Why doctors need better terms to document cannabis use

This study examines how doctors in clinical practice use terminology related to smoking, revealing a significant gap between academic recommendations and real-world medical documentation. Researchers surveyed 37 doctors from a renal medicine department and found that 92% primarily use the term "smoker" despite academic advocacy for person-first language like "people who smoke." The findings highlight problems with imprecise medical terminology: doctors showed inconsistent definitions of what constitutes smoking, often assuming filtered cigarettes but readily applying the "smoker" label to cannabis, shisha, and vaping—without clear differentiation between substances or consumption methods.

The research reveals critical issues for cannabis users specifically. When doctors document that a patient "smokes," there is no standardized way to distinguish cannabis use from tobacco or other substances, creating potential for miscommunication, inconsistent care, and inappropriate clinical decisions. Some doctors recognized negative stereotypes associated with the term "smoker," though opinions on bias were split. The lack of precise, descriptive terminology creates risks for misdiagnosis, drug interactions, and biased treatment, particularly affecting cannabis users whose consumption patterns may differ significantly from tobacco smokers.

The study concludes with strong consensus among respondents that standardized, precise language for smoking-related documentation is urgently needed in clinical practice. For cannabis researchers and patients, this finding underscores a practical problem: medical records lack clarity about cannabis use specifics (frequency, delivery method, THC/CBD content). Implementing standardized terminology would improve clinical communication, reduce bias, and ensure more accurate health records—ultimately supporting better research and safer patient care for cannabis consumers.