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Hashish use is gaining recognition in the US, pushed by rising legalization, public acceptance and various strategies of consumption.
Extra individuals than ever earlier than help its authorized medicinal and leisure use, and extra adults—primarily males—are turning to hashish for aid from bodily and psychological well being signs.
Now, well being habits specialists from the Texas A&M College Faculty of Public Well being, together with collaborators from three different universities, have taken a more in-depth have a look at this twin use amongst Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black males residing with power well being circumstances.
“We believe our study is the first to focus exclusively on these associations among non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic men with chronic conditions—groups that experience chronic disease at higher rates and may be increasingly turning to cannabis as an alternative to prescription medication,” mentioned Benjamin Montemayor, who led the examine.
As examples, he famous that non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic males disproportionately expertise power circumstances resembling arthritis, most cancers, melancholy and anxiousness. As well as, socioeconomic stress, restricted entry to care, mistrust of well being care establishments, and cultural norms round masculinity can all make it more durable to stop or handle these circumstances.
Whereas some flip to hashish to deal with these challenges, proof means that heavy use—whether or not for leisure or medicinal functions—can result in points resembling reminiscence issues, fast coronary heart fee, respiratory points and even hashish use dysfunction.
“Cannabis use disorder not only makes quitting difficult but also can affect financial stability, emotional well-being and physical health,” Montemayor mentioned. “Our findings could help inform policy and intervention and risk reduction efforts for these populations.”
For the examine, printed within the Journal of Neighborhood Well being, the staff surveyed a nationally consultant pattern of 1,982 non-Hispanic Black or Hispanic males age 40 and older who reported having a minimum of one power situation. Members shared what number of days they used hashish prior to now 30 days.
In addition they reported whether or not a well being care skilled had ever recognized them with any of 19 power well being circumstances—resembling arthritis, most cancers, power ache and melancholy or anxiousness—circumstances that hashish is commonly used to alleviate.
Researchers additionally requested in regards to the variety of bodily and mentally unhealthy days skilled prior to now month, the severity of their ache and stress and their total high quality of life.
“We found that pain, stress and a having a higher number of chronic conditions were key factors associated with cannabis use among these men—consistent with previous findings on self-managing symptoms,” Montemayor mentioned.
Of the 1,982 males surveyed, about 58% have been non-Hispanic Black and 42% have been Hispanic, with a median age of just below 57.
Hashish use was extra frequent amongst non-Hispanic Black males. General, slightly greater than 21% (422 males) reported utilizing hashish within the final 30 days. Almost half of those males reported utilizing it recreationally, and plenty of additionally reported having a number of power well being circumstances.
Essentially the most generally reported diagnoses have been power ache (37%), melancholy or anxiousness (32%), arthritis/rheumatic illness (30%) and most cancers (14%). The evaluation additionally discovered that males with extra power circumstances have been extra probably to make use of hashish.
On common, present hashish customers have been youthful, had decrease training ranges and reported decrease annual family incomes in comparison with non-users. In addition they reported a decrease high quality of life, together with extra days of poor bodily and psychological well being, larger ranges of bodily ache and larger stress.
“This could suggest a two-way relationship, which could be determined by a longitudinal study,” Montemayor mentioned. “Individuals with declining health or more chronic conditions may be likely to use cannabis, but cannabis use itself could also contribute to worsening physical and mental health over time.”
The examine recognized the next techniques for growing consciousness and decreasing cannabis-related hurt amongst high-risk populations:
Neighborhood-wide interventions, together with regulatory methods and focused well being campaigns
Standardized well being warning labels on hashish merchandise
Different approaches to managing ache and stress, resembling mindfulness actions
Open communication between sufferers and medical suppliers, in order that sufferers have entry to evidence-based data and supportive discussions about non-prescription remedy choices
“Important questions about the safety and effectiveness of cannabis continue to emerge as policies on cannabis and CBD legality remain in flux in some states, more people are diagnosed with chronic conditions and concern about managing multiple prescriptions is growing,” Montemayor mentioned.
Others on the analysis staff have been school members Ledric Sherman and Matthew Lee Smith, doctoral pupil Sunghyun Chung and undergraduate pupil Arham Hassan—all from Texas A&M—together with Ashley Merianos from the College of Cincinnati; Caroline D. Bergeron from the Public Well being Company of Canada; and Wura Jacobs from Indiana College.
Extra data:
Benjamin N. Montemayor et al, Correlates of Leisure and Medicinal Hashish Use Amongst Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic Males with Power Situations, Journal of Neighborhood Well being (2025). DOI: 10.1007/s10900-025-01500-7
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Texas A&M College
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Research finds rising hashish use amongst Black and Hispanic males with power sickness (2025, August 1)
retrieved 1 August 2025
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