Cancer survivors and doctors disagree on cannabis risks

This survey examined how 395 cancer survivors and 62 cancer care providers view medical cannabis—a topic increasingly relevant as more U.S. states legalize cannabis for medical use. Researchers found that while both groups held generally positive attitudes toward medical cannabis, significant gaps existed in risk awareness and communication. Notably, only 8.4% of survivors recognized potential risks of cannabis use, compared to 25% of providers (p<.01), suggesting many patients may underestimate health concerns associated with cannabis.

Communication barriers also emerged as a major finding. While 68.5% of cancer survivors felt comfortable discussing cannabis with their doctors, only 46.7% of providers were willing to have these conversations (p<.01). This mismatch could lead to missed opportunities for informed decision-making and personalized medical guidance. Additionally, providers held significantly more negative views toward recreational cannabis compared to survivors, indicating divergent perspectives on non-medical use that could influence clinical interactions.

Among cancer survivors who used cannabis compared to never-users, the findings revealed a complex health profile. Cannabis users reported higher social well-being but showed concerning patterns including higher rates of smoking, vaping, anxiety, and depression, along with greater healthcare mistrust and lower healthcare utilization. Surprisingly, there were no significant differences in chronic pain, alcohol use, or sleep quality between groups. The researchers emphasize that improving cancer care requires strengthening patient-provider relationships through open, non-judgmental dialogue and evidence-based clinical guidelines, as well as conducting further research on cannabis's long-term effects specific to cancer survivors.