Study Finds US Physicians Feel Underprepared to Guide Patients on Medical Cannabis

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A recently published review examined medical professionals’ perceptions on their preparedness to discuss medical cannabis with patients (1). Noting the increase of medical cannabis use and legalization throughout the US, the researchers analyzed multiple studies, including surveys and interviews, on practitioner beliefs. The researchers also noted the limited training provided to clinicians, on topics including possible drug interactions and adverse effects, and noted the limited amount of published research for its use for various conditions, which affects the amount of information and guidelines available. The study, “Physicians’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perceptions about Medical Cannabis in the United States: A Scoping Review,” was published in Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids in May 2025.

For this analysis, a total of 41 studies were analyzed, all published from January 2013 to February 2025. The studies involved various types of clinicians, healthcare professionals, trainees, and clinical representations, and included their experience with medical cannabis recommendation, and potential barriers for incorporating medical cannabis into patient care and discussions. Researchers searched for relevant studies using multiple databases, and utilized guidelines outlined by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Review (PRISMA-ScR).

The results included:

• Most dermatologists recommending medical cannabis for topical applications, and the most common indications were psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and other similar conditions
• Nearly all of the emergency and family medicine physicians agreed on the need for more medical cannabis education, with most emergency medicine physicians believing it to be valuable for chronic pain and nausea/vomiting management, and family medicine physicians reporting being skeptical of its benefits. Use of it with pregnant and pediatric patients was seen unfavorably
• Oncologists reported medical cannabis as most useful for nausea, severe pain, loss of appetite, and depression. Most reported medical cannabis as acceptable for pediatric cancer patients, though few felt it was favorable for patients over the age of 65
• In terms of other specialties: Most physicians viewed medical cannabis as harmful for patients with congenital heart disease. Stigma was reported by neurologists for its use for epilepsy. The lack of education on risks was seen as a barrier to perinatal counseling, with the primary approach stated as involving discussions on legal repercussions or child protective services involvement.
• Fewer than half of the included palliative care and hospice physicians had reported recommending medical cannabis, though most reported it as helpful for various end-of-life care treatments

Additionally, older physicians were more comfortable than younger physicians in discussing it with patients. The setting of practice and years of experience were also seen as influential in perceptions of medical cannabis. A lack of education on basic pharmacology of cannabis compounds was also reported. Postgraduate training, such as CMEs, was also called for, as well as clear state clinical practice guidelines. Physicians-in-training viewed legalization and reclassification favorably, but reported a lack of training to discuss medical cannabis, and support for it in curriculum was also called for.

Overall, the researchers suggested an increase in training based on the results of their review. “Implementing clear clinical practice guidelines, further education on these drugs in clinical curriculums, and enhancing continuing education offerings would improve prescriber confidence,” the researchers stated. “Increased research could also assist medical professionals in appropriate clinical decision making…In conclusion, effectively training current and future healthcare professionals on MC is a necessary step toward improving patient care and reducing potential stigma associated with medical versus recreational cannabinoid use.”

Reference

1. Yusupov, E.; Lopez, S.; Pino, MA. Physicians' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perceptions about Medical Cannabis in the United States: A Scoping Review. Med Cannabis Cannabinoids. 2025, 8(1):58-64. DOI: 10.1159/000546264.