https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8907-7076
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ABSTRACT
Many cannabis users report therapeutic benefits from cannabis consumption, even when not recommended by a physician. To date, few data on therapeutic users of cannabis in France are available. Using a cross-sectional survey held in 2020, we collected sociodemographic, health and substance use data from 4150 daily cannabis users in France. We used multivariable logistic regression to assess factors associated with exclusive therapeutic use of cannabis. Approximately 10% (n = 453) of the participants reported using cannabis exclusively for therapeutic purposes. Exclusive therapeutic users of cannabis differed from non-exclusive (i.e. recreational and mixed) users, especially regarding age (aOR [95%CI] = 1.01 [1.00–1.02]), employment (aOR = 0.61 [0.47–0.79]), urban area of residence (aOR = 0.75 [0.60–0.94]), physical (aOR = 2.95 [2.34–3.70]) and mental health condition (aOR = 2.63 [1.99–3.49]), mode of cannabis administration (non-smoked, aOR = 1.89 [1.22–2.95); smoked with little tobacco, aOR = 1.39 [1.09–1.76]), frequency of cannabis use (aOR = 1.04 [1.01–1.06]), home cultivation (aOR = 1.56 [1.13–2.15]), at-ridsk alcohol use (aOR = 0.68 [0.54–0.84]), and previous-month opiate use (aOR = 1.67 [1.22–2.30]). A greater understanding of the distinct profiles of regular cannabis users could inform harm reduction strategies and care access for this population. Further studies are needed to better understand the boundaries between therapeutic and recreational use.
Acknowledgments
Our thanks to all the participants in the CANNAVID survey, to the scientific committee of CANNAVID, and to the community associations who contributed in the dissemination of the survey. We also thank Jude Sweeney for the English revision and copyediting of our manuscript. MB would also like to thank the French Doctoral Network in Public Health for its support during his doctoral training.
Disclosure statement
MB received support for this study from the French Research Institute of Public Health (IReSP) and the French National Institute of Cancer (INCa), as part of a call for applications for a doctoral grant launched in 2020 (project reference: AAC20-SPA−02).