Study shows cancer patients consume less cannabis than the general public

A new study conducted in Virginia found that the general public currently uses more cannabis than cancer patients.

The Virginia Commonwealth University of Massey Cancer Center (VCU) published a study in Cancer magazine on Aug. 13, entitled “Cannabis Use Among Cancer Survivors in the United States: A Nationally Representative Sample Analysis,” which included data from 19,055 people over 1 year four-year period were analyzed.

The study’s lead author, Bernard Fuemmeler, Ph.D., MPH, who also holds the titles of assistant director of population science and interim co-director of the cancer prevention and control research program at the VCU, expressed surprise when the results were finalized. “Even if we looked at whether someone had used cannabis in the four years of observation and we checked for things like age and race, cancer patients still did not increase their use over time like the general population,” he said. “I would have expected that they would at least reflect what is happening in the general population.”

The study analyzed data collected between 2013 and 2018, which was a monumental timeframe for cannabis legalization and the growth of the industry. The data comes from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health, which examines American smoking habits in relation to both tobacco and cannabis. A VCU chart shows that only nine percent of cancer patients used cannabis within the four-year period, while 14 percent of the general public said they did use cannabis.

Due to the industry boom during the four-year study period, study co-author Sunny Jung Kim, Ph. D., as well as Harrison Scholar at the VCU Massey Cancer Center and Assistant Professor of Health Behavior and Policy at the VCU School of Medicine, stated that the stigma of cannabis among recreational users as well as being gradually lifted in medical patients. “As law enforcement changes, we expect changes in attitudes and perceived benefits and harms. This work gives us a perspective on the prevalence of cannabis use in cancer patients and how it has changed over time. “

One claim as to why cancer patients no longer use cannabis today is due to hesitation, according to Fuemmeler. “There’s that element of a life changing moment when you have cancer,” said Fuemmeler. “You have to look after your health and think about whether something like cannabis is helpful or harmful.” Unsurprisingly, the results of the study showed that people who experience more pain are more likely to use cannabis. On the other hand, women, the elderly, and those with “higher incomes, health insurance, or better mental health” tended to experience less pain.

As is common with cannabis studies, the VCU researchers believe that more research is needed to get better results. “As with all health decisions, it is best to speak to your doctor before making any major changes,” said another co-author on the study, Egidio Del Fabbro, MD professor of internal medicine at VCU. “Now that marijuana becomes legal in more parts of the country, we expect more questions and while we may not have all the answers, we are here to listen and provide the best evidence available to our patients.”

Research into the relationship between cannabis and cancer has made steady progress in recent years. A Canadian study published in December 2020 found that more Canadians with cancer were using cannabis than in previous years. Another recent study from July found that 71 percent of gynecological cancer patients found relief from using cannabis. The American Cancer Society writes that, based on small studies, cannabis is known to treat patients with chemotherapy nausea and vomiting, neuropathic pain, increase their appetite, reduce need for pain relievers, and more.