Marijuana Stigma: It's Bad For Your Health

Stigma toward cannabis not only hinders our ability to talk about, research and understand the plant, it's also harmful to people’s health.

In a review of five studies between the years 2003-2015, researchers at Villanova University found that the shame patients feel speaking about their cannabis use negatively impacts their relationship with their doctor.

The study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience Nursing, found the fear of being labeled a "stoner" is so strong that some patients suffer unnecessary pain or anxiety rather than speak to their doctor. Some will forego medical treatment altogether. Concealing use also hinders treatment by putting patients at risk for misdiagnoses and reactions with other medications.

When patients did report speaking with their doctor, some experiences were positive, but many reported negative interactions as they were counseled on drug addiction. 

As a result, some are calling for a distinction between medical and recreational cannabis use in order to help fight stigma, and better legitimize its medicinal role. Though the line is fine, researchers find differentiating between the two “becomes important for patients seeking to avoid stigma and for the many patients living in states where only medical use is legal”.

It’s critical that the medical community be educated on cannabis to more effectively open the doors of communication, concludes the study’s authors.