The majority of medical clinicians and students endorse the use of cannabis as a therapeutic treatment option
- Nationwide survey data compiled by researchers affiliated with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that nearly seven-in-ten practicing medical professionals supported the use of medical cannabis. Those who favored its medical use of were most likely to endorse marijuana use for treating pain (73 percent), cancer (72 percent), and nausea (61 percent).
- “We surveyed US physicians at the largest national EM conference (American College of Emergency Physicians’ Annual Conference) held in San Diego, CA from October 1 to 4, 2018. Of the thousands of conference participants approached, 539 US physicians completed the anonymous written survey, which represented 15.2% of the US physicians attending the conference. … A majority (70.7%) of the participants believed that cannabis has medical value.”
- Survey data compiled among nursing students in the United States and Israel reported that the “vast majority” of respondents “were in agreement that medical cannabis is associated with significant benefits for physical and mental health.”
- Statewide polling data compiled by researchers at the University of Alabama reported that 70 percent of health specialists endorsed the use of medical cannabis when it was authorized by the physician.
A growing percentage of health professionals acknowledge either having issued recommendations for medical cannabis or indicate that they would do so if it were legally permissible
- A CDC survey of medical clinicians in the US reported that over one-quarter of respondents (27 percent) had issued authorizations to their patients to engage in the use of medical cannabis.
- A survey of nursing students in the United States and in Israel reported that the “vast majority” of respondents (91 percent) would recommend cannabis to their patients if allowed to do so.
Most health care professionals acknowledge never having received any formal training in cannabis science and believe that educational training on cannabis ought to be part of their curriculum
- “While the medical cannabis landscape is developing, medical and allied health students are not properly educated and knowledgeable on this emerging field of clinical care. The findings suggest that the implementation of competencies-based curricula on medical cannabis is essential for medical and allied healthcare trainees to have the appropriate level of knowledge to counsel and educate their patients.”
- “In light of the expanding number of patients who use medical cannabis, this study highlights the importance of incorporating medical cannabis education for nurses in academic and clinical curricula.”
Originally published on NORML.org.