Politics
Virginia Officials Launch Medical Marijuana Patient Survey, Including Questions About How Recreational Legalization Will Impact Them
Virginia regulators are asking patients to complete a “satisfaction survey” about the state’s medical marijuana program.
The Virginia Cannabis Control Authority (CCA) said the questionnaire is designed to help officials “hear from the people who know Virginia’s medical cannabis program firsthand.”
The survey includes questions about how often patients use medical marijuana, what types of products they consume and where they obtain it from—including whether they go to retailers in other states.
Responses will help CCA have a “better understanding of the patient experience and help identify opportunities to strengthen the program,” the agency said, noting that last year more than 114,000 individual patients purchased medical cannabis from a licensed dispensary in Virginia.
“Patients bring an important perspective to the medical cannabis program because they experience it firsthand,” Jamie Patten, CCA’s acting head and chief administrative officer, said in a press release. “We want to make sure we are listening to that perspective and using what we learn to make meaningful improvements.”
The survey asks patients about what conditions they use medical marijuana for and how much money they typically spend on it, as well as when and how they obtained a medical cannabis recommendation and whether it was from a healthcare provider they regularly see or if it was via a one-time appointment.
CCA also wants to know how long it takes patients to travel to dispensaries and what factors go into their purchasing decisions, such as price, potency, packaging design, staff recommendations, strain type and delivery availability.
The survey additionally asks patients how strongly they agree or disagree with a number of statements, including:
- Virginia medical dispensaries offer the types of products I want to purchase.
- I trust the safety of products available in legal dispensaries in Virginia.
- Dispensary employees are knowledgeable of the products they sell.
- Medical cannabis in Virginia is easily accessible for me.
- The Virginia Cannabis Control Authority is responsive to patient inquiries and requests for information.
- The pharmacist on duty at the medical cannabis dispensary is helpful in figuring out the best products for my condition.
- The pharmacist or other staff always inform me of potential adverse reactions I could experience when taking medical cannabis.
- The cost of my medical cannabis is reasonable.
- Medical cannabis has improved my diagnosed medical condition(s)/symptom(s).
- Medical cannabis has reduced my need for prescription drugs for pain reduction.
- I would recommend the Virginia medical cannabis program to a friend or family member.
Notably, CCA is also asking patients about their thoughts on the forthcoming system of legal and regulated recreational marijuana sales that lawmakers and the governor approved this year.
- What, if anything, concerns you about the introduction of an adult-use retail marijuana market in Virginia as it relates to your current medical cannabis use?
- What, if anything, excites you about the introduction of an adult-use retail marijuana market in Virginia as it relates to your current medical cannabis use?
- When adult-use marijuana becomes available in Virginia, how do you expect your cannabis purchasing to change?
- I will continue using the medical cannabis program only.
- I will continue using the medical cannabis program and purchase from adult-use retail stores.
- Unsure
The agency’s press release noted that a prior medical cannabis patient survey in 2024 resulted in a recommendation to expand training and education for health care providers, which CCA implemented.
Officials are asking patients to complete the current survey by October 16.
Earlier this year, CCA launched a separate survey to gather input from the public and stakeholders about implementation of the state’s newly enacted law legalizing recreational cannabis sales.
Meanwhile, lawmakers passed and the governor signed several other reform bills this session—including measures to provide resentencing relief for people with past cannabis convictions, protect the parental rights of marijuana consumers and allow patients to access medical cannabis in hospitals.
