San Francisco, CA: An estimated 40 percent of veterans suffering from chronic pain consume cannabis products to mitigate their symptoms, according to survey data published in the journal Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health.
A team of investigators affiliated with the University of California at San Francisco and Yale University surveyed pain patients enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration primary care services program.
Forty percent of respondents acknowledged using cannabis products to manage their symptoms. However, the study’s authors suggested that this percentage may reflect under-reporting because cannabis use is discouraged within the Veterans Administration. Respondents were most likely to report using cannabis to manage pain or mobility (81 percent), sleep (62 percent), PTSD or anxiety (43 percent), stress (43 percent), and depression (29 percent).
Prior surveys indicate that veterans frequently consume cannabis to improve their health-related quality of life and to reduce their reliance on prescription medications.
Full text of the study, “Natural product use for chronic pain: A new survey of patterns of use, beliefs, concerns, and disclosures to providers,” appears in Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health. Additional information is available from the NORML Fact Sheet, ‘Marijuana and Veterans Issues.’