For a study, researchers sought to study the impact of cannabis legalization on the prevalence and features of recreational cannabis usage in women with pelvic discomfort. From 2013 to 2019, the researchers did a retrospective study of a prospective registry of women referred to a tertiary care clinic in Vancouver, Canada, with self-reported moderate-to-severe pelvic discomfort. They eliminated patients who were under the age of 18 and those who had no prior cannabis usage history. Demographic, clinical, and validated questionnaire data were extracted for two main analyses: 1) comparing current cannabis users to current nonusers, and 2) comparing current cannabis users who entered the registry prior to cannabis legalization (October 17, 2018) with those who entered the registry on or after legalization.
In total, 14.9% (509/3,426) of patients were current cannabis users. Cannabis users were younger (P<.001) than nonusers, had lower levels of education (P<.001), lower family income (P<.001), and were more likely to use opioids (P<.001), anti-inflammatories (P=.003), neuromodulators (P=.020), and herbal remedies (P<.001). They reported lower sadness, anxiety, pain catastrophizing, quality of life, and pelvic pain severity questionnaire ratings (all P<.001). The prevalence of current cannabis usage increased from 13.3% (366/2,760) to 21.5% (143/666) after cannabis legalization (P<.001). Post Legalization users had greater levels of education (P<.001), lower anxiety (P=.036), and higher pain catastrophizing (P<.001) ratings as compared to pre-legalization users. They used fewer antiinflammatories (P<.001), neuroleptics (P=.027), and daily opioids or narcotics (P=.026), but more herbal drugs (P=.010).
After legalization in Canada, recreational cannabis usage rose among people suffering from pelvic discomfort. Cannabis users exhibited higher rates of pain-related morbidity. Cannabis users after legalization were less likely to require daily opioids than cannabis users before legalization. Cannabis’s significance, purported benefits, and potential hazards for pelvic discomfort warrant additional research.
Reference:journals.lww.com/greenjournal/Abstract/2021/01000/Recreational_Cannabis_Use_Before_and_After.12.aspx
