Survey: Many Consumers Substitute Cannabis for Prescription Medications
Most consumers acknowledge using cannabis in place of pharmaceutical medications, according to survey data compiled by the telehealth platform NuggMD.
Of the 485 subjects surveyed, more than 79 percent said that they consumed cannabis, at least in part, as an alternative to prescription medications. Notably, most respondents did notparticipate in state-sanctioned medical marijuana access programs. The findings, which are
consistent with numerous other surveys, indicate that many consumers use cannabis for therapeutic purposes, even if they do not self-identify as patients.
Many longitudinal studies report a decline in patients’ use of conventional medicines,
specifically opioids, anti-anxiety drugs, and sleep aids, following their use of cannabis.
Consumers also frequently report substituting cannabis for alcohol, tobacco, and other controlled
substances.


