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More than 25% of North Americans use cannabis products as a botanical remedy for various health-related issues, such as anxiety and pain. In 2023, wellness products containing the cannabis compound CBD were sold worldwide, amounting to a value of $5 billion. The primary source of information on medical cannabis for most people is online. Healthcare providers around the world have limited knowledge and training on medical cannabis. According to Professor Richard Isralowitz, most students in medicine and allied health professions have no field education about the risks and benefits of medical cannabis, including its different strains, delivery methods, dosing, and monitoring strategies. To address this gap in knowledge, an Israeli and American team has launched the Medical Cannabis Education Development Program to create curriculums for medical and allied health schools globally. The program aims to define medical cannabis competencies and develop a uniform curriculum that will change over time, adapting to new evidence. Isralowitz stresses the need to standardize curricula across countries, but implementing new courses is challenging. The urgency of the situation may speed up the process as an increasing number of patients seek advice about using medical cannabis.
