Survey Finds Doctors In Greece View Medical Cannabis Favorably
Greece originally approved its modernized medical cannabis law in 2017. However, it wasn’t until February 2024 that suffering patients gained access to legal medical cannabis products in Greece. Specialist doctors in Greece can prescribe cannabis to treat side effects from chemotherapy treatment, chronic pain, and multiple sclerosis (among other conditions). Initial medical cannabis prescriptions can be renewed every six months, pending re-evaluation by a specialist doctor.
Health researchers affiliated with the University of Athens and the University of Crete recently surveyed doctors in Greece, asking them about their views toward medical cannabis. The survey’s findings were published in the Archives of Hellenic Medicine.
A total of 183 Greek doctors from a range of specialties were asked to complete a survey containing questions about their views on administering medical cannabis (MC) and their interest in learning more about the topic. The surveys were completed voluntarily and anonymously.
“Totally, 51.9% of the sample consisted of men and the average age was 46.4 years. The majority of the participants considered MC to be a legitimate medical proposal and would recommend it for treatment. Most reported that they were not familiar with or did not have enough knowledge about MC and that they needed more education.” the researchers found.
“In summary, no statistically significant differences were observed between the specialties. Overall, it emerged that the participants were positive towards MC and believed in its effectiveness in specific diseases and symptoms. However, they remained hesitant due to the lack of education and reported that they wanted to be informed more extensively about MC.” the researchers concluded.
This is not the first time that doctors in Greece have been surveyed about their views on medical cannabis. Last year, researchers affiliated with multiple Greek universities also asked Greek doctors (and pharmacists) about their views on medical cannabis, and the findings of that study were published in the Journal of Market Access and Health Policy.
The results of that survey found that Greek doctors and pharmacists felt that more research was needed, regulatory inconsistencies needed to be addressed, and that “social stigma and misinformation hinder cannabis adoption.”
“Participants also highlighted the urgent need for collaboration between policymakers, researchers, and healthcare professionals to establish medical cannabis as a credible therapeutic option.” the survey’s authors wrote.
