If you’re like most physicians, you are likely ignoring most of the hubbub about cannabis that is in the news these days. Your patients certainly aren’t.
As physicians, our patients count on us to guide them through complex health decisions. Just as with any other medication, cannabinoids have benefits and risks. Cannabis can be a useful medication for their care, if used carefully and in accordance with best medical practices. However, like any other medication, there are risks involved as well.
Unlike most other medications, cannabis can also be used recreationally and that poses different risk to our patients. It is our job to guide our patients to the safest path, regardless of their intentions for use. This means that we must become educated on the facts surrounding cannabis use, for all purposes. And we must especially avoid resorting to or perpetuating misinformation.
Clearly, it’s critical that we, as healthcare practitioners, stay informed about its benefits, risks, and interactions. Yet, this field presents a significant gap in our medical education. The need to expand our knowledge about cannabis is no longer optional; it is essential.
Growing Patient Demand for Knowledgeable Guidance
With the expansion of legalized cannabis (for a variety of uses), our patients increasingly need us to provide educated guidance on its use. Studies indicate that cannabis is a valid option for managing chronic conditions such as pain, anxiety, and insomnia. However, many of our patients are receiving their information from online sources, dispensaries, or anecdotal advice rather than from evidence-based medical guidance. In this context, our role as reliable sources of health information is compromised when we cannot offer informed perspectives on cannabis.
As healthcare providers, we’re in a unique position to influence how patients approach cannabis. Providing them with accurate, nuanced information can prevent misuse, promote safer consumption, and encourage open communication. By actively seeking cannabis education, we demonstrate our commitment to evolving alongside our patients' needs, ultimately improving their outcomes.
Dispelling Misconceptions and Reducing Stigma in Clinical Practice
Cannabis carries a complex history, often clouded by stigma that persists in both the medical community and broader society. This stigma can impact our clinical judgment, sometimes preventing us from considering cannabis as a legitimate therapeutic option or even discouraging open discussions with our patients. This represents a lost opportunity to intervene with our patients to provide unbiased health information and to build trust with them in a broader sense.
On the other hand, more recent messaging from the cannabis industry and advocates would lead our patients to believe that cannabis has no risk at all. Clearly that is inaccurate too, and serves only their financial goals.
In reality, modern studies reveal that cannabis has potential benefits for a range of conditions. At the same time, studies also reveal increased access leading to greater use patterns in adults that can lead to negative consequences like tolerance, dependence, and addiction. Most of these consequences could be avoided with medical professional guidance.
By educating ourselves on the science behind cannabis, we can move beyond misconceptions and offer patients a more balanced view. When we actively dispel biases and approach cannabis as we would any other treatment, we uphold our commitment to patient-centered care and clinical objectivity.
Staying Informed About the Science: What Clinicians Need to Know
Cannabis’s therapeutic potential lies in its chemistry, dosing, and delivery systems. Each of these elements, much like with conventional medications, changes the way it behaves as a medicine and how it will affect our patients’ illnesses.
A lack of knowledge about cannabis can lead us to inadvertently overlook it as a therapeutic option or to mismanage its use in patient care.
For example, patients with chronic pain may benefit from cannabis treatment both for their pain control and also to decrease their reliance on more risky drugs like opioids. Similarly, cannabis’s interactions with other medications are critical; without awareness of these interactions, we risk compromising patient safety.
Nuanced understanding is important. For example, many patients with mild psychiatric issues may benefit from cannabis treatment. On the other hand, if cannabis is used improperly, those same patients may have worsening of their symptoms or even develop the additional problem of dependence or addiction. Patients with more profound psychiatric conditions may experience substantial harm. Without adequate cannabis education, we risk recommending—or failing to address—usage in ways that may negatively affect vulnerable patients.
A basic knowledge of cannabis as medicine and as recreational option is a must for all clinicians.
Specialist Model
We must also acknowledge that this field is deep and still emerging. As a result, it is not feasible for all clinicians to have deep knowledge of cannabinoid medicine. As a result, much of the ongoing care of our patients who need cannabis treatment should be referred to a Cannabinoid Specialist.
Like treatment of Diabetes or HIV, primary care practitioners must know how and when to start the conversation and refer patients to specialists who see these cases daily. Ultimately, PCPs may opt to manage more straightforward cases when they become more fluent in this field themselves.
Addressing Barriers in Medical Education and the Need for Continuous Learning
Unfortunately, the vast majority of medical training programs do not currently offer education on cannabis, leaving many of us unprepared to address patient needs. As cannabis becomes more accepted both legally and socially, continuing education is vital to staying informed of developments in cannabinoid science, emerging treatment protocols, and potential interactions with conventional therapies.
Continuing medical education (CME) courses on cannabis provide pathways for filling this gap. All physicians and providers should have some foundational education on cannabis and cannabinoid medicine. While many such courses exist, few are ACCME accredited and often are produced inappropriately intermingling pre-clinical data with practice recommendations. As you look for good educational opportunities look for accredited programs from organizations that do not have any conflict of interest or financial benefit from products (i.e. aren’t selling product). One such example is the new, fully accredited Introduction to Cannabinoid Medicine from the non-profit Association of Cannabinoid Specialists.
By engaging in structured education, we can deepen our understanding of cannabis’s pharmacological properties and refine our approach to advising patients on its use. Embracing this knowledge supports our growth as physicians and enhances our capability to provide up-to-date, evidence-based care.
Conclusion
In the current healthcare landscape, cannabis is a complex topic that demands our attention as medical professionals. As physicians, we have a responsibility to our patients to stay informed about emerging therapies, particularly those that are growing in popularity and availability. Educating ourselves on cannabis is not simply a matter of keeping pace with societal change—it is a means of enhancing patient care, minimizing harm, and fostering an open, unbiased environment where patients feel comfortable discussing all aspects of their health.
The movement to include cannabis education in Medicine reflects a broader commitment to evidence-based care, patient safety, and the integration of new scientific insights. By seeking out educational resources and staying current on cannabis research, we fulfill our role as lifelong learners and trusted health advisors. In doing so, we ensure that our patients receive comprehensive, accurate guidance, empowering them to make informed choices about their health. The future of medicine demands an open-minded, informed approach to cannabis—let’s be prepared to lead it.