With more people using cannabis to manage chronic health problems, researchers suggest individuals need to be more aware of the drugs dangers.
A team of researchers from the Texas A&M University School of Public Health have recently completed a study which examines the effects that come from using cannabis to treat chronic health problems.
Lead researcher of the study, Benjamin Montemayor, said: ‘We believe our study is the first to focus exclusively on these associations among non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic men with chronic conditions – groups that experience chronic disease at higher rates and may be increasingly turning to cannabis as an alternative to prescription medication.’
For the study, which has been published in the Journal of Community Health, experts surveyed 1,982 non-Hispanic Black or Hispanic men aged 40 and above who reported having at least one chronic condition.
Individuals were asked to report how many days they used cannabis within the last 30 days and disclose whether a health care professional had ever diagnosed them with a chronic health condition.
‘We found that pain, stress and having a higher number of chronic conditions were key factors associated with cannabis use among these men – consistent with previous findings on self-managing symptoms,’ Benjamin said.
The study revealed cannabis was more common among non-Hispanic Black men – 21% were found to have used it within the 30-day period and almost half reported using it recreationally.
Meanwhile, the report discovered the most common uses for cannabis were to manage chronic pain (37%), depression or anxiety (32%), arthritis/rheumatic disease (30%) and cancer (14%).
What’s more, participants who used cannabis more often were found to be younger, had lower education levels and reported lower annual household incomes. They also disclosed having a worse quality of life because they experience more days of poor mental and physical health and higher levels of pain and stress.
‘This could suggest a two-way relationship, which could be determined by a longitudinal study,’ Benjamin continued.
‘Individuals with declining health or more chronic conditions may be likely to use cannabis, but cannabis use itself could also contribute to worsening physical and mental health over time.’
Against this backdrop, experts have suggested a number of recommendations to make people more aware of the effects that come from using the drug. These include:
- Hosting community-wide interventions and targeted health campaigns
- Putting health warning labels on cannabis-based products
- Suggesting alternative approaches to managing pain and stress – such as mindfulness activities – instead of using cannabis
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