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "In Their Own Words: A Qualitative Exploration of Veterans' P..." RTHC-08704. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/ward-2026-in-their-own-words
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.