Most Australian GPs had received patient inquiries about medicinal cannabis, but only half felt comfortable discussing it, and two-thirds felt they lacked adequate knowledge.
Healthcare professionals, medical educators, and readers interested in medicinal cannabis access and prescribing trends.
85% of GPs got patient questions; only 22% had prescribed
What the researchers found
85.3% of GPs received patient inquiries about medicinal cannabis in the prior three months, but only 52.3% felt comfortable discussing it. Just 21.8% had prescribed a cannabis product, and 66.9% felt they had inadequate knowledge.
Why it matters
Six years after medicinal cannabis became available in Australia, GPs remain the primary prescribers but many feel underprepared, highlighting a gap between patient demand and practitioner readiness.
The numbers in context
505 GPs surveyed; 85.3% had patient inquiries; 52.3% comfortable discussing; 21.8% had prescribed; 66.9% felt inadequate knowledge. GPs rated opioids, benzodiazepines, and chemotherapy drugs as more hazardous than cannabis.
How the study worked
Cross-sectional study using a 42-item online questionnaire completed by 505 Australian GPs attending an educational seminar between November 2021 and February 2022. Results were compared to a 2017 survey to track changes over time.
What this study cannot tell us
GPs attending educational seminars may not represent all GPs. Self-selection bias likely. Some GPs incorrectly believed CBD causes addiction and driving impairment, suggesting misinformation. Cross-sectional design.
How to read the evidence
Large survey with comparison to earlier data, though self-selected sample limits generalizability.
When this study was published
Published in 2022 with data from 2021-2022.
The bigger picture
The gap between patient interest and GP confidence in medicinal cannabis is a global pattern seen across multiple countries, suggesting systemic issues with medical education rather than country-specific barriers.
Questions still open
- What specific educational interventions would most effectively improve GP knowledge? Does GP comfort with cannabis prescribing correlate with patient outcomes?
Common questions
How has GP acceptance of medicinal cannabis changed since 2017?
What misconceptions did GPs hold about cannabis?
Read the original research
Knowledge, experiences, and attitudes of Australian General Practitioners towards medicinal cannabis: a 2021-2022 survey.
BMC primary care, 23(1), 330
Citation
Bawa, Zeeta; McCartney, Danielle; Manocha, Ramesh; McGregor, Iain S. (2022). Knowledge, experiences, and attitudes of Australian General Practitioners towards medicinal cannabis: a 2021-2022 survey.. BMC primary care, 23(1), 330. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-022-01946-x
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