Attitudes and expectations of primary care physicians regarding recreational cannabis legalization in Germany: a pre-implementation survey.

ABSTRACT:

Background

On April 1st, 2024, Germany legalized recreational cannabis use under specific conditions. While policymakers extensively debated this change, the perspectives of healthcare providers who will address its consequences remain understudied. This study aims to characterize primary care physicians' experiences with cannabis-consuming patients and their expectations regarding the effects of legalization.

Methods

This is an exploratory cross-sectional survey among general practitioners (GPs) and practice-based anesthesiologists in three German federal states (Lower Saxony, Bavaria, and Saarland) from September 2023 to March 2024, preceding cannabis legalization. The 17-item questionnaire assessed physicians' experiences with cannabis-consuming patients, medical cannabis

SUBMITTER: Hochheim U 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12690894 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature