New studies show that cannabis users are more likely to consume for medical reasons rather than recreational.
All the news around cannabis these days is recreational! Despite the shift, the focus on medical use has remained the same. As access deems medical cards obsolete, the need for medical-purposed cannabis hasn’t diminished at all. In a recent study, more than 70% of those in recreational states believe that cannabis has medicinal value.
In a recent study, it was shown that consumers in legal-states are more accepting of the medicinal benefits of cannabis. These are results from a variety of states, legal and not legal. Regardless of every state had a 60% approval rate.
Other studies from specific shops showed the general rise of popularity in cannabis with the number of medical cards decreasing. Though Gen Z and Millennials tie for the largest legal-cannabis consumers, boomers are the majority with medical cards. The former is gaining in numbers but, the missing element is consumers who use cannabis for medical reasons without a medical card.
“Our results show that residents of states where marijuana has been legalized for recreational use have an overall more favorable view towards potential benefits of marijuana use and were more likely to attribute benefits to marijuana use that are not supported by evidence,” write Salomeh Keyhani, MD, MPH, of University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues. They believe their findings raise concerns, at a time when the cannabis industry is growing rapidly and new products are being aggressively marketed.
Journal of Addiction Medicine
The studies are not shocking with the conversation around cannabis growing more in recent years. What is surprising is the market’s selling focus despite some results. As legislation pushes for recreational markets, the products steer the same way. In the process, medical patients are losing accessibility, driving some of them to the black market.
In the end…
The fault isn’t totally on producers and cultivators. The new boom in the Gen Z market pushes for more recreational products. Some speculate a lack of cannabis education or an understanding of cannabis cannabinoids and terpenes. Previously mentioned studies would suggest a little of both. While many know of the medicinal benefits, very few seem to know how to utilize the plant for that.
In the end, studies don’t apply to those that are shopping outside of the black market. Given that many states still struggle with a thriving illicit marketplace, studies can be skewed. As a result, true thoughts on cannabis’ medical use may be unknown. Until the federal government rids us of the restrictions on cannabis research, a lot will be shrouded in hearsay. They are plenty of cases of cannabis prevailing where pharmaceuticals have failed but, the anecdotal evidence doesn’t spare you consequences.
Hopefully, the coming year and political proceedings may change the current state of things.
