Medical Cannabis Patients Increased Sixfold In Six Years, Declined In States Where Recreational Use Was Legalized
The use of cannabis, both for medical and recreational purposes, is rising across the United States. According to a study published by the University of Michigan (U-M), more than four million of these users are licensed medical cannabis patients, marking a six-fold increase since 2016.
Chronic Pain: The Leading Cause For Medical Cannabis Use
Kevin Boehnke, Ph.D., a pain researcher at U-M, revealed that the majority of these patients seek relief from chronic pain. “My studies have shown that people largely use cannabis for chronic pain,” said. “That’s the most common reason that they obtain a medical cannabis license from the state that they live in.”
Patients are utilizing cannabis in various forms, such as edibles, smokables, tinctures and topical products. “They might eat, smoke, or use tincture, as well as rub a topical product on an inflamed joint or on their skin,” the researcher explained. “They also sometimes use it in place of other pain medications.”
Landscape And Potential Impact Of Rescheduling Cannabis
Cannabis is legal for medical or non-medical use in 38 and 23 states, respectively. Despite its …