Winnipeg, Canada: Emergency room physicians and nurses in Canada strongly support patients’ access to medical cannabis products and overwhelmingly agree that marijuana possesses therapeutic efficacy, according to survey data published in the journal BMC Emergency Medicine. (Cannabis is legal for medical and adult-use purposes in Canada.)
Ninety-six percent of survey respondents agreed that “eligible patients should have access to cannabis,” and 87 percent agreed that it “has therapeutic value.”
Only 11 percent of respondents described cannabis as a “gateway drug,” and only two percent defined it as “very dangerous.” Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed said that cannabis poses either “mild or no risk” to consumers’ health.
The study’s authors concluded: “Our findings are consistent with previous Canadian and U.S. studies, which report generally favorable attitudes toward cannabis use among physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and medical trainees, while also highlighting persistent knowledge gaps and limited clinical confidence. … These findings highlight the need for targeted cannabis education and the development of clear, evidence-based clinical guidelines. Addressing these gaps may enhance provider confidence, reduce reliance on opioids, and improve the quality of cannabis-related care in emergency settings.”
Survey data published in May reported that over eight in ten US healthcare professionals acknowledge cannabis’ therapeutic efficacy, while 95 percent support its legalization for medical purposes.
Full text of the study, “Emergency department providers’ perspectives on patients’ use of cannabis: therapeutic potential, risks, and prescribing experience,” appears in BMC Emergency Medicine. Additional information appears in the NORML Fact Sheet, ‘Health Clinicians’ Attitudes Toward Cannabis.’