Marijuana use patterns among patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Pharmacology
• Medical Cannabis Research

Background:

• Limited understanding exists regarding marijuana use prevalence and effectiveness in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) management.
• Healthcare providers lack guidance on which IBD symptoms may be alleviated by marijuana.
• Increasing legal access to marijuana for Crohn's disease necessitates research into its role in IBD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of marijuana use among patients with IBD.
• To identify sociodemographic characteristics associated with marijuana use in IBD.
• To assess the perceived benefits and effectiveness of marijuana for managing IBD symptoms.

Main Methods:

• A prospective cohort survey was conducted with patients diagnosed with IBD at an academic medical center.
• Data collected included marijuana usage patterns, sociodemographic information, and perceived symptom relief.
• Statistical analysis, including multivariate analysis, was employed to identify predictors of marijuana use.

Main Results:

• Of 292 surveyed patients, 12.3% were current marijuana users, 39.0% past users, and 48.6% never users.
• Among users, 16.4% utilized marijuana for IBD symptoms, reporting significant relief from abdominal pain, nausea, and diarrhea.
• Chronic abdominal pain and younger age were associated with both current and medicinal marijuana use in IBD patients.

Conclusions:

• A substantial proportion of IBD patients currently use marijuana, with most finding it effective for symptom management.
• This includes patients with ulcerative colitis, who are often excluded from medical marijuana legislation.
• Clinical trials are essential to validate marijuana's efficacy as an IBD therapy and inform clinical practice.