A new study of medical marijuana patients in Minnesota finds that people with cancer who used cannabis “report significant improvements in cancer-related symptoms.” Nevertheless, it notes that the high cost of marijuana can be burdensome to less financially stable patients and raise “questions about affordability of and access to this therapy.”
The report, published late last month in the journal Cannabis, looked at 220 responses to a survey of patients with cancer enrolled in the Minnesota Medical Cannabis Program.
In addition to asking questions about patients’ cancer histories, cannabis use and symptom changes, the survey also included sociodemographic questions.
Results showed that while “the overwhelming majority” of patients reported symptom improvement associated with medical marijuana use, “individuals not living comfortably on their present income had higher monthly out-of-pocket costs for cannabis and were more likely to stop using cannabis or use it less than they would like; and this group more often cited cost as a reason for cannabis use disruptions.”
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