A professional association representing more than five million nurses in the U.S. announced that cannabis is now officially recognized as a nursing specialization practice area.
In a Wednesday press release, the American Nurses Association (ANA), said that cannabis nurses have an important role to play in educating and guiding patients on how marijuana can be used in treatment.
The ANA President Jennifer Mensik Kennedy stated that “This recognition highlights and celebrates the important role and contribution of cannabis nursing to the health system, and promotes enhanced integrated cannabis therapies for consumers of health care across diverse health-care settings.”
The group describes itself as the “single review body for specialty nursing scope and standards of practice.”
ANA President Jennifer Mensik Kennedy announced today that Cannabis Nursing is now recognized as a specialty nursing practice!
Read ANA’s statement which includes a quote from ACNA President Rachel Parmeleehttps://t.co/RHggfqBvRR* pic.twitter.com/zc0K3qYFOg
American Cannabis Nurses Association September 28th, 2023
The group also acknowledged a separate organization, the American Cannabis Nurses Association, which promotes research, education, and policy reform in relation to medical marijuana. The ANA credited the group with “pioneering cannabis nursing” and for “contributing towards the broader landscape in nursing practice and patient-care.”
Rachel Parmelee said that the ACNA was “deeply gratified” by the groundbreaking recognition of cannabis nursing nursing as a specialty recognized by the ANA.
Parmalee stated in a press release that “Nurses represent the largest group of healthcare professionals. They provide an opportunity to change health care paradigms and include diverse wellness methods beyond traditional Western medicine.” Cannabis nursing requires specialized skills and knowledge to help navigate the care system and to address stigmas associated with medical marijuana use. We aim to bring about a lasting, transformative shift that will enrich both general and specialized nursing practices. This will ultimately benefit patients across the country.
In its announcement ANA expressed its support for the “urgency of clinical research in order to inform patients about the efficacy and safety of marijuana and cannabinoids.” The organization also referred to a position declaration on 2021 regarding the therapeutic use cannabis.
This statement included, among other things, “relisting cannabis as a Schedule II controlled substance to facilitate research”, developing evidence-based guidelines for dosage and use, protecting marijuana users from civil and criminal penalties, and exempting health care providers from criminal prosecution or civil liability for discussing or recommending pot.
Legalizing marijuana is generally supported by American nurses. In 2018, a survey of 1,054 nurses found that 82% supported the legalization of medical marijuana and 57 % supported its legalization for adults.
Significant obstacles still remain despite some progress in cannabis research over the past few years. Multiple federal agencies took part in a discussion earlier this month on marijuana research under prohibition. They also discussed efforts to create a regulatory pathway for CBD and state initiatives to promote equity.
The Food and Drug Administration, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Cancer Institute and National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health all participated.
The Schedule I status of marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act, which places it on the list of substances to be controlled (CSA), poses a number challenges to scientists wishing to conduct research.
In a recent study published in the journal PLoS ONE, patients with chronic illnesses experienced significant improvement in quality of life overall and a reduction in fatigue in the first three months after medical marijuana use.
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