Open AccessAuthorization Patterns, Safety, and Effectiveness of Medical Cannabis in Quebec
Author(s) -
Maja Kalaba,
Laura MacNair,
Erica N. Peters,
Graham M.L. Eglit,
Lucile Rapin,
Cynthia El Hage,
Erin Prosk,
Mark A. Ware
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
cannabis and cannabinoid research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.156
H-Index - 17
eISSN - 2578-5125
pISSN - 2378-8763
DOI - 10.1089/can.2020.0140
Subject(s) - cannabis , authorization , cannabidiol , medicine , observational study , anxiety , cannabinoid , medical cannabis , psychiatry , computer security , receptor , computer science
Despite increasing demand for data, little is known about the authorization patterns, safety, and effectiveness of medical cannabis products. Materials and Methods: We conducted a 2 year observational study of adult patients who were legally authorized a medical cannabis product from a single licensed producer; we captured and analyzed authorized cannabis use patterns by cannabinoid profile (tetrahydrocannabinol [THC]-dominant; cannabidiol [CBD]-dominant; and balanced (THC:CBD) and clinical outcomes using standardized outcome measures every 3 months for 12 months at a network of medical cannabis clinics in Quebec, Canada. Results: We recruited 585 patients (average age 56.5 years), of whom 61% identified as female and 85% reported pain as their primary complaint. Over 12 months, there was a significant increase in the number of products authorized ( Z =2.59, p =0.01). The proportion of authorizations for a THC-dominant or CBD-dominant product increased relative to the proportion of authorizations for a balanced (THC:CBD) product (all p <0.01). Symptom improvement over time was observed for pain, tiredness, drowsiness, anxiety, and well-being. Patients authorized THC-dominant products exhibited less symptom improvement for anxiety and well-being relative to those authorized CBD-dominant or balanced (THC:CBD) products. Medical cannabis was well tolerated across all product profiles. Conclusion: These real-world data reveal changes in medical cannabis authorization patterns and suggest that symptom improvement may vary by cannabinoid profile over 12 months of follow-up.