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There’s a lot of buzz about medical marijuana recently and it’s a divisive topic for many people. Those in favor tout its benefits but those with doubts may have reason to disagree. Opponents of medical marijuana suggest that it may not only set the stage for cannabis use disorder but may also be the gateway to other substance addictions.
A recent report shows using marijuana for medicinal purposes could lead to becoming addicted to it. It went on to compare the addiction risk to that of recreational marijuana users.
The study found that those using medical marijuana were as likely or even more likely to have a cannabis use disorder than those getting high for fun. This appears to undermine proponents’ claims that medical marijuana use does not increase addiction risk.
The researchers suggested that clinicians advising patients to use medical cannabis should at least monitor them closely for abuse. Data from the CDC shows that approximately 3 out of 10 people who use marijuana develop a substance use disorder.
Researchers analyzed data from 2021 and 2022 using a federal survey on drug use and health. The survey included 73,000 adults who used cannabis for medicinal, recreational, or mixed use. Of those routine marijuana users 35% exhibited signs of cannabis use disorder. Those who used cannabis for medicinal purposes were more likely than recreational users to show signs of problematic use and potentially severe cannabis addiction.
What can we gather from this report? Medical users smoked 40% to 70% more days each year than recreational users. For example, men between the ages of 18 and 34 who use medical marijuana smoked on 217 days across the previous year on average. Those who use cannabis for both medicinal and recreational purposes smoked on 212 days and those who smoke only for recreational purposes did so on 154 days.
The study suggests that those who use cannabis for medicinal purposes may have more frequent exposure to the drug, increasing the risk of tolerance and dependency. This may also account for the increased prevalence of cannabis use disorder, including severe cannabis use disorder, among medical marijuana users.
This study may also serve as a cautionary tale for prescribers to offer more guidance, check-ins, and monitoring for their patients. Help is available for persons experiencing cannabis use disorder, including inpatient and outpatient rehab programs for persons with co-occurring disorders.
