Workers Comp

Majority of doctors support medical pot for pain: Study

Louise Esola

May 24, 2021 Reprints

Cannabis Workers Comp Coverage More + Less -

Seventy-three percent of doctors surveyed in the U.S. believe in the use of cannabis as a medicine to treat pain, according to recent data published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research.

For the study a team of investigators affiliated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Public Health Service compiled responses from more than 2,200 practicing doctors, internists, nurse practitioners and oncologists regarding their attitudes about medical cannabis.

Overall, 69% of respondents said that they believed that cannabis possessed medical utility. In addition to treating pain, those who favored marijuana’s medical use were most likely to endorse it for cancer (72%) and nausea (61%).

National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws Deputy Director Paul Armentano on Friday issued a statement on the findings, calling on politicians to continue to change marijuana laws.

“Overwhelming majorities of patients and their providers acknowledge that cannabis is a legitimate medicine,” Mr. Armentano said. “Politicians should not be standing in their way by opposing efforts to permit medical professionals from recommending cannabis to their patients in instances where they believe it is therapeutically appropriate.”