By Jakub Horak, Medical Cannabis Expert

New U.S. data [1] show that adults with disabilities (that is, with long-term health or functional limitations) use Cannabis significantly more often, mainly for pain relief and tension reduction. This trend has a direct impact on the European debate on access to medical Cannabis, as demographic and clinical profiles of patients are similar on both continents.

A New Insight Into Patient Behaviour

The National Survey on Health and Disability (NSHD, Wave 5, 2023–2024), published in the Disability and Health Journal [2], is among the most detailed analyses of Cannabis-use motivations among adults with disabilities. The authors worked with a sample of 1,919 individuals and found that nearly one quarter of respondents reported current Cannabis use.

The findings are remarkable. Individuals with cognitive limitations reported the highest rate of use. Across all disability types, two motives dominated: pain relief and tension reduction. Open-ended responses also mentioned migraines, nausea, muscle spasms, epileptic seizures, sleep disorders, and mental-health challenges. Some respondents described Cannabis as a tool for managing sensory overload or overstimulation, a function rarely captured in formal indications.

The study confirms that disability, chronic pain, and Cannabis use are deeply interconnected. And this is precisely the area that deserves more attention in Europe.

New U.S. Data Highlight Several Issues That European Regulation Is Only Partially Addressing

People with disabilities commonly experience higher rates of chronic pain, neuropathic symptoms, spasticity, and sleep disorders. In most European countries, however, access to medical Cannabis does not treat disability as an indicator of health burden, but instead relies on narrowly defined diagnoses. A patient experiencing high pain intensity, functional limitations, and a lack of adequate therapeutic alternatives may therefore fall outside the formal indication list, even though they could clearly benefit from treatment.

Access to healthcare is another factor. Many people with disabilities face physical or logistical barriers that complicate regular care. Cannabis then appears as a form of self-management, often where standard care is inaccessible. While European healthcare systems offer broader public insurance coverage than the United States, capacity constraints in pain management and neurology are increasing. Cannabis may become a complementary therapy where access to specialised care continues to decline.

The finding related to sensory regulation is particularly relevant for Europe. Patients with neurodevelopmental conditions or cognitive impairments frequently experience overstimulation, sleep disruption, or bodily tension. These symptoms are not commonly reflected in European indication lists, yet they appear regularly in clinical practice. Allowing physicians more flexibility to assess functional status, not only diagnoses, could lead to more accurate and equitable treatment decisions.

How the Data Fit Into European Patient Reporting

European registries and patient surveys consistently show similar motivations. In Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic, the leading reasons are chronic pain relief, improved sleep, and stress reduction. Migraines and spastic disorders are frequently reported as well. What European data often fail to capture is the broader context of use—sensory factors, compensation for inaccessible care, or situations where Cannabis helps people manage multifactorial symptoms.

The difference is therefore more methodological than clinical. European patients report similar motivations, but the quality of data collection is inconsistent, and open-ended responses are often missing. These are precisely what enable a deeper understanding of specific populations, such as adults with disabilities.

What This Means For Healthcare Systems and Prescribing Practice

European health policy is built on risk management, pharmaceutical standardisation, and patient protection. For Cannabis, this means clear indication lists, controlled GMP products, and a strong role for pharmacists. For people with disabilities, however, this structure can be too rigid.

The NSHD study shows that for many people, Cannabis is not primarily an alternative to conventional treatment, but sometimes the only realistic tool to manage pain, tension, and complex neurological symptoms. European systems should therefore consider whether to:

• Open indications more toward functional assessment rather than narrow diagnostic lists

• Strengthen physician education in disability and complex symptom structures,

• Adjust registries to capture not only diagnoses but also patient-reported motivations and functional limitations,

• Develop prescribing guidance for patients with cognitive or sensory overload,

• Introduce improved screening for Cannabis use disorder among high-risk groups

For pharmaceutical distributors and manufacturers, the study is equally relevant. People with disabilities form a stable patient group with predictable use patterns. Products with consistent profiles, standardized dosing, and formulations supporting relaxation, antispastic effects, and sleep regulation are well suited to this population. This aligns with demand for balanced THC:CBD ratios and terpenes with anxiolytic properties.

What To Expect In The Coming Years

Europe is approaching a point where it will need to evaluate the real impact of medical Cannabis on specific patient populations. The NSHD study shows that people with disabilities are not a marginal group but one of the main user segments. Ageing populations will strengthen this trend. If healthcare systems do not adapt their indication logic and data collection, they risk overlooking real patient needs.

The key U.S. lesson is the importance of open-ended responses and functional assessment. The central question is not only whether a patient meets a diagnostic indication, but whether they have realistic alternatives, whether they live with long-term pain, and how treatment affects their quality of life.

For European regulators and healthcare providers, this research is an opportunity. It indicates how to better understand patients whose formal diagnoses do not always reflect the intensity of their symptoms, yet who can clearly benefit from medical Cannabis.

References

1. Yang, Kevin H et al. “Trends in past-month cannabis use among US adults across a range of disabilities and health conditions, 2015-2019.” Preventive medicine vol. 177 (2023): 107768. doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2023.107768.

2. Fortin D, Leroy V, Carrieri P, Matias J, Barré T. Relationships Between Motives for Cannabis and Cannabidiol Use in People Who Co-Use: Results From the European Web Survey on Drugs. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2025 Sep;44(6):1666-1679. doi: 10.1111/dar.14090. Epub 2025 Jun 8. PMID: 40484722; PMCID: PMC12405827.

About Jakub Horak

Jakub Horak is an international medical Cannabis specialist and independent entrepreneur with more than 15 years of experience supporting patients, clinics, cultivators, and distributors across Europe. He specializes in connecting GMP and GACP-certified cultivators with pharmacies, distributors, and regulated markets, helping optimize supply chains, pricing strategies, and market entry with a strong emphasis on quality, compliance, and long-term value.

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