Volume 25, Issue 4, July 2014, Pages 691–699
Research paper
Barriers to access for Canadians who use cannabis for therapeutic purposes
Abstract
Background
There
is increased interest in the therapeutic potential of cannabis in
recent decades. Canada, the Netherlands, Israel and some states in the
United States have developed programs to allow access to cannabis for
therapeutic purposes (CTP). In Canada, enrollment in the federal CTP
program represents fewer than 5% of the estimated users of CTP. The
discrepancy between the number of Canadians who report using CTP and the
rate of utilization of the federal CTP program suggests the existence
of barriers to access to this program.
Methods
In
the present study we employ a health services analytical framework to
examine barriers to access to CTP among 628 current CTP users. We define
barriers to access as areas of poor fit between clients and services.
We use five dimensions of accommodation, accessibility, availability, affordability, and acceptability to examine access to CTP.
Results
Our
findings reveal that it is difficult for Canadians to find a physician
to support their application to access CTP. Accessing CTP from
unauthorized sources was common; only 7% of respondents accessed CTP
exclusively from authorized sources. Access to CTP was positively
associated with the presence of medical cannabis dispensaries, which
were not included in the regulatory regime. Access to CTP varied by
medical condition and general quality of health. Affordability of CTP
was a substantial barrier to access.
Conclusions
Strategies
need to be developed to encourage scientific inquiry into CTP and
address the barriers to access to CTP and the stigma and controversy
that surround CTP and strain patient–physician relationships.
Keywords
- Cannabis;
- Medical cannabis;
- Cannabis for therapeutic purposes;
- Regulations;
- Barriers to access;
- Health services analytical framework;
- Canada
- Corresponding
author at: University of Victoria, Centre for Addictions Research of
British Columbia, PO Box 1700 STN CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W
2Y2, Canada. Tel.:
+1 250 853 3235; fax: +1 250 472 5321.
- 1
- These authors contributed equally to the preparation of this manuscript.
Copyright © 2014 Published by Elsevier B.V.
