Understanding medical cannabis use internationally: Why definitions and context matter

Aims

To identify variation in identification of medical consumers using alternative self-reported measures and assess whether differences in these rates exist across jurisdictions with different medical policy approaches using evidence from an international study on cannabis use.

Design

Secondary analysis of wave 4 (2021) of the International Cannabis Policy Study (ICPS) cross-sectional survey.

Setting

United States, Canada and Australia.

Participants

16 951 (USA 10 472; CAN 5935; AUS 544) respondents who completed the survey and reported past year cannabis use across the three jurisdictions.

Measurements

Four different medical cannabis use measures were available, and rates of each were estimated using logistic regression methods that adjusted for age, gender, education and ethnicity. Medical cannabis use measures included potentially authorized use (i.e. involving a licensed health professional recommendation, authorization or prescription), pharmaceutical use (i.e. involving a pharmaceutical-grade product), therapeutic use (i.e. to manage physical or mental health conditions) and self-identified medical cannabis use. Country-specific differences were compared and discussed in light of measure and differing cannabis policies.

Findings

In wave 4 of the ICPS, 34.0% reported any past year cannabis use, but rates of medical use differed significantly according to the specific question. Far more individuals reported therapeutic use in the past year across all countries [77.3%; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 76.4%–78.2%] than any other measure of medical use. While just over one quarter (28.2%; 95% CI = 27.3%–29.2%) self-identified as a medical user, fewer reported being potentially authorized (22.8%; 95% CI = 22.0%–23.7%) or having a pharmaceutical prescription from a medical professional (12.3%; 95% CI = 11.6%–13.0%). Australians (27.2%; 95% CI = 23.0%–31.4%) and Americans (25.9%; 95% CI = 24.6%–27.2%) were more likely to report potentially authorized use than Canadians (17.3%; 95% CI = 16.1%–18.4%), but only Australians (27.4%; 95% CI = 23.6%–31.2%) reported high levels of prior use of a pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoid.

Conclusions

In the International Cannabis Policy Study, the proportion of respondents (adjusted for demographic factors) who reported medical use varied depending on the measures used within and between countries.