Survey: We Asked Our Medical Marijuana Patients What They Use Marijuana For

Medical marijuana has transformed the lives of countless individuals by offering relief from a wide range of conditions. The Sanctuary Wellness Institute, which was founded in Pennsylvania, has expanded to multiple states, helping patients obtain medical marijuana cards and access the benefits of cannabis-based treatments.

In this blog, we share insights from a survey we conducted with a panel of our medical marijuana patients from Pennsylvania, Arkansas, and Florida. Our goal was to explore the additional benefits individuals seek from marijuana, aside from the primary medical conditions for which it was prescribed.

Survey Results: Top Reasons Why Our Patients Use Marijuana

We surveyed 136 of our medical cannabis patients in Pennsylvania, Arkansas, and Florida to find out what additional benefits they use marijuana for in addition to their qualifying medical condition.

Note that anxiety is a qualifying condition for medical marijuana in Pennsylvania, but not in Arkansas or Florida. However, all three states recognize PTSD as a qualifying condition. Additionally, chronic pain is usually a qualifying condition in all three states we surveyed.

Here’s what we found:

Patient Responses Summary

• Florida patients reported significantly higher marijuana use for anxiety (80%), depression (46%), and improved sleep (60%) than those in Pennsylvania and Arkansas. Interestingly, Arkansas consistently ranks higher than Florida in rates of anxiety and mental illness among U.S. states.
• Florida patients had the highest reported rate of marijuana use for recreational enjoyment.
• Patients in Arkansas and Florida reported significantly higher marijuana use for pain relief compared to those in Pennsylvania.
• Only 3% of Arkansas patients reported using marijuana for heightened experiences, whereas the other two states reported much higher numbers.
• Florida patients were much more likely to use marijuana for spiritual or mindfulness purposes than those in Pennsylvania and Arkansas.
• In Pennsylvania, the most common reason for marijuana use was anxiety, followed by stress relief. The least common reason was spiritual or mindfulness practices.
• In Arkansas, the most common reason for marijuana use was pain relief, followed by stress relief. The least common reason was heightened experiences.
• In Florida, the most common reason for marijuana use was anxiety, followed by pain relief. The least common reason was enhanced sex.
• Notably more Pennsylvania patients used marijuana for socialization and heightened experiences compared to those in Arkansas and Florida.
• Enhanced sex was among the least common reasons for marijuana use in all three states.
• Arkansas patients were the least likely to use marijuana for socialization.
• Across all three states, the top three reasons for marijuana use are anxiety, pain relief, and stress relief.
• 3% of Arkansas patients selected “Other” to indicate that they use marijuana to reduce nausea and improve appetite. “Severe Nausea” is a qualifying condition for a medical card in Arkansas.

Nearly half (48%) of our survey respondents reported using marijuana for three or more reasons. In Pennsylvania and Arkansas, approximately 38% of patients use it for multiple purposes, while in Florida, that number jumps to 74%.

This suggests that Floridians may have a broader and more open approach to marijuana use. As one Florida patient shared, “I have used different strains for different effects for over 50 years.”

Below are the complete percentages for each state based on our patient responses: