Study: Medical Cannabis Caregivers Outnumber Clinicians Authorized to Recommend Medical Cannabis 3 to 1
- A 2024 study found over 35,000 clinicians authorized to approve medical cannabis and nearly 110,000 state-approved medical cannabis caregivers in the U.S.
- Data from 2020 to 2024 showed an increase in authorized clinicians from about 29,500 to over 35,000, based on state medical cannabis program records.
- The number of medical cannabis caregivers was about three times higher than the number of clinicians, reflecting caregivers’ roles in purchasing, growing, and producing cannabis.
- States allowing home cultivation and adult-use cannabis had higher caregiver rates; this study is the first to estimate the number of medical cannabis caregivers in the U.S.
A study published Tuesday in the Annals of Internal Medicine found the number of clinicians authorized to approve medical cannabis in the U.S. was more than 35,000 in 2024, while the number of state-approved medical cannabis caregivers was nearly 110,000.
For the study, researchers from the University of Michigan collected publicly available data from state medical cannabis programs between 2020 and 2024 to estimate the number of clinicians authorized to approve medical cannabis use and the number of registered caregivers. The number of clinicians permitted to authorize medical cannabis use for patients was about 29,500 in 2020 before increasing to more than 35,000 four years later.
“Overall, there were approximately 3-fold higher number and 4-fold higher rate of caregivers per patient than authorizing clinicians. This may reflect caregivers’ direct involvement in medical cannabis care, as they can purchase, grow, and produce cannabis for patients – services that authorized clinicians cannot legally provide.” — “U.S. Authorizing Clinicians and Medical Cannabis Caregivers: 2020-2024,” Annals of Internal Medicine, 9/29/26
The researchers found higher caregiver rates in states that allow home cultivation of medical cannabis and in states with adult-use programs.
The study is believed to be the first to estimate the number of medical cannabis caregivers in the U.S.