Clinician Attitudes Toward Cannabis: An Interprofessional Reality Check
This article reviews Clinician Attitudes, Training, and Beliefs About Cannabis: An Interprofessional Assessment authored by Brooke Worster and colleagues, published in the journal of Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research in 2023 (Open Access)
Introduction
Cannabis in medicine remains a paradox: patients increasingly expect guidance, yet clinicians are often navigating with half-written maps. In Pennsylvania, where medical cannabis has been legal since 2016, Worster and colleagues (2023) surveyed 344 clinicians (physicians, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants) to gauge their training, knowledge, and attitudes. The results offer both encouragement and caution for those charting the future of cannabis in clinical practice.
The Study at a Glance
Sample: 344 clinicians across Pennsylvania, spanning multiple specialties and professional roles.
Design: An online survey probing training history, self-assessed knowledge, perceived limitations, and attitudes toward medical cannabis certification.
Context: Only physicians in PA can certify patients, though many patients seek advice from other healthcare professionals.
What the Data Showed
Training gaps. Just over half (51%) of respondents reported any formal training. Physicians were much more likely (90%) to have formal training compared to non-physicians (20%).
Attitudes differ by role. Physicians tended to see more benefits and fewer risks of cannabis use than non-physicians, and reported feeling more knowledgeable across nearly every domain — from mechanisms of action to side effects and therapeutic uses.
Certification comfort. About 86% of clinicians said they would recommend cannabis for patients failing conventional therapy, but only 40% would recommend it solely on patient request.
Documentation habits. 71% recorded cannabis use in charts, but often inconsistently, usually in “Notes” or “Social History” rather than the medication list.
Sources of information. Physicians leaned heavily on peer-reviewed literature and direct input from patients, while non-physicians were more likely to rely on policies or colleagues.
The authors summarize bluntly:
“There is an urgent need to educate and train all clinicians who are involved in the care of patients who use medical cannabis.”
Why This Matters
This study captures a truth many providers already sense: cannabis education remains fragmented. Physicians may be required to take a 4-hour CME course in Pennsylvania, but their non-physician colleagues — who often field just as many patient questions — are left without equivalent preparation.
In whimsical terms, it’s as if the orchestra was handed the score, but only the first violinist got to rehearse. Patients, meanwhile, don’t care which credential letters appear after your name; they just want safe, informed guidance.
Lessons for Healthcare Professionals
Expand training beyond physicians. Nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and PAs often serve as front-line educators — training must reach them too.
Standardize documentation. Treating cannabis like any other therapeutic, with entries in medication lists, supports continuity of care.
Invest in CME. Nearly all clinicians surveyed endorsed adding cannabis education to graduate training, residencies, and continuing medical educationWorster 2023 Clinician Attitude….
Bridge risk–benefit perceptions. Interprofessional dialogue can reduce disparities in how clinicians perceive cannabis risks and benefits.
Connecting the Dots
When paired with the Cronin et al. (2025) interdisciplinary training model and Zolotov et al. (2025) patient perceptions study from Israel, Worster et al.’s survey fills in a third piece of the puzzle: not just how to train clinicians, or what patients think of their physicians, but how different clinician groups themselves see cannabis. The overlap is striking, training is the missing ingredient across the board.
Closing Thought
The takeaway is simple: clinicians across disciplines recognize both the potential and the limitations of cannabis. But until education is woven consistently into medical and health sciences curricula, we’ll continue to see uneven preparation. For healthcare teams, the message is clear — training isn’t optional; it’s essential.
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