Among 10,588 people interviewed, 9,718 respondents (91.8%) opted in to answer the questions on cannabis. Of those, 2,057 (21.2%) were ever users of cannabis and 2,043 (99.3%) of them answered the question on discussion with, or advice from GP. Baseline characteristics of the sample of ever users are presented in Table 1. The sample had a mean age of 41.1 years (SD=15.7), the majority were men (63.5%) and had no migration background (78.1%). A high educational attainment (41.8%), middle income group (57.5%) and urban region of living (41.3%) were the most frequent characteristics. Past-year cannabis use was reported from 591 (29.6%) of ever users.
Table 1: Sample characteristics of ever cannabis users (weighted n=1,998)
Characteristic
|
|
Years of age, mean (SD)
|
41.1 (15.7)
|
Sex
Male
Female
|
63.5 (1269)
36.5 (728)
|
Educational attainmenta
Low
Middle
High
|
22.3 (432)
36.0 (697)
41.8 (810)
|
Incomeb
Low (<1,000€)
Middle (1,000-2,333€)
High (>2,333€ or higher)
|
13.8 (275)
57.5 (1145)
28.7 (571)
|
Migration background
Yes (one or both parents born abroad)
No
|
21.9 (429)
78.1 (1530)
|
Region of livingc
Rural (<20,000 inhabitants)
Urban (20,000-500,000 inhabitants)
Metropolitan (>500,000 inhabitants)
Frequency of cannabis used
Frequent (at least once a week)
Non-frequent (less than once a week)
|
31.9 (638)
41.3 (826))
26.7 (534)
27.8 (164)
72.2 (426)
|
Numbers present percentage (number), unless otherwise stated. Missing values vary from 0% (age, sex and region of living) up to 3.0% (educational attainment). aLow = junior high school equivalent or no qualification, middle = secondary school equivalent, high = high school equivalent or advanced technical college equivalent. bDetails: https://osf.io/387fg. cDetails: https://osf.io/zp7c6. dIn the subgroup of past-year cannabis users (n=591)
Among ever users, 7.0% [95%CI=5.9; 8.2%] (n=139) answered: ‘Yes, I have ever spoken to my general practitioner about my cannabis use or sought advice about it.’ This proportion was higher in people aged 65 years or older (12.5%; 95%CI=7.9; 18.5%), people with low educational attainment (12.3%; 95%CI=9.3; 15.7%) and low income (14.2%; 95%CI=10.3; 18.9%). Past-year cannabis users in general more often had a conversation with a GP (16.2%, 95%CI=13.5; 19.6%), with these frequent cannabis users (26.2% 95%CI=19.7; 33.6%) more than non-frequent users (12.4% 95%CI=9.4; 15.9%) (see Table 2).
Table 2: Cannabis use discussed with GP by person characteristics among ever users - Proportions (weighted n=1,998)
|
% [95%CI]
|
Total
|
7.0 [5.9; 8.2]
|
Years of age
14-24
25-39
40-64
65+
|
5.0 [3.0; 8.0]
8.8 [6.8; 11.2]
5.2 [3.8; 7.0]
12.5 [7.9; 18.5]
|
Sex
Male
Female
|
7.4 [6.0; 9.0]
6.2 [4.5; 8.2]
|
Educational attainmenta
Low
Middle
High
|
12.3 [9.3; 15.7]
4.9 [3.4; 6.8]
5.8 [4.3; 7.7]
|
Incomeb
Low (<1,000€)
Middle (1,000-2,333€)
High (>2,333€ or higher)
|
14.2 [10.3; 18.9]
5.3 [4.1; 6.8]
7.0 [5.0; 9.4]
|
Migration background
Yes (one or both parents born abroad)
No
|
6.5 [4.4; 9.3]
6.7 [5.5; 8.1]
|
Region of livingc
Rural (<20,000 inhabitants)
Urban (20,000-500,000 inhabitants)
Metropolitan (>500,000 inhabitants)
Frequency of cannabis used
Non-frequent (less than once a week)
Frequent (at least once a week)
|
6.9 [5.1; 9.2]
6.9 [5.3; 8.8]
7.1 [5.1; 9.6]
12.4 [9.4; 15.9]
26.2 [19.7; 33.6]
|
Percentages are presented within each stratum, e.g. 5.0% of 14-24-year-olds have ever spoken with their GP, or received advice, about their cannabis use. 95%CI = 95% confidence interval around percentage. Missing values vary from 0% (age) up to 3.0% (educational attainment). aLow = junior high school equivalent or no qualification, middle = secondary school equivalent, high = high school equivalent or advanced technical college equivalent. bDetails: https://osf.io/387fg. cDetails: https://osf.io/zp7c6. dIn the subgroup of past-year cannabis users (n=591)
Our regression analyses confirmed the descriptive results. Conversation with, or advice from, the GP on cannabis use was associated with older age (65+), low educational attainment, low income, and frequent cannabis use. Cannabis users with a higher educational attainment and higher income had at least 59% lower odds of having had spoken with their GP, or received advice, about their consumption. Frequent users had about 150% higher odds of having discussed cannabis use than non-frequent users (see Table 3).
Table 3: Cannabis use discussed with GP by person characteristics among ever users - Associations (weighted n=1,841)
|
OR [95%CI]
|
Years of age
14-24 (ref)
25-39
40-64
65+
|
1.00
1.73 [0.99; 3.02]
0.98 [0.55; 1.74]
2.38 [1.21; 4.66]
|
Sex
Male (ref)
Female
|
1.00
0.79 [0.55; 1.14]
|
Educational attainmenta
Low (ref)
Middle
High
|
1.00
0.34 [0.22; 0.54]
0.41 [0.27; 0.62]
|
Incomeb
Low (<1,000€) (ref)
Middle (1,000-2,333€)
High (>2,333€ or higher)
|
1.00
0.32 [0.21; 0.49]
0.41 [0.26; 0.65]
|
Migration background
Yes (one or both parents born abroad) (ref)
No
|
1.00
1.00 [0.65; 1.54]
|
Region of livingc
Rural (<20,000 inhabitants) (ref)
Urban (20,000-500,000 inhabitants)
Metropolitan (>500,000 inhabitants)
Frequency of cannabis used
Non-frequent (less than once a week) (ref)
Frequent (at least once a week)
|
1.00
0.98 [0.65; 1.48]
0.99 [0.63; 1.56]
1.00
2.53 [1.60; 3.99]
|
Missing values vary from 0% (age) up to 1.6% (migration background). aLow = junior high school equivalent or no qualification, middle = secondary school equivalent, high = high school equivalent or advanced technical college equivalent. bDetails: https://osf.io/387fg. cDetails: https://osf.io/zp7c6. dIn the subgroup of past-year cannabis users (n=591)