A recent survey published in the Hand Surgery Global Online Journal explored how patients feel about their doctors using substances like marijuana, alcohol, and nicotine when off duty. The findings showed that more people were okay with their physician using cannabis recreationally than not, and even more were comfortable if it was for medical reasons.
The survey involved 388 patients at four Pennsylvania orthopedic clinics, where only medical marijuana is legal. Most participants were white, around 55 years old on average, and nearly two-thirds said they had never used marijuana. Eleven percent were frequent users.
Participants responded to whether they were comfortable with their doctor using certain substances outside work hours. Alcohol had the highest acceptance rate, with 64% expressing comfort and only 13% expressing discomfort. Nicotine use followed, with 57% okay with it and 16% not.
When it came to cannabis, patients were more accepting of medical use (56%) than recreational (45%). However, 25% were against recreational use by doctors, compared to 16% for medical use, 16% for nicotine, and 13% for alcohol. Around 19% strongly opposed recreational cannabis use, the highest among all substances.
There was also a noticeable uncertainty about cannabis. About 14% weren’t sure how they felt about prescribed cannabis, while over 16.2% were uncertain about recreational use.
Interestingly, factors like the patients’ education level or personal marijuana use didn’t seem to impact their opinions on whether doctors should use cannabis when not working.
The survey also included questions about CBD and cannabis as part of treatment plans. Just over half (53%) were open to their doctor talking about marijuana as a treatment option, while 40% said they’d be willing to consider using it for medical reasons. For CBD, 55% were open to discussing its use. Still, about 20% of people were unsure about both substances being part of their care.
Researchers noted the wide range of opinions, saying the results reflect ongoing debates around cannabis and its role in healthcare. They pointed out that even with CBD, which doesn’t have psychoactive effects, many patients remained undecided.
The study acknowledged its limitations, such as its focus on a rural, mostly homogeneous group in one state. It also recognized that Pennsylvania’s current cannabis laws could influence how comfortable people are talking about cannabis use.
Despite this, the findings may help guide future research and policy, especially as laws and attitudes continue to shift in different regions. These changing attitudes to cannabis use are in part due to legalization policies that have allowed licensed firms like Aurora Cannabis Corp. (NASDAQ: ACB) (TSX: ACB) and others across the region to serve customers with tested and regulated products.
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