Table 1.
Demographics of Respondents Reporting Use of Marijuana for Medical Reasons Compared with NSDUH Respondents Who Used Marijuana in the Past Year
| Characteristic | 2017 KPMM users in past year (n = 591)* | 2017 NSDUH (n = 42,554) |
|---|---|---|
| Age | ||
| 18–34 years | 154 (38) | 22,626 (53) |
| 35–49 years | 147 (29) | 11,214 (26) |
| 50–64 years | 178 (23) | 4997 (12) |
| ≥ 65 years | 112 (10) | 3717 (9) |
| Gender | ||
| Male | 287 (52) | 19,987 (47) |
| Female | 304 (48) | 22,567 (53) |
| Race | ||
| White | 436 (61) | 25,870 (61) |
| Black | 43 (14) | 5230 (12) |
| Hispanic | 71 (19) | 7168 (17) |
| Other | 41 (6) | 4286 (10) |
| Highest education level | ||
| High school diploma or less | 199 (52) | 16,664 (39) |
| Some college | 210 (28) | 14,288 (34) |
| Bachelor’s degree or higher | 182 (20) | 11,602 (27) |
| Employment status | ||
| Working | 338 (58) | 28,966 (68) |
| Not working | 253 (42) | 13,588 (32) |
| Household income | ||
| < $20,000 | 140 (23) | 8370 (20) |
| $20,000–$49,999 | 170 (28) | 13,321 (31) |
| $50,000–$74,999 | 106 (18) | 6704 (16) |
| ≥ $75,000 | 175 (31) | 14,159 (33) |
| Legalization status in state of residence at time of survey | ||
| Legal (medical or recreational) | 460 (73) | |
| Non-legal | 131 (28) | |
| Doctor awareness and attitudes towards marijuana use | ||
| Does not have a doctor | 92 (21) | |
| Doctor not aware of use | 165 (26) | |
| Doctor is aware and is neutral | 148 (22) | |
| Doctor is aware and supportive | 150 (25) | |
| Doctor is aware and not supportive | 33 (6) | |
| Medical marijuana use | ||
| Both medical and recreational | 440 (77) | |
| Only medical | 151 (23) | |
| Reasons for use | ||
| Anxiety | 228 (49) | |
| Insomnia | 275 (47) | |
| Chronic pain | 272 (42) | |
| Depression | 224 (39) | |
| Mood | 180 (32) | |
| Arthritis | 161 (23) | |
| Migraines | 121 (21) | |
| PTSD | 87 (15) | |
| Cancer symptoms | 34 (5) | |
| Libido | 28 (6) | |
| Glaucoma | 24 (4) | |
| Seizures/epilepsy | 16 (3) | |
| Multiple sclerosis | 10 (2) | |
| HIV/AIDS | 4 (1) | |
*Numbers are unweighted, and percentages are weighted to approximate the US population. KPMM KnowledgePanel users of medical marijuana, NSDUH National Survey on Drug Use and Health. We used weights provided by GfK to approximate the US population based on sociodemographic factors (e.g., age, gender, race, ethnicity, education, household income, home ownership, and metropolitan area)