Most Addiction Specialists Support Legalizing Medical Marijuana, Study Finds
By Kimberly Lawson July 19 th 2019 (Marijuana Momant)
We already know 93 percent of Americans
support legalising medical marijuana. Now,
thanks to new research, we also know a
sizable majority of substance abuse clinicians
do too.
But even though drug misuse professionals
broadly back cannabis’s medical value, they
also see risks associated with its use.
“While most participants agreed that medical
marijuana should be legalised and that its
‘responsible’ use was ‘safe,'” the study
concluded, “they also believed that it is often
abused and has not been studied adequately.
Consistent with prior research, we found that
fewer addictions treatment professionals
(approximately 70%) than members of the
public supported legalisation of marijuana for
medical purposes.”
Generally
speaking,
many
medical
professionals who treat substance use
disorders (SUD) believe abstinence from
recreational drugs is the best practice.
This new study, which published earlier last
week in the Journal of Substance Use, aimed
to get a better understanding of where they
stood on the medical use of marijuana.
“Given that negative attitudes toward
patients, regardless of the reason, may result
in premature treatment termination and poorer
quality care, it seems important to understand
attitudes toward legalisation of medical
marijuana
among
SUD
treatment
professionals,” the researchers from Towson
University in Maryland wrote.
Participants were asked to rate how much they
agreed or disagreed with 22 statements,
including:
• Marijuana is safe when used
responsibly for medical purposes.
• Medical marijuana is often abused.
• A client can be in substance use
disorder treatment when using medical
marijuana.
• Marijuana can help reduce withdrawal
symptoms
• Taking marijuana instead of other
drugs is only replacing one addiction
with another.
They were also asked to share their personal
history with cannabis and whether or not they
knew anyone who had used medical
marijuana.
A total of 966 addiction clinicians completed
the survey between February and May 2018.
They were identified through professional
certification boards in Alaska, Kansas,
Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina,
Rhode Island, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
Most reported having used marijuana (74
percent), knowing a medical cannabis patient
(73 percent) and knowing patients with
addiction issues who’d used cannabis in their
recovery (61 percent).
Additionally, most respondents thought
marijuana should be legalised for medical
purposes and that its use was safe, though
only 38 percent said it was “not detrimental to
one’s health.” Sixty-four percent said they
believed medical cannabis is often abused.
Interestingly, however, many participants
agreed that cannabis (including products that
contain the cannabinoid CBD) could help
with symptoms associated with addiction,
such as anxiety and insomnia. While 70
percent said consuming marijuana is “trading