Health Effects of Using Cannabis for Therapeutic Purposes: A Gender Analysis of Users’ Perspectives

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe how individuals who self-report therapeutic use of cannabis perceive its health effects. Data from 23 individual interviews were transcribed and analyzed. Understandings of gendered roles and identities were used to explore the data and interpret differences in perceptions. Descriptions of the health benefits of cannabis for therapeutic purposes included cannabis as life preserving, a disease therapy, a medicine for the mind, a means for self-management, and a way to manage addiction. Self-management of risks focused on the potential effects of excessive use, smoking-related risks, and purchasing precautions. Although the reports of women and men were similar in many respects, there were important differences in patterns and practices of use that reflected gender influences. Insights from the study provide direction for developing gender-specific information to support decision making and usage for therapeutic users.

RÉSUMÉ

Cette étude qualitative a pour but de comprendre de quelle façon les individus disant faire usage de cannabis à des fins thérapeutiques perçoivent les effets de celle-ci sur leur santé. Les données provenant de 23 entretiens individuels ont été retranscrites et analysées. Une approche orientée selon l’identité et les genres a été utilisée dans l’exploration de données et lors de l’interprétation des différences perceptuelles. Les effets bénéfiques perçus sur la santé recensés comprennent l’usage comme moyen de préservation du bien-être, comme traitement médical, comme médicament pour l’esprit, comme outil d’autogestion et enfin, comme moyen de gérer sa dépendance. Par ailleurs, l’autogestion des risques semble se concentrer principalement sur les effets néfastes possibles dus à un usage excessif, à l’inhalation de fumée ou encore aux risques liés à l’achat de cannabis. Bien que les données des sujets masculins et féminins soient similaires à plusieurs égards, il semble qu’il y ait une différence significative quant aux modes et aux pratiques d’usage selon le sexe du sujet. Cette étude permet de nous donner un aperçu quant aux nouvelles façons de développer des supports informatifs plus sensibles au genre, ceci afin de mieux orienter les prises de décisions et l’usage de cannabis à des fins thérapeutiques auprès des usagers.

RESUMEN

Efectos sobre la salud por el uso de mariguana con fines terapéuticos: Un análisis de género de las perspectivas de los consumidores

El propósito de este estudio cualitativo es el de describir como los individuos quienes dicen usar mariguana con fines terapéuticos perciben los efectos sobre la salud que esto trae. Los datos de 23 entrevistas individuales fueron transcritos y analizados. La comprensión de los roles de género e identidad fueron usados para explorar los datos e interpretar las diferencias en percepción. Las descripciones de los beneficios de usar la mariguana con fines terapéuticos incluyen al cannabis como un preservador de vida, una terapia para enfermedades, una medicina de la mente, un medio de autocontrol y una manera de manejar la adicción. El automanejo de los riesgos fue centrado en los efectos potenciales del uso excesivo, riesgos relacionados con fumar y precauciones de compra. Aunque los reportes de hombres y mujeres fueron similares en varios respectos, hubo importantes diferencias en los patrones y prácticas de uso que reflejaron influencias de género. Estadísticas del estudio proveen dirección para el desarrollo de información específica en cuanto a género para apoyar la toma de decisiones y uso de quienes consumen mariguana con fines terapéuticos.

L’usage du cannabis à des fins thérapeutiques et ses impacts sur la santé: une perception différenciée selon le sexe de l’usager

Keywords :

• cannabis
• medical marijuana
• gender influences
• health benefits
• perceived risks

THE AUTHORS

Joan L. Bottorff, Ph.D., R.N., F.C.A.H.S., is a Professor in the School of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Social Development, and Director of the Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention at the University of British Columbia, Kelowna, British Columbia. Dr. Bottorff is also an Affiliate Scientist with the British Columbia Cancer Agency. Her research program focuses on health promotion and health behavior change in the context of cancer control with a particular focus on gender-related influences. She has also been involved in a study examining cannabis use among teens.

Laura J. L. Bissell, M.A., completed her undergraduate work in 2004 at the University of British Columbia in Kelowna, British Columbia. She went on to receive her Master of Arts from the University of Manitoba in Recreation Studies in 2009. Currently, Ms. Bissell is a Research Assistant with the Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention at the University of British Columbia, where she works on a variety of smoking-, health-, and gender-related research studies.

Lynda G. Balneaves, Ph.D., R.N., is an Associate Professor at the School of Nursing, University of British Columbia and a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) New Investigator. She is also an Affiliate Nurse Scientist at the British Columbia Cancer Agency. Dr. Balneaves has been active in cancer nursing research for over 14 years, and her research interests include treatment decision making, complementary and alternative therapy use within the context of cancer, supportive cancer care, and culturally appropriate care.

John L. Oliffe, Ph.D., R.N., is an Associate Professor at the School of Nursing, University of British Columbia. His research is primarily focused on gender and health, particularly men's health and gender relations in the context of various health issues including the effects and social implications of therapeutic cannabis use. He has extensive expertise in qualitative research especially in the application of interpretive description, ethnography and grounded theory. The findings drawn from his studies and collaborations have been featured in seminars, workshops, and over 50 peer-reviewed publications. For more information on his current projects and publications, please visit his website at www.menshealthresearch.ubc.ca.

H. Bindy K. Kang, M.A., received her B.A. and M.A. at the Simon Fraser University. She is currently a Social Science Researcher with the University of British Columbia's School of Nursing and is enrolled in the Interdisciplinary Studies Graduate Program as a Ph.D. student. She also holds a position with the Vancouver Community Mental Health Services’ as a Cross Cultural Mental Health Worker. Her research interests include ethnicity and health, gender and health, barriers and facilitators to health care access and delivery, health care disparities, chronic disease management, mental health, and identity constructions.

N. Rielle Capler, M.H.A., has worked on issues related to the medical use of cannabis for over 10 years. She is a Founding Director of Canadians for Safe Access, a national organization promoting safe access to cannabis for medical use and research. Ms. Capler was the Policy Analyst and Research Coordinator at the British Columbia Compassion Club Society, Canada's first medical cannabis dispensary, from 1999 to 2007. Her focus is on public health, with areas of interest including cannabis harm reduction, natural health care, and health promotion through community-based medical cannabis dispensaries.

Jane A. Buxton, M.B.B.S., M.H.Sc., F.R.C.P.C., is an Associate Professor in the School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia. She is also a Physician Epidemiologist, with a responsibility for hepatitis and harm reduction lead at the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control. Her areas of interest include problematic substance use epidemiology, vulnerable populations including people in corrections, and street-involved youth.

Robin K. O’Brien, B.Sc., B.Sc. (Pharm.), A.C.P.R., PharmD., B.C.O.P., R.Ph., is Acting Director of MIUBC (Medication Info UBC) in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia. She is an Oncology Pharmacist with a research interest in natural health products and was the British Columbia Cancer Agency's Drug Information Specialist when medical marijuana became legally available to patients in Canada. She was a member of Health Canada's Stakeholder Advisory Committee on Medical Marijuana and chaired the Safety Monitoring Advisory Committee for COMPASS (Cannabis for the Management of Pain: Assessment of Safety Study).