A study analyzed county-level data to determine demographic trends reflecting medical cannabis patients and physicians in seven U.S. states. The study published in JAMA Network Open indicated that areas with large military veteran populations have higher rates of licensed medical cannabis clinicians.
The five-person research team included individuals from the University of Michigan Medical School, the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education. The researchers assessed 2022 data on medical cannabis patients and authorizing clinicians from 262 counties across seven states. The states included Delaware, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Utah and West Virginia. They compared that data with county-level demographic information on income, race, and ethnicity. In addition, the study determined the percentages of veterans and people who are unemployed, uninsured, living in poverty, and disabled.
One finding highlighted a strong association between areas with military veteran populations and higher rates of licensed medical cannabis physicians. This link is possibly related to veteran efforts to increase access to medical cannabis. It is also possible that this association is due to the higher prevalence of qualifying medical conditions for medical cannabis authorization among veterans (such as chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder).
The study showed an average of 75.5 medical cannabis patients per 10,000 residents, which suggests that registered patients in states with medical cannabis comprise roughly 0.8 percent of the population. The study also estimated an average of 1.4 authorizing clinicians per 10,000 residents.
Although cannabis is still federally illegal, a veteran’s participation in a state medical cannabis program does not affect eligibility for Veteran’s Administration care or services. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides information about what a veteran can discuss with a VA provider and cannabis-related policies such as employment drug testing.
Sources: JAMA Network Open, Marijuana Moment
