Stephen E Lankenau1, Janna Ataiants1,2, Salini Mohanty1, Sheree Schrager3, Ellen Iverson4,5, Carolyn F Wong4,5,6. 1. Department of Community Health and Prevention, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA. 2. Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York University, New York, USA. 3. Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Division of Hospital Medicine, Los Angeles, USA. 4. Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA. 5. Division of Adolescent Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA. 6. Division of Research on Children, Youth, & Families, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: While marijuana has been legal for medical purposes in California since 1996, little is known about the health histories of young adult medical marijuana patients who are a significant proportion of medical marijuana patients. We examined whether young adult medical marijuana patients reported health conditions and motivations for use that were consistent with medical use of marijuana in California. METHODS: Young adults (N = 366) aged 18 to 26 years were sampled in Los Angeles in 2014-2015 and segmented into medical marijuana 'patients' (n = 210), marijuana users with a current recommendation, and non-patient users or 'non-patients' (n = 156), marijuana users who never had a medical marijuana recommendation. Differences between patients and non-patients regarding self-reported health histories and past/current motivations for marijuana use were expressed as unadjusted risk ratios. RESULTS: Compared with non-patients, patients were significantly more likely to report a range of lifetime health problems, such as psychological, physical pain and gastrointestinal. In the past 90 days, patients were significantly more likely to report motivations for marijuana use than non-patients concerning sleep, anxiety, physical pain and focusing. Psychological and pain problems were the most common health conditions reported to receive a medical marijuana recommendation. Patients were significantly less likely than non-patients to report any privacy concerns about obtaining a medical marijuana recommendation. CONCLUSIONS: Patients were significantly more likely to report a range of health conditions and motivations associated with medical use than non-patients. A great majority of patients reported obtaining a medical marijuana recommendation for health problems in accordance with the California law. [Lankenau SE, Ataiants J,Mohanty S, Schrager S, Iverson E, Wong CF.Health conditions and motivations for marijuana use among young adultmedical marijuana patients and non-patient marijuana users. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;00:000-000].
INTRODUCTION: While marijuana has been legal for medical purposes in California since 1996, little is known about the health histories of young adult medical marijuanapatients who are a significant proportion of medical marijuanapatients. We examined whether young adult medical marijuanapatients reported health conditions and motivations for use that were consistent with medical use of marijuana in California. METHODS: Young adults (N = 366) aged 18 to 26 years were sampled in Los Angeles in 2014-2015 and segmented into medical marijuana 'patients' (n = 210), marijuana users with a current recommendation, and non-patient users or 'non-patients' (n = 156), marijuana users who never had a medical marijuana recommendation. Differences between patients and non-patients regarding self-reported health histories and past/current motivations for marijuana use were expressed as unadjusted risk ratios. RESULTS: Compared with non-patients, patients were significantly more likely to report a range of lifetime health problems, such as psychological, physical pain and gastrointestinal. In the past 90 days, patients were significantly more likely to report motivations for marijuana use than non-patients concerning sleep, anxiety, physical pain and focusing. Psychological and pain problems were the most common health conditions reported to receive a medical marijuana recommendation. Patients were significantly less likely than non-patients to report any privacy concerns about obtaining a medical marijuana recommendation. CONCLUSIONS:Patients were significantly more likely to report a range of health conditions and motivations associated with medical use than non-patients. A great majority of patients reported obtaining a medical marijuana recommendation for health problems in accordance with the California law. [Lankenau SE, Ataiants J,Mohanty S, Schrager S, Iverson E, Wong CF.Health conditions and motivations for marijuana use among young adultmedical marijuanapatients and non-patientmarijuana users. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;00:000-000].
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