Journal of epidemiology and community health
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J Epidemiol Community Health · Mar 2020
Cohort study of medical cannabis authorisation and healthcare utilisation in 2014-2017 in Ontario, Canada.
The impact of medical cannabis on healthcare utilisation between 2014 and 2017 in Ontario, Canada. With cannabis legalisation in Canada and some states in the USA, high-quality longitudinal cohort research studies are of urgent need to assess the impact of cannabis use on healthcare utilisation. ⋯ An initial increase (within first month) in healthcare utilisation may be expected among medical cannabis users that appears to wane over time. Proactive follow-up of patients using medical cannabis is warranted to minimise initial risks to patients and actively assess potential benefits/harms of ongoing use.