School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada.
Health Educ Res. 2022 Mar 24;37(2):61-78. doi: 10.1093/her/cyac006.
Few studies have compared knowledge of the specific health risks of cannabis across jurisdictions. This study aimed to examine perceptions of the health risks of cannabis in Canada and US states with and without legal non-medical cannabis. Cross-sectional data were collected from the 2018 and 2019 International Cannabis Policy Study online surveys. Respondents aged 16-65 (n = 72 459) were recruited from Nielsen panels using non-probability methods. Respondents completed questions on nine health effects of cannabis (including two 'false' control items). Socio-demographic data were collected. Regression models tested differences in outcomes between jurisdictions and by frequency of cannabis use, adjusting for socio-demographic factors. Across jurisdictions, agreement with statements on the health risks of cannabis was highest for questions on driving after cannabis use (66-80%), use during pregnancy/breastfeeding (61-71%) and addiction (51-62%) and lowest for risk of psychosis and schizophrenia (23-37%). Additionally, 12-18% and 6-7% of respondents agreed with the 'false' assertions that cannabis could cure/prevent cancer and cause diabetes, respectively. Health knowledge was highest among Canadian respondents, followed by US states that had legalized non-medical cannabis and lowest in states that had not legalized non-medical cannabis (P < 0.001). Overall, the findings demonstrate a substantial deficit in knowledge of the health risks of cannabis, particularly among frequent consumers.
很少有研究比较过不同司法管辖区对大麻特定健康风险的认识。本研究旨在调查加拿大和美国有合法非医用大麻和无合法非医用大麻的州对大麻健康风险的看法。横断面数据来自 2018 年和 2019 年国际大麻政策研究在线调查。采用非概率方法从尼尔森小组招募了 16-65 岁的受访者(n=72459)。受访者完成了关于大麻九种健康影响的问题(包括两个“虚假”对照项目)。收集了社会人口统计学数据。回归模型检验了司法管辖区之间以及大麻使用频率不同的结果差异，并调整了社会人口统计学因素。在所有司法管辖区，对大麻健康风险的陈述的认同度最高的是关于大麻使用后的驾驶问题(66-80%)、怀孕期间/哺乳期使用问题(61-71%)和成瘾问题(51-62%)，而对精神病和精神分裂症风险的认同度最低(23-37%)。此外，12-18%和 6-7%的受访者认同“虚假”说法，即大麻可以治愈/预防癌症和导致糖尿病。加拿大受访者的健康知识最高，其次是有合法非医用大麻的美国州，而没有合法非医用大麻的州最低(P<0.001)。总的来说，研究结果表明，对大麻健康风险的认识存在很大的缺陷，特别是在频繁使用者中。
