5 Reasons Physicians Should Pay Attention to Cannabis Medications

Jordan Tishler

Written by
January 13, 2026

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5 Reasons Physicians Should Pay Attention to Cannabis Medications

Cannabis has a long-standing role in medicine and recently the United States Department of Health and Human Service (HHS) has declared it meets the standard of Commonly Accepted Medical Use (CAMU).  Modern research has revealed its effectiveness and safety for multiple conditions. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved cannabinoid-based drugs for many years, and evidence suggests that current non-pharmaceutical cannabis products may offer even greater efficacy. Despite this, a majority of physicians are not fully aware of the therapeutic possibilities cannabinoids provide and often feel hesitant to prescribe them, even when patients could benefit.

 Below are five essential factors that should encourage clinicians to develop expertise and confidence in cannabinoid-based therapies. 

Demonstrated Efficacy 

Cannabis is composed of a diverse set of compounds, most notably Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD).(2) The FDA has approved synthetic THC (Dronabinol/Marinol) and plant-derived CBD (Epidiolex) for clinical use. Notably, observational research indicates that cannabis products not classified as pharmaceuticals achieve better outcomes than isolated THC.(3-4) Scientific inquiry continues to identify additional cannabinoids contributing to therapeutic benefit.  

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Evidence supports cannabis and cannabinoids as effective treatments for pain.(1) Cannabinoids also show utility for insomnia (5), and there is promising—but incomplete—support for mood disorders such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder and depression.(6) Furthermore, cannabis is well established as a therapy for nausea, vomiting, and appetite problems.(7)  

Lower Relative Risk 

Compared to conventional medications, cannabis often represents a lower-risk intervention. An example is pain management: opioid drugs carry a 25% dependence risk, whereas cannabis is associated with a 7% risk.(8)  

This reduced risk profile holds across additional conditions. For insomnia and anxiety, cannabis provides a safer alternative than benzodiazepines.(8) It also tends to provoke fewer side effects than phenothiazines typically prescribed for nausea control.  

Addressing Difficult-to-Treat Conditions 

Some illnesses have few effective options among conventional medications. Treatments for insomnia—including benzodiazepines, antihistamines, and Zolpidem—pose higher risks and often underperform. Similarly, options for anorexia like steroids (Megace) or antipsychotics (Mirtazapine) bring significant risks with limited results. In these cases, cannabinoids present alternative and more successful approaches. 

Prevalence of Use Among Patients 

It is a growing reality that patients are self-administering cannabis for health reasons, frequently without their physicians' knowledge. All medications, even those with a favorable safety profile, carry potential risks. Risk increases depending on patterns and quantity of use, and recreational consumers may lack awareness of dosing. 

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Healthcare providers need to understand both the benefits and risks of cannabis to effectively counsel patients. Guiding individuals toward medically appropriate use—emphasizing dosage, method, and frequency—optimizes outcomes. Encouraging healthier use practices for non-medical consumption helps decrease risks of dependence, tolerance, and substance use disorders. 

Enhanced Research and Drug Development 

Cannabis and related products are overdue for comprehensive scientific exploration. Unlike conventional medications, cannabis comprises numerous active chemicals that might interact synergistically, both complicating, and perhaps expanding the methodologies for, drug development. 

However, current data adequately justify therapeutic use. Expanded clinical application fosters further research, ultimately leading to development of specialized cannabinoid drugs subjected to rigorous FDA approval processes. 

Cannabinoid therapies offer unique advantages when integrated alongside standard treatments and will likely become increasingly mainstream. It is vital for clinicians to appreciate both the benefits and comparative risks, and to collaborate closely with patients—whether supporting safe medical use or reducing risk among recreational users.

The ACS advocates continued professional education and offers courses to facilitate this transition. 

 

  1. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2017. The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids: The Current State of Evidence and Recommendations for Research. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/24625 
  2. Zagzoog, A., Mohamed, K. A., Kim, H. J. J., Kim, E. D., Frank, C. S., Black, T., ... Laprairie, R. B. (2020). In vitro and in vivo pharmacological activity of minor cannabinoids isolated from Cannabis sativa. Scientific Reports, 10(1), 1--13. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-77175-y 
  3. LaVigne, J. E., Hecksel, R., Keresztes, A., & Streicher, J. M. (2021). Cannabis sativa terpenes are cannabimimetic and selectively enhance cannabinoid activity. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 8232. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-87740-8 
  4. Vigil, J. M., Stith, S. S., Brockelman, F., Keeling, K., & Hall, B. (2023). Systematic combinations of major cannabinoid and terpene contents in Cannabis flower and patient outcomes: a proof-of-concept assessment of the Vigil Index of Cannabis Chemovars. Journal of Cannabis Research, 5(1), 4. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42238-022-00170-9 
  5. Vigil, J., Stith, S., Diviant, J., Brockelman, F., Keeling, K., & Hall, B. (2018). Effectiveness of Raw, Natural Medical Cannabis Flower for Treating Insomnia under Naturalistic Conditions. Medicines, 5(3), 75. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicines5030075 
  6. Ferber, S. G., Namdar, D., Hen-Shoval, D., Eger, G., Koltai, H., Shoval, G., ... Weller, A. (2019). The "Entourage Effect": Terpenes Coupled with Cannabinoids for the Treatment of Mood Disorders and Anxiety Disorders. Current Neuropharmacology, 18(2), 87--96. https://doi.org/10.2174/1570159x17666190903103923 
  7. Schleider, L. B.-L., Mechoulam, R., Lederman, V., Hilou, M., Lencovsky, O., Betzalel, O., ... Novack, V. (2018). Prospective analysis of safety and efficacy of medical cannabis in large unselected population of patients with cancer. European Journal of Internal Medicine, 49, 37--43. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.EJIM.2018.01.023 
  8. Robson, P. (2011). Abuse potential and psychoactive effects of δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol oromucosal spray (Sativex), a new cannabinoid medicine. Expert Opinion on Drug Safety, 10(5), 675--685. https://doi.org/10.1517/14740338.2011.575778