Although many people in the country now use medical marijuana, most
people are surprisingly unaware of how diverse the demographics of
medical marijuana users are. As medical marijuana gains popularity and
acceptance throughout the country, more and more people are turning to
cannabis for everything from pain relief to assistance with chronic
illness.
The Demographics of Medical Cannabis
Medical marijuana is now legal in 23
states
as well as the District of Columbia. Each of those states keeps detailed
data on how many people per capita are using medical marijuana.
According to the website
ProCon,
roughly 2.5 million people in the country use medical marijuana. Of
these people, researchers have found that medical marijuana is used
equally between men and
women.
Additionally, individuals from all age groups use medical marijuana,
although the treatment is generally more common among a younger demographic. On
average, each of the states in which medical marijuana is legal have 7.7
people per 1,000 who take advantage of the treatment on a regular basis.
It is worth mentioning that those numbers may be artificially low due to
the fact that several states (Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire and New
York) have not yet opened their patient registration databases.
When it comes to different racial groups, a study conducted by the
California Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance
System in
partnership with the Public Health Institute and the CDC of more than
7,000 adults has found a small difference in medical marijuana usage
(amounting to fewer than 3 percentage points). This difference, however,
is statistically insignificant. The survey also found that most people
who use medical marijuana are taking advantage of the treatment to help
resolve ongoing medical issues. In fact, the treatment is so common that
it is estimated that 5 percent of California
adults report having used
medical marijuana to help cope with medical issues.
An Equal Distribution Across All Demographics
According to most recent data, medical marijuana is being used equally
across most populations without much of a gap in age, race, ethnicity or
geography (except, of course, in states where medical marijuana is still
illegal).
Although the use of medical marijuana has become more common, the
treatment has faced vocal
opposition
from politicians and officials across the country due to a lack of
formalized studies. The findings of the aforementioned survey, however,
seek to put the opposition to rest. While medical marijuana is not yet
legal in all 50 states, it is clear that the treatment is being used by
all members of the population. People who take medical marijuana as a
treatment for an ongoing disorder understand that medical cannabis often
offers treatments that traditional pharmaceuticals do not, and, as such,
it’s a valuable therapy for many demographics.
Additionally, 76 percent of
doctors
across the country stand behind the use of medical cannabis, which means
the treatment is gaining popularity not only with a diverse span of
patients, but with the medical establishment as well. In addition to
seeing medical marijuana used across all demographics and age groups,
these doctors have also seen medical cannabis used to treat
difficult-to-resolve
disorders
such as migraines, eating disorders and the pain associated with
different types of cancer.
With this data in mind, it is clear that medical marijuana is a valued
treatment among adults across all demographics. When you take into
account that doctors have begun to support the treatment as well, it
seems that cannabis is gaining widespread popularity as an effective
tool for maximizing wellness.
