Dermatologists should stay informed about legal, scientific updates for cannabis products

As the use of cannabis products becomes more frequent for dermatologic conditions, clinicians should be aware of barriers and stay up to date with both the science and legal sides of its use, according to a study.

“The continuing and widespread legalization of medical cannabis products (MCPs), which we define here as cannabis or cannabis-derived products which contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and/or cannabidiol (CBD), has led to unparalleled access for patients/consumers who are interested in its potential therapeutic benefits,” Samuel Yeroushalmi, BS, of the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, and colleagues wrote. “The field of dermatology is no exception with regards to ongoing research in medical cannabis and its implications in treating inflammatory and neoplastic skin diseases.”

A survey emailed to adults using the SurveyMonkey platform asked participants questions regarding their use of MCPs and the level of physician involvement regarding that use.

Of 700 individuals who received the study, 504 completed it.

The use of MCPs was supported by 88.8% of respondents, although only 7% reported having a medical cannabis card.

For treating skin conditions, 55.4% said they approved, while 6.4% said they disapproved and 72.9% said they would be comfortable seeing a dermatologist about MCPs.

Participants who lived in states where cannabis was legal were more likely to have used over-the-counter MCPs (24.4% vs. 15.5%; P = .0294).

OTC MCPs without dermatologic recommendation had been used by 17.6% of respondents to treat dermatologic conditions including acne (28.4%) and psoriasis (26.1%).

Of those who had seen a dermatologist about MCPs, 15.3% had used OTC products to treat psoriasis (32%), rosacea (30%) and other conditions.

“Though the majority of respondents supported MCP use and would be comfortable seeing a dermatologist that recommended MCPs, it should be noted most respondents had no prior experience with MCPs to treat a skin condition,” the authors wrote. “Among the most common reasons why the respondents did not try MCPs were limited understanding, skepticism, cost and legality obstacles.”

Dermatologists should be aware of these obstacles when recommending MCPs, according to the authors.

“Given the interest in medical cannabis for dermatologic use as shown by this study, it is important for dermatologists to stay up-to-date with the scientific and legal landscapes in order to best serve patient needs,” they wrote.