Ramírez-Méndez José F, Wong-Salgado Pedro, Gámez Peter, Solis Pedro, Moya-Salazar Jeel
CANNAVITAL Clínica Especializada en Terapias con Cannabinoides, Lima, Peru.
Centro de Estudios del Cannabis, Lima, Peru.
Heliyon. 2024 Mar 21;10(7):e27068. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27068. eCollection 2024 Apr 15.
In recent decades, there has been a significant rise in the utilization of medical cannabis. Understanding the various facets surrounding its usage and regulation is paramount for patients, health professionals, and policymakers. This cross-sectional study conducted at the CANNAVITAL clinic in Lima, Peru aimed to assess the basic knowledge, attitudes towards use, and beliefs regarding regulation and safety of Among 86 patients (mean age: 41 ± 7.8 years; 53.4% women) actively receiving medical cannabis treatment for at least one year, we utilized the 22-item KUC-22 questionnaire to evaluate their understanding of cannabis, risk factors, legislation, medical and recreational use. The average duration of medical cannabis use was 3 ± 1.2 years. Results showed that 60.2% of patients were familiar with different forms of cannabis consumption, while 77.3% recognized the importance of product quality. Chronic pain, nausea and vomiting (each 23.9%) were the primary conditions treated with cannabis, followed by cancer and epilepsy (both 21.6%). A significant correlation was found between knowledge and cannabis use (p < 0.001). Furthermore, 92% of patients believed that a medical prescription was necessary, while 84.1% engaged in self-medication practices. Concerning perceptions, 69.3% of participants perceived psychological dependence from long-term cannabis use, and 65.9% believed it could cause health damage. Significant correlations were observed between the perception of risk factors, knowledge of legislation, and cannabis use (p < 0.001). In conclusion, Peruvian patients exhibited a high level of knowledge regarding the risks, uses, and regulatory framework surrounding These findings provide valuable insights into patients' perspectives on medical cannabis, offering important information for medical providers and researchers aiming to enhance cannabinoid-based therapies.
近几十年来，医用大麻的使用显著增加。对于患者、医疗专业人员和政策制定者来说，了解其使用和监管的各个方面至关重要。这项横断面研究在秘鲁利马的CANNAVITAL诊所进行，旨在评估86名（平均年龄：41±7.8岁；53.4%为女性）积极接受医用大麻治疗至少一年的患者对大麻的基本知识、使用态度以及对监管和安全性的看法。我们使用22项KUC - 22问卷来评估他们对大麻、风险因素、立法、医疗和娱乐用途的理解。医用大麻的平均使用时长为3±1.2年。结果显示，60.2%的患者熟悉不同形式的大麻消费，而77.3%的患者认识到产品质量的重要性。慢性疼痛、恶心和呕吐（各占23.9%）是使用大麻治疗的主要病症，其次是癌症和癫痫（均为21.6%）。知识与大麻使用之间存在显著相关性（p<0.001）。此外，92%的患者认为需要医疗处方，而84.1%的患者有自我用药行为。关于认知方面，69.3%的参与者认为长期使用大麻会产生心理依赖，65.9%的参与者认为它会对健康造成损害。在风险因素认知、立法知识和大麻使用之间观察到显著相关性（p<0.001）。总之，秘鲁患者对大麻的风险、用途和监管框架表现出较高的认知水平。这些发现为患者对医用大麻的看法提供了有价值的见解，为旨在加强基于大麻素的治疗方法的医疗提供者和研究人员提供了重要信息。
