Survey of 505 Australian GPs finds growing acceptance of medicinal cannabis but widespread knowledge gaps
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.
Quick Facts
What This Study 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.
Key Numbers
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 They Did This
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.
Why This Research 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 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.
What This Study Doesn't 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.
Questions This Raises
- ?What specific educational interventions would most effectively improve GP knowledge?
- ?Does GP comfort with cannabis prescribing correlate with patient outcomes?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 85% of GPs got patient questions; only 22% had prescribed
- Evidence Grade:
- Large survey with comparison to earlier data, though self-selected sample limits generalizability.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2022 with data from 2021-2022.
- Original Title:
- Knowledge, experiences, and attitudes of Australian General Practitioners towards medicinal cannabis: a 2021-2022 survey.
- Published In:
- BMC primary care, 23(1), 330 (2022)
- Authors:
- Bawa, Zeeta(2), McCartney, Danielle(22), Manocha, Ramesh(2), McGregor, Iain S
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03698
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
How has GP acceptance of medicinal cannabis changed since 2017?
Support for prescribing cannabis for palliative care, cancer pain, chemotherapy nausea, and epilepsy increased between 2017 and 2022. However, support for prescribing for mental health conditions like depression and anxiety remained lower.
What misconceptions did GPs hold about cannabis?
Some GPs incorrectly believed CBD (cannabidiol) could cause addiction and driving impairment, which does not align with current evidence. This suggests a need for better educational resources.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03698APA
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
MLA
Bawa, Zeeta, et al. "Knowledge, experiences, and attitudes of Australian General Practitioners towards medicinal cannabis: a 2021-2022 survey.." BMC primary care, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-022-01946-x
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Knowledge, experiences, and attitudes of Australian General ..." RTHC-03698. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/bawa-2022-knowledge-experiences-and-attitudes
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.