Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41725772›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in public health2026

Self-reported use of cannabidiol as a substitute or adjunct for approved medications.

Emily A C Austin, Lara Berghammer, Shannon E Ellis, Giovanni Appolon, Jenna Brooks, Nina M Rice, Prosperity Land, Siyuan Ping, Nora Satybaldiyeva, Igor Grant and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Emily A C AustinHerbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.
Lara BerghammerHerbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.
Shannon E EllisDepartment of Cognitive Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.
Giovanni AppolonHerbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.
Jenna BrooksDepartment of Political Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.
Nina M RiceDepartment of Political Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.
Prosperity LandDepartment of Political Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.
Siyuan PingHerbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.
Nora SatybaldiyevaStanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States.
Igor GrantCenter for Medicinal Cannabis Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.
Eric C LeasHerbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objective: To assess the prevalence of CBD use among US adults, identify the health conditions for which CBD is used, and examine whether CBD is used as a substitute or adjunct to conventional treatments. Design setting and participants: This cross-sectional survey used Ipsos KnowledgePanel®, a US probability-based online panel covering approximately 97% of US adults and including households without internet access (which are provided internet service and/or devices). Between October 25 and November 3, 2023, a random sample of 4,505 US adults was invited; 2,880 responded (63.9% completion) and 1,523 qualified (1,008 ever CBD users and 515 never users). The survey was administered in English and Spanish and weighted analyses provided nationally representative estimates. Exposures: Self-reported use of CBD as a substitute (replacement) for or adjunct (combined use) with another medication. Main outcomes and measures: Respondents reporting substitute or adjunct use listed specific health conditions and medications; these were coded using the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA) and RxNav, respectively. Results: An estimated 35.2% (95% CI, 32.7-37.9) of US adults (approximately 90.8 million) reported ever using CBD, and 21.8% (95% CI, 20.0-23.8) reported use in the past 12 months. Among ever CBD users, 32.0% (95% CI, 29.1-35.1) had used CBD as a substitute or adjunct for at least one medication. Adjunct use (24.2%; 95% CI, 21.5-27.1) was more common than substitute use (11.0%; 95% CI, 9.1-13.3). The conditions most frequently targeted were musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders (e.g., joint pain; 10.1%; 95% CI, 8.4-12.2), psychiatric disorders (e.g., anxiety; 7.4%; 95% CI, 5.9-9.2), and general disorders or administration site conditions (e.g., procedural pain; 6.8%; 95% CI, 5.4-8.6). Frequently replaced or co-administered medications included ibuprofen (4.8, 95% CI: 3.6-6.3), Tylenol (3.9, 95% CI: 2.8-5.3), and other over-the-counter analgesics. Only a small proportion of CBD ever users reported ever having a health problem they believed resulted from CBD use (2.4%; 95% CI: 1.5-3.6). Conclusions and relevance: CBD use as a substitute or adjunct to medications was common among US adults particularly for pain medications. These patterns underscore the need for better evidence and clearer guidance on dosing, product quality, and co-use with other treatments.

Indexed as

CannabidiolSelf ReportAdolescentAdultAgedCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedUnited StatesYoung AdultCannabidiolcannabidioldrug–drug interactionsdrug interactionsmedical conditionspublic healthsubstitute and adjunct usesubstitute or adjunct therapy

Identifiers

PMID41725772
PMCPMC12920505

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.