The Medical Community Must Embrace Education
Amid the move toward cannabis legalization in the United States is a major shift in access and use. Approximately three-quarters of Americans now live in states where medical cannabis is legal (including CBD-focused programs like the one in Texas), and nearly half live in states where anyone over the age of twenty-one can access legal cannabis. Around 50 million Americans currently consume cannabis in some manner. Yet, few healthcare professionals are informed about modern products or how consumers can use them responsibly and effectively for their health. The onus is on the medical community to match consumer use with education and research. With such a large percentage of the population using cannabis, primary care providers and other clinicians have a pragmatic duty to reduce harm. Healthcare professionals should pursue cannabinoid research and work with patients directly to provide a level of educated support that matches the medical establishment’s knowledge of other widely co...