Medical marijuana measurement group

This observational longitudinal study by the College of Osteopathic Medicine examined medical marijuana (MM) product utilization patterns and preferences among patients using MM for anxiety in Pennsylvania over a 12-month period. A cohort of 116 subjects referred for MM treatment for anxiety were enrolled and tracked at baseline and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. The project leveraged the state seed-to-sale MM tracking system to collect objective product-level data, capturing the percentages of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and the terpene limonene in purchased products, along with the routes of administration selected by patients.

At baseline, the average composition of products purchased by participants was 27.00% THC, 3.28% CBD, and 0.73% limonene. By the 12-month mark, the average composition shifted to 33.13% THC, 1.64% CBD, and 0.88% limonene. The study reports that the increase in THC concentration and the decrease in CBD concentration between baseline and 12 months were statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05), whereas the change in limonene concentration was not significant. These findings indicate a measurable trend among this cohort toward products with higher THC potency over the course of treatment for anxiety. The study also documented changes in routes of administration. At baseline, utilization across product types was distributed as follows: 4.83% concentrates, 18.40% flower, 22.17% infused products (for example, capsules, tinctures, troches), 9.80% topicals, 34.54% vape products, and 10.26% other product types. After 12 months, utilization shifted to 8.20% concentrates, 23.21% flower, 20.07% infused products, 6.63% topicals, 38.05% vape products, and 3.84% other products. The most notable change was an increased preference for vape products, which became the dominant route of administration by the end of the study period.

The investigators suggest that this preference may be driven by the perceived ease of use and the potential for more immediate anxiety relief associated with vaping. Overall, the study provides a detailed, empirically grounded picture of how product composition and administration choices evolved among patients using MM for anxiety in Pennsylvania. By using regulatory seed-to-sale data, the research offers objective evidence of a trend toward higher THC concentrations and a growing preference for vaping over other administration routes during the first year of treatment. These results have implications for clinicians, policymakers and dispensary practices, highlighting the need to monitor potency trends and to consider how product selection and delivery methods may affect therapeutic outcomes and safety for patients using MM for anxiety. Further research is warranted to link these utilization patterns with clinical outcomes, side effect profiles, and long-term patient trajectories.