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Table 2 Patterns of use and illness/es treated

From: Exploring the use of cannabis as a substitute for prescription drugs in a convenience sample

 

Total sample (n = 2.841)

Substitution users (n = 1.546)

Odds of substituting

N (%)

N (%)

OR (95% CI)

Types of cannabis

 THC-oil

697 (24.5)

415 (26.8)

1.28* (1.07–1.53)

 CBD-oil

1.850 (65.1)

1.008 (65.2)

0.96 (0.81–1.13)

 Hash, pot or skunk

1.035 (36.4)

566 (36.6)

1.16 (0.97–1.38)

 Cannabis based (Marinol, Sativex)

172 (6.1)

105 (6.8)

1.22 (0.89–1.69)

 Whole plant trial (Bedrocan, Bediol)

54 (1.9)

34 (2.2)

1.42 (0.81–2.51)

 Other

221 (7.8)

124 (8)

1.03 (0.78–1.37)

Respondents only using CBD oil

1.086 (38.2)

560 (36.2)

0.79* (0.67–0.93)

Frequency of use

 6–7 days a week

2.141 (75.4)

1.197 (77.4)

1.00 (reference)

 3–5 days a week

366 (12.9)

187 (12.1)

0.86 (0.69–1.08)

 1–2 days a week

162 (5.7)

76 (4.9)

0.78 (0.56–1.08)

 A few times a month

92 (3.2)

45 (2.9)

0.83 (0.54–1.27)

 Very rarely

50 (1.8)

24 (1.6)

0.74 (0.42–1.31)

 Missing

30 (1.1)

17 (1.1)

 

Most frequent form of intake

 Smoked

686 (24.2)

355 (23)

0.94 (0.76–1.13)

 Vaporized

102 (3.6)

54 (3.5)

1.03 (0.69–1.56)

 Oil

1.601 (56.4)

861 (55.7)

0.87 (0.74–1.02)

 Edibles, suppositories, tea, topical

142 (5)

87 (5.6)

1.37 (0.96–1.95)

 Capsules

119 (4.2)

71 (4.6)

1.23 (0.84–1.79)

 Other

172 (6.1)

107 (6.9)

1.35 (0.97–1.86)

 Missing

19 (0.6)

11 (0.7)

 

Level of recreational experience

 Novice (lifetime use < 5 times)

1.803 (63.5)

991 (64.1)

1.00 (reference)

 Experienced (lifetime use > 5 times)

981 (34.5)

531 (34.4)

1.08 (0.90–1.28)

 Missing

57 (2)

24 (1.6)

 

Prescription for medical cannabis

 No

2.586 (91)

1.381 (89.3)

1.00 (reference)

 Yes

238 (8.4)

162 (10.5)

1.68*** (1.26–2.24)

 Missing

17 (0.6)

3 (0.2)

 

User status

 Current user of CaM

2.588 (91.1)

1.414 (91.5)

1.00 (reference)

 Former user of CaM

253 (8.9)

132 (8.5)

0.94 (0.72–1.23)

Illnesses treated with CaM

 Somatic condition

2.083 (73.3)

1.196 (77.4)

1.44*** (1.21–1.71)

 Psychiatric condition

1.055 (37.1)

593 (38.4)

1.15 (0.98–1.35)

 Chronic pain

932 (32.8)

642 (41.5)

2.30*** (1.94–2.72)

 Sleep disturbances

793 (27.9)

443 (28.7)

1.09 (0.92–1.29)

 Stress

684 (24.1)

351 (22.7)

0.91 (0.76–2.94)

Mean number of conditions treated with CaM

3.2 (SD 2.5)

3.6 (SD 2.6)***

z = − 9.01, r = − 0.17

  1. For overview of Somatic and Psychiatric conditions see “Appendix 2
  2. OR odds ratio; CI confidence interval
  3. *p < 0.05; ***p < 0.001