In a survey on attitudes towards doctors using cannabis or other drugs away from work, more patients are comfortable than others with the use.
In Pennsylvania, marijuana is only currently legalized for medical reasons. The study, which was published in Journal of Hand Surgery Global Online, surveyed 388 respondents at four clinics that offer outpatient orthopaedic surgery. Most respondents, with a median age of 55 years, were white. 60 percent of respondents said that they had never used marijuana, while 11 percent admitted to using it frequently.
The authors note that “at present, there is an unprecedented shift at the state-level in the United States with regard to the legal status for recreational marijuana and medical marijuana.” However, the guidance for physicians regarding medical marijuana use is unclear at federal or state licensing levels.
Participants were asked anonymously if they agree or disagree with the statement: “I’m comfortable with my physician using this substance outside of the workplace.”
Around 64 percent of the patients “somewhat or strongly” agree that their doctor drinks alcohol. About 13 percent are “somewhat or strongly” opposed.
As for the hypothetical use of nicotine by doctors, about 16 percent were not comfortable.
Patients were just as happy to see their doctors use medical marijuana, as they were nicotine.
The research shows that patients are more accepting of their physicians using marijuana for medical purposes than recreational use. The research found that nearly 56 percent of respondents were comfortable using marijuana for medical purposes, and 45 percent said the same about recreational use. Although the published version reported that 47 percent of respondents were comfortable with medical use, the authors told MEDCAN24 they had made an error.
Overall, about 25 percent of people strongly or somewhat disagreed with doctors’ recreational marijuana use—compared to about 16 percent for medical marijuana, 16 percent for nicotine and 13 percent for alcohol.
Respondents were the largest category of respondents. еание Around 19% of patients strongly disagree with their doctor’s use cannabis for recreational purposes.
In comparison to the other drugs, cannabis was also the substance that patients felt most uncertain around. Around 14 percent of patients were uncertain about marijuana that was “prescribed”, while 16.2 were not sure about its recreational use.
Authors noted that patients’ past marijuana consumption and their education level did not appear to affect their perception of their doctor smoking pot away from the workplace.
The majority of patients are in favor of their doctors using marijuana recreationally outside the workplace.
The study’s primary goal was to compare the perceptions of patients about surgeons who use cannabis in their spare time with other drugs. However, participants were also asked other questions regarding marijuana and CBD when used as part of treatment plans.
The opinions of patients are mixed.
The paper states that 53% of respondents were either agreeable or strongly agreeable to the idea that their doctor could discuss marijuana use in a medical treatment plan. Fourty percent said they were willing to consider marijuana use as a part of their medical treatment.
Around 55 percent are open to using CBD in treatment.
About 20 percent of the respondents were not sure how they would feel about using cannabis or CBD as part of their treatment plans.
According to the authors, the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery of the Geisinger College of Medicine described that the responses showed “high variability in patient perceptions of the use of marijuana in a clinical setting.”
They wrote: “These results reflect the complexity of marijuana usage in our society in terms of legality and acceptance.” Even for CBD which doesn’t contain the psychoactive components of marijuana, 20 percent of patients weren’t sure if their doctors would be open to discussing CBD as part of their therapy plan.
It is possible that results from a “single institution” in rural Pennsylvania, with “a homogeneous group of patients”, may not generalize to other populations.
The report acknowledges, “In Pennsylvania, recreational marijuana is illegal, but medicinal marijuana has been legalized.” This may affect both drug usage and the willingness to answer questions regarding illegal drug use.
The new study claims that its results may be compared to similar studies conducted in other geographic areas with different legal status.
It adds that “potential changes to state medical boards and health care systems policies could be influenced, in part by the patient perceptions of this region.” It is important to understand local and regional perceptions about marijuana.
A new poll in Pennsylvania suggests that the majority of voters prefer a model that allows cannabis to be sold through licensed private business, instead of a state-run system as has been promoted by some lawmakers.
Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D) said earlier this month that Democrats are ready to pass a marijuana legalization bill this session but that the party “will need Republican support” to get the job done—adding that it will be a “heavy lift.”
Despite polls showing bipartisan support among voters for legalization, this policy has been stalled by the GOP in the Legislature, in part because of their opposition. But not all Republican members are against the reform—and one recently said she felt her party should seize the “opportunity to snatch” the issue from Democrats.
Rep. Rick Krajewski (D)—who announced in December his intent to file a legalization measure alongside House Health Committee Chair Dan Frankel (D)—also recently said the policy would provide for “more responsible usage” of cannabis, compared to the status quo that’s left adults either buying from the illicit market or traveling across state lines to get regulated products.
Separately last month, the Pennsylvania House approved a separate bill sponsored by Frankel that’s meant to strengthen safety standards and oversight of the state’s medical marijuana program as lawmakers work to advance adult-use legalization.
Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program has been in place for nearly 10 years. However, legislators say that the new bill, now headed to the Senate to be voted on, will improve compliance with testing, auditing of products, and laboratory inspections amongst other industry aspects.
In an interview that was released by the Governor last month. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat from New York City, said that his state was “losing” out to other states that had already legalized adult use of marijuana. He also complained that their policy has enriched the illegal market.
I think this is a matter of liberty and freedom. “I mean, people should be allowed to smoke in a legal and safe way,” said he. “We should shut down the black market—and, by the way, every state around us is doing it. Pennsylvanians pay their taxes and drive into other states.
Pennsylvania’s Republican attorney general recently said he wants to be a “voice for potential public safety risks” of enacting the governor’s proposal—though he said his office would be ready to enforce the new law if lawmakers did vote to pass it.
The state’s agriculture secretary separately told lawmakers that he’s fully confident that his department is in a “really good” position to oversee an adult-use marijuana program if lawmakers act.
Meanwhile, in February, top Pennsylvania police and health officials told lawmakers they are prepared to implement marijuana legalization if the legislature moves forward with the reform—and that they stand ready to work together as the details of legislation to achieve it are crafted.
Amid the growing calls for marijuana legalization in Pennsylvania, a GOP state senator said prohibition has been a “disaster,” and a regulated sales model for cannabis—similar to how alcohol and tobacco are handled—could serve as an effective alternative.
A Republican Pennsylvania senator also recently defended the push to legalize and regulate marijuana, calling it “the most conservative stance” on the issue.
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