Chronic pain patients\u27 perspectives of medical cannabis.

Abstract

Medical cannabis (MC) is used for a variety of conditions including chronic pain. The goal of this report was to provide an in-depth qualitative exploration of patient perspectives on the strengths and limitations of MC. Members of MC dispensaries (N = 984) in New England including two-thirds with a history of chronic pain completed an online survey. In response to How effective is medical cannabis in treating your symptoms or conditions?, with options of 0% no relief to 100% complete relief, the average was 74.6% ± 0.6. The average amount spent on MC each year was $3064.47 ± 117.60, median =$2320.23, range = $52.14 to$52,140.00. Open-ended responses were coded into themes and subthemes. Analysis of answers to What is it that you like most about MC? (N = 2592 responses) identified 10 themes, including health benefits (36.0% of responses, eg, Changes perception and experience of my chronic pain. ), the product (14.2%, eg, Knowing exactly what strain you are getting ), nonhealth benefits (14.1%), general considerations (10.3%), and medications (7.1%). Responses (N = 1678) to What is it that you like least about MC? identified 12 themes, including money (28.4%, eg, The cost is expensive for someone on a fixed income ), effects (21.7%, eg, The effects on my lungs ), the view of others (11.4%), access (8.2%), and method of administration (7.1%). These findings provide a patient-centered view on the advantages (eg, efficacy in pain treatment, reduced use of other medications) and disadvantages (eg, economic and stigma) of MC