Cannabis use among people with alopecia areata Original paper

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder that causes hair to fall out in small patches. Although cannabis use has been proposed as a potential treatment for managing emotional and physical symptoms in a number of health conditions, little is known about cannabis use in individuals with alopecia areata.

This cross-sectional study was conducted in the United States via a web-based survey distributed to adults with alopecia areata using the National Alopecia Areata Foundation's email list and social media platforms. Ultimately, data from 1,045 respondents were analyzed.

The study aimed to understand the following:

• Prevalence of cannabis use among individuals with alopecia areata
• Reasons for cannabis use among individuals with alopecia areata
• Perceived impact of cannabis on symptoms related to alopecia areata

Cannabis use was defined as use of any of the following:

• Smoking marijuana or cannabidiol
• Ingesting marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol, or cannabidiol
• Inhaling vaporized liquid tetrahydrocannabinol, hash oil, or cannabidiol
• Using cannabidiol lotions and creams

Most participants were female (83%) and Caucasian (term used by the study authors; 74%), with an average age of 48. The average duration of alopecia areata was 19 years.

Around 66% of the participants reported ever using cannabis, of which almost 52% were current users. Around 40% of current users reported that they had started using cannabis after their diagnosis of alopecia areata.

Among current users, the most common reason for cannabis use was for symptoms related to alopecia areata (56%) or for recreation (55%). Of the participants using cannabis for symptoms related to alopecia areata, only 6% reported being encouraged to try cannabis by a healthcare professional.

The greatest perceived improvements were in symptoms of stress (73%) and anxiety/sadness/depression (66%). Around 80% of the participants indicated that cannabis had no impact on their hair loss.