Support for Legalizing Medical Cannabis among Alabama Physicians

• In Event: 20820 - Section on Medical Sociology Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): Table 18. Healthcare Providers & Practice I

Abstract

In the United States, there is wide-spread support for cannabis legalization, with around nine-in-ten Americans stating cannabis should be legal for medical or recreational use, but health care providers’ attitudes about cannabis-based treatments have been mixed. Research shows that 76-80% of practicing physicians and general practitioners support legalization while only about 50% of neurologists do. Furthermore, the attitudes vary by type of cannabinoid therapy: over 90% of health care providers support the legalization of the FDA-approved and regulated cannabidiol therapies but only 50-60% support allowing all medical cannabis products. Providers’ sociodemographic and professional characteristics also likely influence health care providers’ attitudes about cannabinoid therapies, but the evidence is inconclusive. In collaboration with the Medical Association of the State of Alabama (MASA) and other community stakeholders, we conducted a survey of Alabama physicians (n=451) to describe the levels of support for medical cannabis legislation in Alabama and at the federal level among Alabama physicians and to examine if support would vary by type of cannabis product, mode of regulation, and physician’s sociodemographic and professional profile (e.g., medical specialty). Results showed high levels of support (77%) for legalizing FDA-approved/regulated cannabis products and lower levels (42-50%) for non-regulated products. Pediatricians' levels of support were similar to other physicians. Multiple regression results showed gender to influence support for medical cannabis, adjusting for other factors, with male physicians expressing higher levels of support than female physicians (b = 1.274, SE = .602, p = .035). We discuss our results in the light of past research and theory, especially work using social construction and medicalization perspectives to understand changing perspectives on medical cannabis among patients and providers.

Authors

• Magdalena Szaflarski, The University of Alabama at Birmingham

• Laura T. Nguyen, University of Alabama at Birmingham

• Jerzy P. Szaflarski, University of Alabama at Birmingham