Abstract
Objectives
To describe the prevalence of cannabis use in an adult sample with spinal cord injury
(SCI) or traumatic brain injury (TBI) in Colorado, and to describe the self-reported
reasons and side effects of cannabis use in this sample.
Design
Mixed-methods observational study, using focus group data and telephone survey.
Setting
Community.
Participants
Colorado adults who sustained SCI or moderate to severe TBI and received services
through Craig Hospital.
Interventions
None.
Main Outcome Measures
Survey.
Results
Focus group participants identified issues that were then included in the survey development.
Seventy percent of the 116 participants surveyed reported cannabis use before their
injury (67% SCI, 74% TBI) and 48% reported use after their injury (53% SCI, 45% TBI).
Overall, the most common reason for use was recreational (67%), followed by reducing
stress/anxiety (62.5%) and improving sleep (59%). Among the respondents with SCI,
the most common reasons for use were to reduce spasticity (70%), recreation (63%),
and to improve sleep (63%). Among those with TBI, reasons endorsed were recreational
(72%), reducing stress/anxiety (62%), and improving sleep (55%). Smoking was the most
common method of use.
Conclusions
A majority of this sample reported using cannabis before injury, and approximately
half reported using cannabis after injury. Both groups reported recreational use,
whereas the group with SCI also highly endorsed using cannabis to address chronic
medical conditions. Clinicians should be aware of the high prevalence of cannabis
use in these populations and the impact such use may have on the individual’s medical
management. Further research in this area is needed.
Keyword
List of abbreviations:
SCI (spinal cord injury), SCIMS (spinal cord injury model system), TBI (traumatic brain injury), TBIMS (traumatic brain injury model system), THC (tetrahydrocannabinol)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: March 07, 2018
Footnotes
The authors have no conflicts of interest.
Supported by a grant from the Craig Hospital Foundation. The hospital foundation staff had no role in the study design or decisions.
Identification
Copyright
© 2018 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine
