Study Reveals Top Reasons Teens And Young Adults Consume Medical Marijuana And In Which US States

A new study utilizing data from Leafwell, a telehealth platform that provides access to licensed physicians, sheds light on medical marijuana patients under 21, who are often overlooked in research. The study details the frequency and rate of teen and young adult cannabis patients in the U.S.

Using data from 2019 to mid-2023, the study analyzed 13,855 patients, of whom 5.7% were minors and 94.3% were young adults. Leafwell, which operates across 34 states, helps patients receive their medical cards, has a substantial patient database.

Key findings include:

• Anxiety (40.58%) was the primary medical condition for both groups, followed by chronic pain (14.87%) and insomnia coming in third (9.8%). More specifically, epilepsy, PTSD, and cancer were more frequently reported by minors.
• 34.38% surveyed said they were using medical cannabis to treat two conditions, while 20.98% said they were using medical cannabis to treat three conditions.
• 63.17% were reported as White/non-Hispanic and 19.37% surveyed were Hispanic or Latino.
• Minor patients were predominantly white, non-Hispanic, and often resided in non-adult-use states. Young adults had a higher percentage of Hispanics and were more likely to reside in states with both medical and adult-use cannabis laws.
• The highest number of minor patients is in California (182), Ohio (127), and Oregon (124). When it comes to rates per 100,000 population, Maine has the highest rate of 15.81, followed by Oregon (13.80) and New Hampshire (11.51).
• The largest number of young adults were registered in California (5,439), followed by Massachusetts (1,249), Oregon (1,139) and Ohio (995).
• Regarding the rate of young adult patients per 100,000, Montana has the highest rate of 1,274.76, followed by Maine (827.44) and Oregon (579.20).

Read Also: 76% Of Primary Care Patients Use Cannabis For Symptom Management, UCLA Study Finds

Concluding Thoughts, Limitations

The study provides a step toward understanding the demographics and medical conditions of pediatric medical marijuana patients.

It is important to note that different state policies might have impacted the results. For example, it's plausible to assume that patients with anxiety living in a state where this condition is not considered qualifying for medical marijuana might list another condition to qualify. "Our finding that anxiety is the most common secondary condition for using medical cannabis does somewhat speak to this phenomena," the study authors pointed out.

Other limitations include the reliance on self-reported data and the sample size that may not fully represent the entire population of medical marijuana users under 21.

"This study underscores demographic distinctions between minor-aged medical cannabis patients and young adults," wrote the authors. "There is a need for comprehensive clinical research addressing efficacy, safety, and tailored guidelines specific for pediatric medical cannabis patients. Such insights are pivotal for healthcare providers and policymakers in navigating medical cannabis treatment protocols."

Common Conditions Treated With Medical Marijuana

According to a 2017 study published in the National Library of Medicine, relief from chronic pain takes the top spot. Other studies concur with this finding. Others find anxiety to be the most common condition, for which medical marijuana is used. Overall, for adults, chronic pain and anxiety are the main reasons for turning to cannabis. This is even the case with recreational users, who often consume it to treat various conditions but don't consider themselves medical marijuana patients.

As of 2023, 38 states, three territories and the District of Columbia allow the use of medical marijuana products. There are around 3.87 million registered medical marijuana patients across the U.S.

Read Next:

• Medical Marijuana Helps Treat Suicidal Thoughts And Depression, New Study

• 90% Of Medical Marijuana Patients Over 50 Are Treating Chronic Pain And Arthritis, Finds New Tilray Study
• Study Confirms Medical Marijuana For Chronic Conditions Does Not Harm Cognitive Abilities

Learn all about the future of the cannabis industry at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference this October in Chicago. Hear directly from key industry players and policymakers. Get your tickets now by following this link.

Photo: Tim Mossholder on Unsplash