Research published in the Journal of Cannabis Research in July suggests that the cost of medical cannabis through state-approved dispensaries is a “main motive” for patients seeking products outside of the legal dispensary system, with 79.2% of study participants reporting cost as a barrier.
In all, the researchers found that 10% of medical cannabis program participants obtain cannabis products illegally due to medical cannabis program barriers, including cost, the fact that medical cannabis products are not covered by insurance, and the lack of dispensaries.
In a statement, Jerry Cochran, PhD, senior author on the study as well as a professor of epidemiology and director of the Program for Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge, and Advocacy at the University of Utah, said many patients are making a “trade-off” from tested, regulated, state-approved medical cannabis products for unregulated products that could be risky.
“It’s like, ‘OK, I have a chronic illness which makes it hard for me to work, and so I have limited resources. I can more easily afford the stuff from my friend on the street, but that stuff on the street might make me sicker in the long run.’ It creates this catch-22 where it becomes a health disparity.” — Cochran in a statement
Patients who obtained cannabis products outside of the program said they had a lower level of trust in the state program (67.4%, compared to 45.5% who said they had trust in the program). The researchers found that those with a higher level of trust in the state-run program were less likely to obtain cannabis outside of the system.
“If you can get rid of all the bias and just give people good, accurate information about medical cannabis, people will use the medical cannabis program,” Cochran said in a statement.
The researchers note that while the “study offers valuable insights, more comprehensive research based on these preliminary findings is needed to develop effective strategies to mitigate [illicit medical cannabis] use and promote safe [medical cannabis] program participation.”
