In a study carried out by RTI researchers and presented at the PAINWeek meeting, which also used NSDUH data from 2002 to 2012, showed that the culture around marijuana permissiveness might influence legalization.
The study found that states that passed marijuana legislation had higher marijuana use rates 5 years before and in the last data year available before legalization compared with states that did not legalize marijuana.
The authors noted that of the 23 states with medical marijuana laws, 5 have passed legislation that allows for the possession and recreational use of marijuana among those aged 21 years and older.
Commenting on this research for Medscape Medical News, Armando Villarreal, MD, assistant professor, neurosurgery, Rochester Neurosurgical Partners, New York, said that while the data seem to suggest that culture around permissiveness might affect legislation, other factors play a role a role in establishing that culture.
"Among them are the unemployment rate, the median level of education, religion, and political ideals," he said.
Less than half of all states have passed medical marijuana laws, and only 10% of the states now allow recreational use.
"So the idea that we are about to see a sudden influx of states that will legalize marijuana seems to me overreaching."
Dr Villarreal, who gave a separate presentation on "the science behind marijuana as an analgesic" at the meeting, said physicians should become familiar with local laws surrounding use of marijuana because their patients will ask their opinion. But he stressed that prescribing marijuana should be influenced only by available scientific data and not by public opinion.
"Currently the data is scant, mainly due to federal government laws that make it extremely difficult to do good research. I believe there is an urgent need to change these laws so that better information regarding the therapeutic use of marijuana becomes available."