Polish students’ opinion about medicinal cannabis

Abstract

Introduction and the aim:
According to statistics, in 2014 marijuana was used by 183 million of people, representing 2.5% of the world's population. However, marijuana also found its application in medicine. There is an evidence on the therapeutic benefits of cannabinoids in certain disease states. The aim of our study was to examine the attitude of the Polish students to medical marijuana and their knowledge on the use of cannabis in medicine. We were also interested in the opinion of students whether they accept the use of this therapy in Poland and which medical marijuana distribution channel they consider most appropriate.

Material and methods:
The study was conducted in 2017 on 132 individuals – 60 men and 72 women. The results were analyzed in STATISTICA 10 at p<0.05.

Results:
Most of students (72.0%) believe that marijuana has medicinal properties. The most common disorder of the respondents tied the use of medical marijuana is a drug-resistant epilepsy. Almost all of respondents (92.4%) believe that marijuana should be legal and accessible for people with indications for its use. The vast majority of respondents indicated that medical cannabis should be sold as a prescription drug (59.1%).

Conclusions:
Polish students seem to be ready for introduction into medical marijuana and are aware of its therapeutic potential. The majority is in favor of sales in a controlled manner. The task of researchers should be accurate examination of the effectiveness of specific cannabinoids in the treatment of diseases.