Lessons learned from an academic and clinical partnership to address barriers and facilitators of cannabis education and practice.

BACKGROUND

As cannabis legalization has increased its availability, nurses are seeing an increased demand for education that incorporates the latest research, innovation and acceptance of cannabis as medicine among medical professionals. Cannabis nurses, who focus on the care of healthcare consumers seeking education and guidance on therapeutic cannabis use, are well-positioned to meet this need. However, research on nurse-led cannabis education and practice remains scarce. A focus group of 8 key clinical stakeholders (e.g., naturopaths, physicians, and cannabis nurses) was conducted to understand and document barriers and facilitators of cannabis nursing education and practice.

METHODS

Data were derived from insights provided during a 60-min semi-structured focus group conducted in June 2025 with 6 members of the National Cannabis Nurse Task Force which included cannabis nurses, a naturopath, and a physician; An inductive qualitative approach was used to identify themes through an iterative analytic process.

RESULTS

We identified three themes: (1) foundational knowledge of cannabis, (2) professional identity and marginalization and (3) practical pathways for integration into mainstream healthcare. Participants emphasized that endocannabinoid system literacy and historical context are essential prerequisites for safer, stigma-informed counseling; that cannabis nurses frequently function as knowledge brokers but remain excluded from formal clinical and educational spaces despite being trusted experts; and that structural stigma and policy inconsistency constrain both access and professional legitimacy.

CONCLUSION

These findings underscore the need for clinically grounded education on the endocannabinoid system, clearer role recognition for cannabis nurses, and pragmatic, equity-centered strategies to integrate cannabis content into healthcare education and practice.