Does religiosity matter? University student attitudes and beliefs toward medical cannabis

• Published in: Complementary therapies in medicine 2020-06, Vol.51, p.102407-102407, Article 102407
• Main Authors: Edelstein, Offer E., Wacht, Oren, Grinstein-Cohen, Orli, Reznik, Alexander, Pruginin, Itay, Isralowitz, Richard
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Attitudes; Beliefs; Cancer; Cannabis; Colleges & universities; Curricula; Data collection; Drug abuse; Drug use; Education; Females; Health promotion; Health risks; Israel; Knowledge; Literature reviews; Medical cannabis; Medical marijuana; Mental health; Nursing; Pain; Patients; Polls & surveys; Religion; Religiosity; Secularism; Student attitudes; Students; University students
• ISSN: 0965-2299; 1873-6963
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102407

•This study examines religiosity and its role with Israeli university student medical cannabis (MC) attitudes and beliefs.•Cannabis use was reported by 56.2 % of the students; and, 86.4 % had a family member(s) or friend(s) who used cannabis.•The majority of students believed cannabis can be addictive; are not able to answer patient questions; and, have not received MC education.•Religious students reported less: personal cannabis use, contact with users; and, support of MC use and recreational legalization.•Religious students were more likely to believe cannabis use poses serious physical and mental health risks. To assess the relationship between religiosity and medical cannabis (MC) knowledge, attitudes and beliefs among university medical and allied health (i.e., nursing and social work) students. This study uses data collected from 540 Israeli male and female, Jewish and Bedouin-Arab, religious and secular students. Pearson’s chi-squared and Fisher exact tests for categorical variables were used to determine the relationship. Religious, compared to secular, students reported less personal cannabis use and contact with others who use the substance. Regarding attitudes and beliefs, religious students were more likely to believe cannabis use poses serious physical and mental health risks and were less likely to recommend it for patient treatment. The majority of all students, religious and secular, believed cannabis can be addictive; are not prepared to answer patient/client MC questions; and, have not received formal education about MC. Religiosity was not found related to student knowledge about cannabis and its use for medical conditions. This study is the first in Israel to examine the relationship between religiosity and student MC knowledge, attitudes and beliefs. Results evidence the relationship that should be used for curriculum development, education and field practice purposes linked to patient care.