Table 2 Factor analysis of the perceived knowledge of cannabis use items using a promax rotation: loading of each item on its corresponding factor

1. How helpful do you think medical cannabis is for chronic pain control

0.843

0.728

2. How helpful do you think medical cannabis is for seizures control

0.790

0.627

3. How helpful do you think medical cannabis is for muscle spasms

0.696

0.621

4. How helpful do you think medical cannabis is for tremors found in various neurological conditions

0.845

0.703

5. According to you, how much can medical cannabis improve the quality of life in the following conditions: nausea and/or vomiting

0.692

0.572

6. According to you, how much can medical cannabis improve the quality of life in the following conditions: loss of appetite

0.873

0.704

7. According to you, how much can medical cannabis improve the quality of life in the following conditions: weight loss

0.825

0.614

8. According to you, how much can medical cannabis improve the quality of life in the following conditions: terminal illness

0.675

0.622

9. According to you, how helpful is medical cannabis in the following psychological and psychiatric conditions: post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

0.721

0.708

10. According to you, how helpful is medical cannabis in the following psychological and psychiatric conditions: autism

0.486

0.553

11. According to you, how helpful is medical cannabis in the following psychological and psychiatric conditions depression

0.931

0.782

12. According to you, how helpful is medical cannabis in the following psychological and psychiatric conditions: general anxiety disorders

0.922

0.823

13. According to you, how helpful is medical cannabis in the following psychological and psychiatric conditions: difficulty sleeping (falling asleep, staying asleep)

0.662

0.593

14. To what extent do you think cannabis increases the risk for depression

0.676

0.529

15. To what extent do you think cannabis increases the risk for memory problems

0.631

0.409

16. To what extent do you think cannabis increases the risk for respiratory problems such as difficulty breathing

0.743

0.570

17. To what extent do you think cannabis increases the risk for car accidents if the driver is under the influence of cannabis

0.719

0.545

18. To what extent do you think cannabis increases the risk for drug overdose

0.865

0.768

19. To what extent do you think cannabis increases the risk for stroke

0.848

0.746

20. To what extent do you think cannabis increases the risk for diabetes

0.712

0.456

21. To what extent do you think cannabis increases the risk for heart attack

0.805

0.733

22. To what extent do you think cannabis increases the risk for addiction to cannabis itself

0.783

0.652

23. To what extent do you think cannabis increases the risk for addiction to drugs other than cannabis

0.859

0.752

24. To what extent do you think cannabis increases the risk for lung Cancer

0.791

0.605

25. To what extent do you think cannabis increases the risk for birth defects

0.804

0.600

26. To what extent do you think cannabis increases the risk for using drugs other than cannabis

0.854

0.758

27. To what extent do you think cannabis increases the risk for smoking Tobacco

0.721

0.511

28. To what extent do you think cannabis increases the risk for initiating drinking alcohol

0.777

0.642

Percentage of variance explained

10.0

11.8

32.4

9.8

Cronbach’s alpha

0.884

0.927

0.965

0.884