Table 1 Sample characteristics and Chi Squares for Group Differences on Cannabis Use Status

Sex

 Male

112 (22.8)

72 (14.7)

307 (62.5)

2.47

0.292

491 (84.3)

 Female

25 (27.5)

17 (18.7)

49 (53.8)

91 (15.7)

Area of Canada

 Western Canada (BC, AB, SK, MB)

31 (20.8)

25 (16.8)

93 (62.4)

1.37

0.849

149 (27.0)

 Central Canada (ON, QC)

61 (24.8)

35 (14.2)

150 (61.0)

246 (44.6)

 Eastern Canada (NS, NB, PEI, NL)

37 (23.6)

21 (13.4)

99 (63.1)

157 (28.4)

Relationship Status

 Single

39 (24.4)

22 (13.8)

99 (61.9)

0.46

0.797

160 (27.7)

 In a relationship

95 (22.7)

66 (15.8)

257 (61.5)

418 (72.3)

Employment Status

 Unemployed

21 (13.2)

20 (12.6)

118 (74.2)

22.24

< 0.001**

159 (27.3)

 Employed/Student

32 (25.6)

28 (22.4)

65 (52.0)

125 (21.5)

 Retired

84 (28.3)

41 (13.8)

172 (57.9)

297 (51.1)

Level of Education

 High school or less

45 (23.3)

34 (17.6)

114 (59.1)

11.15

0.084

193 (33.4)

 College or trades school

51 (18.9)

39 (14.4)

180 (66.7)

270 (46.8)

 Undergraduate degree

23 (29.5)

11 (14.1)

44 (56.4)

78 (13.5)

 Graduate degree

14 (38.9)

5 (13.9)

17 (47.2)

36 (6.2)

Disability Status

 Unable to work due to disability

41 (17.3)

32 (13.5)

164 (69.2)

11.85

0.003**

237 (40.8)

 Able to work

96 (27.9)

57 (16.6)

191 (55.5)

344 (59.2)

 Member/Officer Status at Time of Release

 Commissioned Officer

34 (41.5)

14 (17.1)

34 (41.5)

18.46

< 0.001**

82 (14.7)

 Non-Commissioned Officer/Member

99 (20.8)

74 (15.5)

304 (63.7)

477 (85.3)

CAF Branch

 Army

83 (23.6)

53 (15.1)

215 (61.3)

0.86

0.931

351 (61.5)

 Navy

26 (23.9)

15 (13.8)

68 (62.4)

109 (19.1)

 Air Force

26 (23.4)

20 (18.0)

65 (58.6)

111 (19.4)

Type of Cannabis Use

 Medical

—

—

287 (85.2)

—

—

—

 Non-Medical

—

—

13 (3.9)

—

—

—

 Medical and Non-Medical Purposes

—

—

37 (11.0)

—

—

—

Reasons for Starting to Use Cannabis

 Reduce opioid use (pain management)

—

—

158 (45.7)

—

—

—

 Reduce intake of other prescription drugs

—

—

202 (58.4)

—

—

—

 Symptom relief

—

—

288 (83.2)

—

—

—

 Increase focus/concentration

—

—

55 (15.9)

—

—

—

 Relaxation

—

—

182 (52.6)

—

—

—

 Viewed as natural medicine

—

—

116 (33.5)

—

—

—

Grams Prescribed

 0.5–2 g (less than entitlement)

—

—

43 (16.2)

—

—

—

 3 g (entitlement)

—

—

119 (44.7)

—

—

—

 4 + grams (special authorization required)

—

—

104 (39.1)

—

—

—

Grams Used (Participants With Prescription)

 0.5–2 g (less than entitlement)

—

—

106 (43.6)

—

—

—

 3 g (entitlement)

—

—

54 (21.6)

—

—

—

 4 + grams (special authorization)

—

—

90 (36.0)

—

—

—

Grams Used (Participants Without Prescription)

 0.5–2 g

—

—

34 (60.7)

—

—

—

 3 g

—

—

8 (14.3)

—

—

—

 4 + grams

—

—

14 (25.0)

—

—

—

Cannabis Use Status

M ± SD

One-Way ANOVA

Total Sample

M ± SD

Demographic Variables

Never Used

Past Use

Current Use

F

p

 Pain Catastrophizing Scale

23.46 ± 12.19

22.93 ± 11.11

24.90 ± 10.84

1.57

0.208

24.27 ± 11.22

 Pain-DETECT Questionnaire

6.48 ± 1.80

6.19 ± 1.70

6.44 ± 1.84

0.79

0.452

6.41 ± 1.81

 Pain Disability Index

41.40 ± 12.29

41.75 ± 14.35

44.90 ± 12.47

4.83

0.008*

43.59 ± 12.82

 Physical Health Questionnaire-9

11.58 ± 6.00

11.58 ± 6.47

12.92 ± 5.88

3.46

0.032

12.40 ± 6.03

 Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire-7

8.23 ± 5.47

8.19 ± 5.40

9.57 ± 5.13

4.60

0.010*

9.04 ± 5.29

 PTSD Checklist for DSM-5

30.50 ± 19.86

32.95 ± 18.45

36.10 ± 18.16

3.37

0.035

34.49 ± 18.66