Professional association recognizes cannabis care as a specialty practice

The American Nurses Association (ANA) announced last week that it now officially recognizes cannabis nursing as a specialty practice. The professional association, which represents the interests of the country’s more than 5 million nurses, also noted that cannabis nursing is identified by the American Cannabis Nurses Association (ACNA) as a specialized nursing practice focused on consumer health care, seeking education guidance on the therapeutic use of cannabis.

“ANA is pleased to officially recognize the practice of cannabis nursing as a nursing specialty,” said ANA President Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN in a Sept. 27 statement from the organization. “This recognition highlights the essential role and unique contribution of cannabis nurses to the healthcare system and promotes improved integration of cannabis therapies for healthcare consumers across healthcare settings.”

The mission of cannabis care

ACNA’s mission is to advance the field of cannabis care through advocacy, collaboration, education, research and policy development. The professional association, which was first officially registered as a non-profit organization in 2010, is also involved in the broader areas of nursing practice and patient care.

“We are deeply pleased with the groundbreaking establishment of cannabis nursing as an ANA-recognized nursing specialty. Nurses are the largest group of healthcare professionals and provide the opportunity to change the healthcare paradigm and incorporate diverse wellness modalities beyond traditional Western medicine,” said ACNA President Rachel Parmelee MSN, RN, CNE, AHN-BC. “Cannabis care requires specialized knowledge and skills to guide care and combat the stigma associated with medical cannabis use and support a healthy society. Our goal is to create lasting, transformative change that enriches both specialty and general care practices and ultimately serves the well-being of patients across the country.”

The ANA has supported providing safe access to therapeutic marijuana and related cannabinoids for over 20 years. The association is the only review body for the field of practice and standards of specialist nursing, for applications for recognition as a specialist and for the confirmation of targeted practical skills. In 2021, the ANA issued an official policy statement affirming that cannabis and cannabis derivatives are used to relieve disease symptoms and side effects. The opinion called for a scientific review of marijuana’s status as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act and suggested that cannabis instead be listed as a Schedule II drug, which would facilitate research into the medical benefits of cannabis.

The ANA policy statement also called for the development of prescribing standards, including “indications for use, specific dose, route of administration, expected effect and possible side effects, and indications for discontinuation of a medication” and evidence-based standards for the medical use of cannabis and cannabinoids. Additionally, the opinion called for legal protection from criminal or civil penalties for patients who use cannabis and cannabinoids medically. The statement also called for protection from criminal prosecution or civil penalties, as well as freedom from professional sanctions such as loss of license or qualifications for medical professionals who discuss marijuana treatment alternatives or prescribe, dispense or administer marijuana in accordance with professional standards and State laws.

The ANA announcement comes at a time when the benefits of cannabis are becoming more widely known among patients and more professionals are addressing the issue. In September, Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, began offering two cannabis certificate programs, including one focused on cannabis and health care.

“The reason we got into this is because there is an education gap. We see ourselves as an institution that is meant to provide education,” Rachelle Strawther, director of Gonzaga’s Center for Lifelong Learning, told the Inlander. “We’re trying to help reduce the stigma around cannabis because people need good information to make decisions for themselves.”