Marijuana use among US adults with cancer: Findings from the 2018-2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

12088 Background: Cancer survivors experiencing adverse effects from their cancer and treatment report decreased symptom burden with marijuana use. An increasing number of U.S. states have legalized marijuana use for both medical and recreational purposes. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of current marijuana use and to identify the factors associated with its use among US adults with cancer living in 17 U.S. states and territories. Methods: Data from the 2018-2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Marijuana Use module were analyzed. In 2018, 13 states (California, Florida, Idaho, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wyoming) and 2 territories (Guam and Puerto Rico) participated in the optional marijuana use module. In 2019, 12 states (California, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming) and 1 territory (Guam) participated in the optional marijuana use module. The analytic sample included 13,174 adults with cancer. The analysis was weighted to account for BRFSS’s complex survey design. The primary outcome was current marijuana use (in the past 30-days). Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify demographic, socioeconomic, clinical, and behavioral factors associated with marijuana use among US adults with cancer. Results: Overall, 9.2% of adult cancer survivors (n = 13,174; weighted 5.7 million; 37.9% men) reported marijuana recently current use, 51.3% of whom used it for medical reasons only, with 65.2% reporting smoking as the main method of administration. Adult cancer survivors were significantly more like to use marijuana if they were younger (odds ratio [OR] for 55-64 versus 18-44 years old: 0.60; 95% CI: 0.38-0.93; P < 0.01); male (OR for female versus male: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.48-0.87; P < 0.01); non-Hispanic Black race/ethnicity (OR: 2.00; 95% CI: 1.21-3.33; P < 0.01); having depression (OR: 1.58; 95% CI: 1.17-2.14; P < 0.01) and current (OR: 3.23; 95% CI: 2.20-4.74; P < 0.01) or former tobacco smoker (OR: 2.40; 95% CI: 1.70-3.38; P < 0.01) and binge drinker (OR: 2.25; 95% CI: 1.53-3.29; P < 0.01). Conclusions: Among a large cohort of US adults with cancer, marijuana use was commonly reported and certain subgroups were at higher risk for marijuana use. Health professionals should identify the risk factors for elevated marijuana use, especially as more states legalize medical and recreational marijuana use despite uncertain health risks.