Medical cannabis patterns of use and substitution for opioids & other pharmaceutical drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and illicit substances; results from a cross-sectional survey of authorized patients.
Lucas et al.·Harm Reduction Journal
Klarer NutzenGRADENiedrig129 Zitate
Stichproben = 2.032 Pat.
EndpunktSelbstberichtete…
Verblindungn.a.
DesignQuerschnittserhebung
Cannabinoidvollspektrum
”Kernaussage
Medizinalcannabis-Patienten berichten mehrheitlich eine selbst wahrgenommene Reduktion oder vollständige Substitution von Opioiden, Alkohol und weiteren Substanzen.
Zusammenfassung
Querschnittserhebung (n=2032 kanadische medizinische Cannabispatienten): 69,1% berichteten Substitution von Verschreibungsmedikamenten; Opioide machten 35,3% aller Medikamenten-Substitutionen aus (n=610 Opioid-Nennungen); 59,3% davon berichteten vollständige Einstellung des Opioidkonsums. Antidepressiva zweithäufigste Substitution (21,5%).
P
PopulationKanadische Medizinalcannabis-Patienten eines bundesweit zugelassenen Herstellers, n=2032, überwiegend männlich (62,6%), mittleres Alter 40 Jahre, Hauptindikationen Schmerz und psychische Erkrankungen (83,7%)
Outcome69,1% berichteten Substitution von verschreibungspflichtigen Medikamenten, davon 35,3% Opioide; bei 59,3% der Opioid-Substitutionen vollständige Opioid-Abstinenz; Substitution von Alkohol 44,5%, Tabak 31,1%, illegalen Substanzen 26,6%
Vertrauen in die Evidenz
Sehr niedrigNiedrigModeratHoch
Niedrig
Zweite von vier GRADE-Stufen, die Effektschätzung ist begrenzt verlässlich.
<h4>Background</h4>A 239-question cross-sectional survey was sent out via email in January 2017 to gather comprehensive information on cannabis use from Canadian medical cannabis patients registered with a federally authorized licensed cannabis producer, resulting in 2032 complete surveys.<h4>Methods</h4>The survey gathered detailed demographic data and comprehensive information on patient patterns of medical cannabis use, including questions assessing the self-reported impact of cannabis on the use of prescription drugs, illicit substances, alcohol, and tobacco.<h4>Results</h4>Participants were 62.6% male (n = 1271) and 91% Caucasian (n = 1839). The mean age was 40 years old, and pain and mental health conditions accounted for 83.7% of all respondents (n = 1700). Then, 74.6% of respondents reported daily cannabis use (n = 1515) and mean amount used per day was 1.5 g. The most commonly cited substitution was for prescription drugs (69.1%, n = 953), followed by alcohol (44.5%, n = 515), tobacco (31.1%, n = 406), and illicit substances (26.6%, n = 136). Opioid medications accounted for 35.3% of all prescription drug substitution (n = 610), followed by antidepressants (21.5%, n = 371). Of the 610 mentions of specific opioid medications, patients report total cessation of use of 59.3% (n = 362).<h4>Conclusions</h4>This study offers a unique perspective by focusing on the use of a standardized, government-regulated source of medical cannabis by patients registered in Canada's federal medical cannabis program. The findings provide a granular view of patient patterns of medical cannabis use, and the subsequent self-reported impacts on the use of opioids, alcohol, and other substances, adding to a growing body of academic research suggesting that increased regulated access to medical and recreational cannabis can result in a reduction in the use of and subsequent harms associated with opioids, alcohol, tobacco, and other substances.