Table 2.
Reasons for cannabinoid use from observational studies.
| Author, Year | Study Type | Legalization (Location) | Number of Participants (SCI/Total) |
Inclusion
Criteria |
Exclusion Criteria |
Male/
Female |
Mean Age |
Tetraplegia/
Paraplegia/ Unknown |
Mean Time Since
Injury |
Reasons for Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardenas & Jensen, 2006 [53] | Cross-sectional | MC legal (Washington, USA) | 117/117 | 18+ age, tSCI, chronic pain | Incomplete questionnaires | 85/32 | 48.8 ± 11.7 (21-79) | 56/61 | 17.3 ± 10.9 | Chronic pain |
| Shroff, 2015 [54] | Interview | MC legal (Canada) | 53/53 | 19-65 age, 1+ years since SCI, BC resident, member of paraplegic association |
- | 42/11 | NR | NR | NR | Pain, spasm relief, relaxation, recreation |
| Drossel et al., 2016 [45] |
Cross-sectional | MC legal (Michigan & California, USA) | 244/244 | 18+ age, 5+ years since tSCI, English language, neurogenic bowel and/or bladder, no cognitive limitations |
- | 181/63 | 49.7 | 134/110 | 18.6 | Pain relief 70%, spasticity 46%, anxiety 30%, bowel 11%, recreation 9%, bladder: 6% |
| Andresen et al., 2017 [44] | Cross-sectional | MC legal starting 2011, study 1990-2012 (Denmark) | 537/537 | Inclusion: 18+ age, acquired tSCI, rehab clinic patients |
Incomplete questionnaires | 413/124 | 54.6 ± 14.6 (18-88) | 247/263, unknown: 27 | 18.2 ± 12.8 | First use: pleasure 89%; SCI medicinal: pain and/or spasticity 22%; Current use: pleasure 63%, pain 60%, party 48%, spasticity 46%, depression 31%, sleep 29%, anxiety/stress 29%, fatigue 15%, appetite 15%, weakness 13% |
| Bruce et ala., 2018 [50] |
Interview | MC legal (Illinois, USA) | 6/30 | 18+ age, smoked MC in past 3 mo, qualifying health condition for MC | - | 19/11 | 44.6 ± 15.9 | NR | NR | Medicinal cannabis use with prescription meds: alternative 60%, tapering 27%, complementary 20% |
| Hawley et al., 2018 [49] |
Cross-sectional | MC and recreational legal (Colorado, USA) | 51/116 | SCI rehab patient | - | 95/21 | 47.1 ± 13.8 (22-74) | Tetra ABC: 38, para ABC: 31, tetra/para D: 41, unknown: 5 | 13.0 | Spasticity 70%, recreation 63%, sleep 63%, pain 59%, decrease meds 52%, nausea 33%, appetite 33%, depression 33% |
Abbreviations: ABCD: American Spinal Injury Association classification A (complete injury), B (incomplete – sensory is preserved), C (incomplete – most muscle groups below the level of injury have strength <3), D (incomplete– most muscle groups below the level of injury have strength >3); BC: British Columbia; MC: medical cannabis; NR: not reported; SCI: spinal cord injury; tSCI: traumatic spinal cord injury; mo: monthly.
adata listed not limited to people with SCI.