Marimée Godbout-Parent1, Hermine Lore Nguena Nguefack1, Adriana Angarita-Fonseca1,2, Claudie Audet1, Andréanne Bernier1, Ghita Zahlan1, Nancy Julien1, M Gabrielle Pagé2,3, Line Guénette4,5, Lucie Blais6, Anaïs Lacasse1. 1. Département des sciences de la santé, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT), Rouyn-Noranda, Québec, Canada. 2. Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montréal, Québec, Canada. 3. médecine, Université de MontréalDépartement d'anesthésiologie et de médecine de la douleur, Faculté de, Montréal, Québec, Canada. 4. Faculté de pharmacie, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada. 5. Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada. 6. Faculté de pharmacie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Abstract
Background: Medical cannabis has been legal in Canada since 2001, and recreational cannabis was legalized in October 2018, which has led to a widespread increase in the accessibility of cannabis products. Aims: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of cannabis use among adults living with chronic pain (CP) and investigate the relationship between age and cannabis use for CP management. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of the COPE Cohort data set, a large Quebec sample of 1935 adults living with CP, was conducted. Participants completed a web-based questionnaire in 2019 that contained three yes/no questions about past-year use of cannabis (i.e., for pain management, management of other health-related conditions, recreational purposes). Results: Among the 1344 participants who completed the cannabis use section of the questionnaire, the overall prevalence of cannabis use for pain management was 30.1% (95% confidence interval 27.7-32.7). Differences were found between age groups, with the highest prevalence among participants aged ≤26 years (36.5%) and lowest for those aged ≥74 years (8.8%). A multivariable logistic model revealed that age, region of residence, generalized pain, use of medications or nonpharmacological approaches for pain management, alcohol/drug consumption, and smoking were associated with the likelihood of using cannabis for pain management. Conclusions: Cannabis is a common treatment for the management of CP, especially in younger generations. The high prevalence of use emphasizes the importance of better knowledge translation for people living with CP, rapidly generating evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of cannabis, and clinicians' involvement in supporting people who use cannabis for pain management.
Background: Medical cannabis has been legal in Canada since 2001, and recreational cannabis was legalized in October 2018, which has led to a widespread increase in the accessibility of cannabis products. Aims: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of cannabis use among adults living with chronic pain (CP) and investigate the relationship between age and cannabis use for CP management. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of the COPE Cohort data set, a large Quebec sample of 1935 adults living with CP, was conducted. Participants completed a web-based questionnaire in 2019 that contained three yes/no questions about past-year use of cannabis (i.e., for pain management, management of other health-related conditions, recreational purposes). Results: Among the 1344 participants who completed the cannabis use section of the questionnaire, the overall prevalence of cannabis use for pain management was 30.1% (95% confidence interval 27.7-32.7). Differences were found between age groups, with the highest prevalence among participants aged ≤26 years (36.5%) and lowest for those aged ≥74 years (8.8%). A multivariable logistic model revealed that age, region of residence, generalized pain, use of medications or nonpharmacological approaches for pain management, alcohol/drug consumption, and smoking were associated with the likelihood of using cannabis for pain management. Conclusions: Cannabis is a common treatment for the management of CP, especially in younger generations. The high prevalence of use emphasizes the importance of better knowledge translation for people living with CP, rapidly generating evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of cannabis, and clinicians' involvement in supporting people who use cannabis for pain management.
Authors: Peter A Ste-Marie; Yoram Shir; Emmanouil Rampakakis; John S Sampalis; Angela Karellis; Martin Cohen; Michael Starr; Mark A Ware; Mary-Ann Fitzcharles Journal: Pain Date: 2016-12 Impact factor: 6.961
Authors: Kevin F Boehnke; J Ryan Scott; Evangelos Litinas; Suzanne Sisley; David A Williams; Daniel J Clauw Journal: J Pain Date: 2019-01-26 Impact factor: 5.820
Authors: Antoine Asselin; Olivier Beauparlant Lamarre; Richard Chamberland; Sarah-Jeanne McNeil; Eric Demers; Arsène Zongo Journal: J Cannabis Res Date: 2022-05-26