A new study highlights that American adults primarily get their marijuana-related information from friends, family, and websites, rather than from government agencies or healthcare providers.
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This survey, which included 1,161 adults and was partially funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, found that only 4.7 percent of respondents turned to government sources for cannabis information, while 9.3 percent relied on healthcare professionals. Friends and family (35.6 percent) and websites (33.7 percent) were the most popular sources of cannabis-related knowledge.
The findings also suggest that medical cannabis users are more likely to consult healthcare providers (16.4 percent) compared to non-medical users (5.2 percent). The study calls attention to the need for improved cannabis education for clinicians and healthcare providers, emphasizing the importance of accurate, science-based information.
NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano criticized the historical inaccuracy of government messaging on cannabis, attributing the lack of trust in such sources to past misinformation. He stressed that healthcare providers have a duty to stay informed about cannabis in order to offer accurate advice to patients, a sentiment echoed in the study’s findings that inadequate physician education could contribute to further misinformation about cannabis.
With the increased accessibility and legalization of marijuana, the study urges better public outreach and education to ensure that people, especially medical professionals, have accurate and up-to-date information on cannabis. Only 9 percent of medical schools in 2016 offered cannabis-specific curricula, underscoring the need for enhanced training in this area.
This report also aligns with other studies, including one showing that a majority of both pain patients and physicians believe insurance should cover medical marijuana. Another study found that while many people use cannabis to manage health symptoms, most do not consider themselves medical marijuana users. The research suggests that clinicians should ask patients about their specific symptoms related to cannabis use, rather than relying on self-identification as a recreational or medical user.
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