I wanted to participate but the survey was closed. Can I still participate?
MCA appreciates your interest in the survey and willingness to participate. The MCA received an unprecedented positive response to the survey. The initial participation goal of 7,500 completed responses was met in just five hours and the survey was temporarily closed. The survey was reopened several hours later, and in just 24 hours after launching, more than 15,000 responses had been received. MMCC plans a second survey cycle next year and encourages your participation. Planning is already underway to ensure patients who are interested can participate.
I am a certified patient, why didn't the raffle link work for me?
The raffle link was a one-time link (i.e., not able to be forwarded to others). This link was NOT immediately clickable; it needed to be copied and pasted into a new browser. The reason for this additional step was to ensure your confidentiality by separating your survey responses from the email address provided in the raffle link.
How do I know if I won a gift card?
Gift card winners will receive an email that says, “MMCC Survey: Gift Card Winner!" This email includes instructions for accessing the digital gift card. Allow up to six weeks to receive this email (approx. Oct 31). Gift card recipients were selected at random. If you were not selected, you will not receive an email. This is to protect your privacy.
Why did MMCC conduct a patient survey?
Insights and opinions from medical patients are valuable for MCA to continue to improve Maryland's medical cannabis program. Anonymous information from many patients will be put together to help shape future cannabis education and policy efforts in Maryland.
Who was eligible to participate?
Certified medical cannabis patients in Maryland were invited to participate in the survey. The MCA collected responses from 15,000 certified medical patients. Participation was anonymous and voluntary. Choosing not to participate did not affect one's medical cannabis patient registration in any way.
Who did the email invite to patients come from?
The email listed “MMCC" in the From line and “MMCC Survey" in the subject line.
Does MCA know how specific patients responded to the survey?
No, the survey was anonymous; individual patient responses are not identifiable.
How long was the survey?
The survey was taken online, using smartphone, tablet or another device. The survey took about 10-15 minutes to complete.
Was there a monetary incentive for patients to participate?
At the end of the survey, participants could opt into a raffle prize drawing; 600 gift cards were awarded – about one in every 25 participants was randomly selected to win a $50 VISA gift card.
When did the survey take place?
Two survey cycles are planned. The first survey cycle took place in September 2022. The second survey cycle is planned for late summer/fall 2023.
Were there any risks with taking the survey?
Because the survey was anonymous, risks were minimal. Some questions were sensitive. If any question was uncomfortable, the participant could skip it or stop the survey at any time. Participation was voluntary.
What were the benefits of taking part in the survey?
About one in every 25 participants who completed the survey won a $50 VISA gift card. In addition, taking part in the survey was a meaningful opportunity to voice one's opinion and provide important information on patterns of use and perceptions of cannabis in Maryland.
Can I see the survey results?
Individual survey responses are anonymous. The MCA anticipates sharing a summary of key findings, such as fact sheets and/or infographics posted to MCA's website.
Did an Institutional Review Board (IRB) review and approve this study?
IRBs are entities designed to protect the privacy of survey participants. The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) IRB approved the administration of this survey. Cannabis Public Policy Consulting implemented the survey on behalf of the MCA.
Unanswered questions? Please contact mca.publichealth@maryland.gov
