A large majority of healthcare professionals support legal access to medical marijuana and believe cannabis has therapeutic potential, according to a recent study published by the Journal of Cannabis Research.
Researchers from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Baylor College of Medicine surveyed 879 healthcare professionals across the United States, finding that 95% supported the legal medical use of cannabis. Another 87% agreed that cannabis has therapeutic promise, while 74% said they were open to recommending medical marijuana to patients.
The anonymous, web-based survey included mental health professionals, registered nurses, physicians and advanced practice providers. Of those surveyed, 89% said they currently have patients who use cannabis.
Despite the widespread support, researchers identified significant gaps between how knowledgeable participants believed they were and how they performed on objective assessments.
Participants rated their knowledge of cannabis-related risks an average of 4.1 out of 5 and their knowledge of therapeutic applications an average of 4 out of 5. However, scores on objective questions covering therapeutic uses, risks and mechanisms of action ranged from just 13% to 64% correct.
Personal experience was cited as a source of cannabis knowledge by 76% of respondents, while 73% cited popular media. The findings indicated that many healthcare professionals receive relatively little formal education regarding cannabis, despite regularly treating patients who use it.
The most commonly cited concern about incorporating cannabis into clinical care was a lack of trained providers, reported by 35% of respondents. Other concerns included potential patient exploitation at 22%, recreational misuse at 21% and the risk of psychosis at 20%.
Greater openness to using cannabis clinically was associated with higher self-reported knowledge, younger age, professional role and lower levels of concern.
Researchers concluded that although healthcare professionals were generally supportive of medical marijuana, the results demonstrate a need for structured clinical education covering cannabis pharmacology, dosing, contraindications and applicable legal and ethical standards.
“Although most respondents reported having patients who use cannabis and were largely supportive of medical cannabis use, objective knowledge gaps and limited formal training were evident,” researchers said.
