Study to Debunk Stereotype of Medical Marijuana Patients in Los Angeles and Elsewhere

California voters legalized the use of medical marijuana in Los Angeles as long as it was recommended to them by a physician. That law is still being contested despite being on the books for 15 years.

Statistics report that more and more residents are using the drug as a medical treatment and those opposed to the drug are calling the state out; they claim it is allowing use for illegitimate medical reasons. Advocates continue to say that the drug is hardly every abused and many residents consume the drug for its intended purposes. The battle is seemingly never ending.

To help clear up some of the confusion, a study was conducted by researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, to take a look at product usage throughout the state, according to The Sacramento Bee. The study also analyzed the population and the characteristics of the state’s medical marijuana users. This study most likely won’t solve the ongoing debate, but it will help to get some detailed insight into the industry and the supporters of it.

Our Orange County medical marijuana attorneys understand the issues and are dedicated to fighting for the rights of patients and collectives. Many who oppose medical marijuana treatment are just looking for a way to point the finger at the industry in an attempt to shut it down. The truth is that time and time again allegations have been made against medical marijuana only to be proven false, yet this legal industry continues to fight to remain legal in a state where it’s already been legalized.

The authors of the study looked at information from nearly 2,000 consecutive admissions to nine medical marijuana assessment clinics that operate in the state of California.

The report found the following:

-About 75 percent of medical marijuana patients were male.

-About three-fifths of the patients were Caucasian.

-These people were classified as “younger” and “had more years of formal education” and “were more often employed.”

-About 28 percent of all patients were ages 25 to 34.

-Roughly 21 percent of patients were ages 35 to 44.

-Approximately 20 percent of patients were ages 45 to 54.

-Patients most often reported the need for medical marijuana to help relieve pain, anxiety, spasms, to help them sleep and cure headaches.

-Most patients report that medical marijuana provides them with a therapeutic benefit.

-Nearly 80 percent of patients said that they have in fact tried other medications from their physicians before trying marijuana. Most of these prior prescriptions were opiates.

-Nearly 60 percent of medical marijuana users say that they use cannabis before going to sleep.

-About 40 percent of patients use less than 3 grams of the drug a week.

-Nearly 40 percent of patients use 4 to 7 grams of cannabis a week.

-About 23 percent report that consume more than 7 grams a week.

“Compared to earlier studies of medical marijuana patients, these data suggest that the patient population has evolved from mostly HIV/AIDS and cancer patients to a significantly more diverse array,” the study concluded.

So, we’re still left with no answers. All we know now is that the industry is evolving, but what industry isn’t? If anything, these results show that there’s less of a stereotype for users than the prejudice public first believed.

The CANNABIS LAW GROUP is a law firm dedicated to the rights of medical marijuana patients, collectives and growers and has built a reputation for high-powered, aggressive legal representation of the medical marijuana industry in Southern California. Call 949-375-4734 for a confidential consultation to discuss your rights.

Additional Resources:

Viewpoints: Study gives hard data on users of medical pot, by Paul Armentano, The Sacramento Bee
More Blog Entries:

Medical Marijuana in Los Angeles and Elsewhere Regulated by Local Leaders, Marijuana Lawyer Blog, August 12, 2011

Individual Counties Regulate Medical Marijuana in Los Angeles and Elsewhere, Marijuana Lawyer Blog, August 10, 2011