Understanding Cannabis Use After Spinal Cord Injury: A Canadian Survey Study

To describe the prevalence and characteristics of cannabis use among Canadians with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Observational study.

Online survey.

Canadian adults with any level or severity of SCI (N=80). In total, 136 individuals were screened for participation, of which 80 (61.2% men; mean age: 57.7y) completed the survey.

Not applicable.

Prevalence and frequency of cannabis use; reasons for and against use; perceived effectiveness; adverse events; and modality of cannabis consumption.

Overall, 42.5% of participants reported cannabis use postinjury, and 37.5% were current users, exceeding the general Canadian population's usage rate (25%). Postinjury, the primary reasons for cannabis use shifted from recreation (25%) to alleviating pain (36.3%) and improving sleep (30%), with users perceiving moderate effectiveness. Reported adverse events were generally mild and infrequent, with fatigue being the most common (11.3%). Edibles replaced smoking as the most common modality of cannabis consumption postinjury. No significant associations were found between cannabis use and demographic variables, including sex, education, or employment status.

This small survey highlights the prevalence and therapeutic motivations for cannabis use among Canadians with SCI, with a shift toward medicinal applications postinjury. With moderate perceived effectiveness and a low prevalence of only mild side effects, future research is warranted to evaluate cannabis' efficacy and safety in this population and to address barriers to its use, including stigma and health concerns.