Papers of the Week

Nationwide perspectives on cannabis have changed dramatically over recent decades. Although cannabis remains illegal at the federal level, medical cannabis (MC) is now legal in most states, and research has continued to show its effectiveness in a variety of medical conditions. However, both perception and acceptance of MC by the general public are evolving and remain poorly understood. Treating patients effectively with these novel therapeutics requires an understanding of the complex interplay of social and legal factors that could affect patient use. This cross-sectional survey study of more than 2500 patients sought to assess current patient perspectives on MC and to investigate factors related to its use that may represent barriers to broader patient use. Most respondents would consider using MC for chronic pain or other medical conditions. Most respondents were aware of the legal status of MC in their state, and 9 of 10 respondents believed that MC should be legal throughout the United States. General public knowledge of the utility of MC is an area needing improvement because older patients were significantly less likely to believe that MC is safe to use or that MC is safer than prescription opioids. As has been reported in previous literature, social stigma and cost appear to remain barriers for patient use of MC. Our findings provide further insight into current patient perspectives on MC, aiding both medical providers and researchers as we continue to provide access to and research MC. [. 20XX;XX(X):xx-xx.].