ReviewJournal of public health research2025
Decriminalization of cannabis use in South Africa: The perspectives and health outcomes among medical students; A systematic qualitative review.
Review in Journal of public health research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: The decriminalization of cannabis in South Africa has sparked growing concern within the medical community, particularly among medical students. As future healthcare providers, they must navigate evolving legal and professional landscapes while forming beliefs about the health effects of cannabis use. This legal shift has intensified debates surrounding the benefits, risks, and health consequences of cannabis, especially in relation to mental well-being, academic performance, and professional identity. Objective: This systematic qualitative review aimed to synthesize existing literature on South African medical students' perceptions of cannabis decriminalization and their views on its health-related impacts. The review seeks to clarify how medical students interpret the effects of cannabis use on mental and physical health and how these beliefs shape their professional attitudes and behaviors. Design and methods: A systematic search and thematic synthesis were conducted across databases including PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, and ScienceDirect for literature published between 2010 and 2024. Studies were eligible if they focused on cannabis or marijuana use, included South African medical students, and discussed perspectives or health impacts in the context of decriminalization. Data were extracted, coded line-by-line, and synthesized to generate descriptive and analytical themes. Results: Four studies met inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis identified four key themes: (1) Health impacts (Mental and Physical); (2) perceptions and attitudes toward decriminalization; (3) educational influences and awareness; and (4) access to support services. Conclusion: This study emphasized the need for more focused research on the impact of cannabis decriminalization on medical students in South Africa. Current literature suggests that while there are diverse opinions on the subject, the decriminalization of cannabis may influence both attitudes and behaviors.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.