A National Survey of Marijuana Use Among US Adults With Medical Conditions, 2016-2017
Question
What are the prevalence and patterns of marijuana use among adults with medical conditions?
Findings
This survey study using data from 169 036 participants in the 2016 and 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System surveys found that, compared with adults without medical conditions, adults with medical conditions had a significantly higher prevalence of current and daily marijuana use, were more likely to report using marijuana for medical reasons, and were less likely to report using marijuana for recreational purposes. Among respondents with medical conditions, 11.2% of young adults reported using marijuana on a daily basis, and the prevalence of marijuana use decreased with increasing age.
Meaning
Clinicians should discuss marijuana use with their patients to optimize medical outcomes.
