Article Figures & Data
Figures
- Figure 1.
Indications for which family physicians recommended medical marijuana. “Surveyed FPs” indicates the percentage of survey respondents who had recommended medical marijuana for each indication in the 2011 survey sample and the 2020 survey sample (only the 31% of physicians who had recommended marijuana to a patient in each of these samples were asked to answer this question). Medical conditions on the left are the approved conditions for which physicians can recommend medical marijuana in Colorado. Note that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and autism spectrum disorder became indications for medical marijuana recommendation in 2017 and 2019, respectively, so those indications were not assessed in the 2011 sample. Abbreviation: FP, family physician.
- Figure 2.
Family physicians' sources of information on medical marijuana. The figure shows the percentage of physicians who indicated that they received most of their information about medical marijuana from each of the sources on the 2011 survey versus the 2020 survey. Respondents were allowed to select more than 1 response, so percentages add up to >100%. Abbreviation: CME, continuing medical education.
Tables
- Table 1.
Colorado Academy of Family Physicians (CAFP) Member Demographics versus Survey Respondent Demographics in 2011 and 2020
Age Number (%) Number (%) Number (%) Number (%) 2020 Survey Respondents 2020 CAFP Members 2011 Survey Respondents 2011 CAFP Members 20 to 29 25 (11) 95 (5) 41 (8) 243 (12) 30 to 39 77 (33) 541 (28) 87 (17) 448 (23) 40 to 49 34 (15) 425 (22) 152 (30) 499 (25) 50 to 59 49 (21) 440 (23) 161 (32) 464 (23) 60 to 69 49 (21) 284 (15) 65 (13) 206 (10) 70+ 1 (<1) 9 (<1) 5 (1) 98 (5) Unknown 0 114 (6) 0 NA Gender Male 107 (46) 866 (45) 284 (56) 1078 (54) Female 127 (54) 964 (51) 224 (44) 913 (46) Other/no response 0 78 (4) 0 NA Unrestricted license Yes 211 (90) 460 (90) No 21 (9) 46 (9) CAFP, Colorado Academy of Family Physicians.
Note that the number of active CAFP members is larger than the number who subscribe to the CAFP listserv to whom the survey was sent.
- Table 2.
Differences in Opinion Between Physicians Who Have Recommended Medical Marijuana for a Patient (31% of Respondents, n = 72) and Those Who Have Not (69% of Respondents, n = 160).
Recommended Marijuana for a Patient Yes No Opinion Statement % Agree (n) % Agree (n) P Physicians should recommend marijuana as a medical therapy. 17 (19) 7 (8) <0.001 Marijuana helps patients who suffer from chronic debilitating medical conditions. 37 (53) 44 (62) <0.001 There are significant physical health benefits to using marijuana. 18 (24) 13 (17) <0.001 Doctors should not have financial relationships with marijuana dispensaries. 28 (57) 67 (136) 0.03 The FDA should reclassify marijuana so that it is no longer a Schedule I drug. 32 (54) 41 (70) <0.001 There are significant mental health benefits to using marijuana. 15 (21) 8 (11) <0.001 Medical marijuana should be distributed through the current dispensary model 19 (21) 18 (20) <0.001 Marijuana should be legalized for recreational use. 26 (43) 36 (60) 0.01 Physicians should have formal training about medical marijuana before recommending it to patients. 26 (50) 70 (138) <0.001 Marijuana can be addictive. 22 (43) 62 (120) <0.001 Using marijuana poses serious mental health risks. 20 (33) 67 (110) <0.001 Using marijuana poses serious physical health risks. 16 (25) 65 (100) 0.005 FDA, US Food and Drug Administration.
Percentage and number columns show the percentage and number of respondents from each category who agreed or strongly agreed with each statement on the left. P values are for the χ2 Test of Independence
- Table 3.
Differences in Opinion About Medical Marijuana Between Physicians in 2020 Compared to 2011.
2011 2020 Opinion Statement % (n) % (n) χ2 Odds Ratio (95% CI) P Physicians should recommend marijuana as a medical therapy. Agree 19.14 94 12.28 27 1.23 0.76 (0.46, 1.24) 0.27 Disagree 46.43 227 39.09 86 Marijuana can be addictive. Agree 74.69 364 74.89 164 0.50 0.84 (I.53, 1.35) 0.48 Disagree 11.83 58 14.16 31 Using marijuana poses serious physical health risks. Agree 60.73 296 57.73 127 1.31 1.32 (0.82, 2.12) 0.25 Disagree 17.59 86 12.73 28 Using marijuana poses serious mental health risks. Agree 63.88 312 65.71 145 2.92 1.56 (0.93, 2.62) 0.09 Disagree 15.10 74 10.0 22 There are significant physical health benefits to using marijuana . Agree 26.83 131 18.63 41 2.68 0.70 (0.45, 1.07) 0.10 Disagree 41.06 201 40.91 90 There are significant mental health benefits to using marijuana. Agree 14.69 72 14.54 32 0.06 1.06 (0.66, 1.70) 0.80 Disagree 54.10 263 50 110 Marijuana helps patients who suffer from chronic debilitating medical conditions. Agree 52.76 257 52.97 116 2.61 1.49 (0.92, 2.41) 0.11 Disagree 18.40 89 12.33 27 The FDA should reclassify marijuana so that it is no longer a Schedule I drug. Agree 37.27 183 57.27 126 37.32 3.30 (2.23, 4.90) <0.0001 Disagree 44.40 216 20.45 45 Marijuana should be legalized for recreational use. Agree 30.20 148 47.73 105 30.33 2.83 (1.94, 4.12) <0.0001 Disagree 50.00 243 27.73 61 Medical marijuana should be included in the Colorado Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, which tracks prescribing and dispensing of controlled substances. Agree 76.33 373 61.82 136 10.02 0.50 (0.33, 0.77) 0.0015 Disagree 12.86 62 20.45 45 Doctors should have ongoing relationships with patients for whom they recommend medical marijuana. Agree 91.82 448 91.36 201 1.19 0.58 (0.21, 1.57) 0.28 Disagree 1.84 9 3.18 7 Medical marijuana should be distributed through the current dispensary model. Agree 9.57 47 19.09 42 30.84 3.78 (2.32, 6.16) <0.0001 Disagree 62.93 309 33.18 73 Doctors should not have financial relationships with marijuana dispensaries. Agree 94.30 464 88.18 194 4.7 0.38 (0.15, 0.94) 0.03 Disagree 1.82 9 4.54 10 Training about medical marijuana should be incorporated into medical school curricula Agree 80.00 392 89.55 197 5.23 4.77 (1.10, 20.70) 0.022 Disagree 3.88 19 0.90 2 Training about medical marijuana should be incorporated into family medicine residency curricula Agree 81.67 401 89.54 197 3.47 2.46 (0.93, 6.51) 0.063 Disagree 5.09 25 2.27 5 CME about medical marijuana should be available to primary care physicians Agree 91.65 450 96.36 212 0.33 1.88 (0.21, 17.00) 0.60 Disagree 0.81 4 0.45 1 Physicians should have formal training about medical marijuana before recommending it to patients. Agree 80.86 397 85.91 189 0.74 1.43 (0.63, 3.24) 0.39 Disagree 4.89 24 3.64 8 CI, confidence interval; CME, continuing medical education; FDA, US Food and Drug Administratio0n.
“Agree” represents those who answered either “agree” or “strongly agree” to the given opinion statement. “disagree” represents those who answered either “disagree” or “strongly disagree.” Percentages in each column represent agreement with the statement; counts represent total of item responses for that column. Percentages do not add up to 100 as the “Neither Agree nor Disagree” responses were not included in the analysis. P values and odds ratios with 95% CIs Are for the χ2 Test of Independence.
Opinion Statement Survey Year Strongly Disagree% (n) Disagree% (n) Neither Agree nor Disagree% (n) Agree% (n) Strongly Agree% (n) Physicians should recommend marijuana as a medical therapy. 2020 11% 24 28% 62 49% 107 9% 19 4% 8 2011 23% 112 24% 116 34% 169 16% 79 3% 15 Marijuana can be addictive. 2020 2% 4 12% 27 11% 24 48% 105 27% 59 2011 2% 12 9% 46 13% 66 45% 221 30% 145 Using marijuana poses serious physical health risks. 2020 3% 7 10% 21 30% 65 42% 92 16% 35 2011 2% 10 16% 76 22% 106 41% 201 20% 96 Using marijuana poses serious mental health risks. 2020 2% 5 8% 17 24% 53 42% 92 24% 53 2011 2% 12 13% 62 21% 103 41% 201 23% 112 There are significant physical health benefits to using marijuana. 2020 10% 22 31% 68 40% 89 16% 36 2% 5 2011 12% 58 29% 144 32% 158 24% 117 3% 15 There are significant mental health benefits to using marijuana. 2020 18% 39 32% 71 35% 78 12% 27 2% 5 2011 20% 98 34% 167 31% 153 12% 59 3% 13 Marijuana helps patients who suffer from chronic debilitating medical conditions. 2020 2% 5 10% 22 35% 76 48% 106 5% 10 2011 5% 24 13% 66 29% 141 46% 223 7% 35 The FDA should reclassify marijuana so that it is no longer a Schedule I drug. 2020 10% 23 10% 22 22% 49 29% 64 28% 62 2011 20% 100 24% 118 18% 90 23% 113 14% 70 Marijuana should be legalized for recreational use. 2020 14% 31 14% 30 25% 54 33% 72 15% 33 2011 29% 141 21% 104 20% 97 20% 98 10% 50 Medical marijuana should be included in the Colorado Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, which tracks prescribing and dispensing of controlled substances. 2020 5% 12 15% 33 18% 39 40% 88 22% 48 2011 6% 30 7% 33 11% 53 36% 175 41% 199 Doctors should have ongoing relationships with patients for whom they recommend medical marijuana. 2020 0% 0 3% 7 5% 12 45% 99 46% 102 2011 1% 5 1% 4 6% 31 31% 153 61% 296 Medical marijuana should be distributed through the current dispensary model. 2020 14% 31 19% 42 48% 105 15% 33 4% 9 2011 35% 170 29% 140 27% 134 7% 35 2% 12 Doctors should not have financial relationships with marijuana dispensaries. 2020 0% 1 4% 9 7% 16 28% 61 60% 133 2011 1% 4 1% 5 3% 17 23% 114 72% 352 Training about medical marijuana should be incorporated into medical school curricula. 2020 0% 1 0% 1 10% 21 45% 98 45% 99 2011 2% 12 2% 8 16% 78 53% 261 27% 131 Training about medical marijuana should be incorporated into family medicine residency curricula. 2020 0% 1 2% 4 8% 18 44% 96 46% 101 2011 3% 14 2% 12 13% 63 56% 275 26% 127 CME about medical marijuana should be available to primary care physicians. 2020 0% 0 0% 1 3% 7 45% 99 51% 113 2011 1% 4 0% 1 7% 35 59% 292 32% 159 Physicians should have formal training about medical marijuana prior to recommending it to patients. 2020 0% 0 4% 8 10% 23 41% 90 45% 99 2011 1% 3 4% 21 14% 68 41% 201 40% 198 CME, continuing medical education; FDA, US Food and Drug Administration.
Each opinion statement Is followed by the numbers of responses to each choice (strongly disagree through strongly agree) on the 5-point likert scale and the percent of responses for each choice.
