Polish Pharmacists Open to Medical Cannabis but Want More Training | Research

The takeaway

A survey of 422 Polish pharmacists found broad support for medical cannabis use but significant gaps in confidence about advising patients.

Pharmacy professionals, medical cannabis policy planners, healthcare education designers

Over 90% of Polish pharmacists consider medical cannabis effective for adults

What the researchers found

Nearly half (48.9%) of Polish pharmacists believe cannabis should be used exclusively for medical purposes, while 47.6% support both medical and recreational use. Over 90% consider cannabis effective for adults, and 70% for children. However, many lack confidence in providing detailed patient guidance.

Why it matters

Pharmacists are often the last healthcare touchpoint before patients use medical cannabis. Their knowledge gaps and confidence levels directly affect the quality of patient care.

The numbers in context

422 respondents. 48.9% support medical-only use. 47.6% support medical and recreational. Over 90% believe cannabis is effective for adults. ~70% acknowledge potential for children. 66%+ comfortable discussing cannabis generally.

How the study worked

Cross-sectional survey of 422 pharmacists and pharmacy students in Poland using a custom questionnaire on attitudes, concerns, and experiences with medical cannabis.

What this study cannot tell us

Convenience sample may not represent all Polish pharmacists. Self-reported comfort levels may not reflect actual knowledge. Survey conducted in 2021, attitudes may have shifted since.

How to read the evidence

Single-country convenience sample with self-reported attitudes; may not generalize broadly.

When this study was published

2025 publication based on 2021 survey data from Poland.

The bigger picture

Poland legalized medical cannabis in 2017 but uptake remains limited. This survey suggests the pharmacy workforce is willing but underprepared, a pattern seen across many countries in the early years after medical cannabis legalization.

Questions still open

What specific educational programs would most effectively prepare pharmacists? Has pharmacist comfort with medical cannabis increased since 2021? How do pharmacist attitudes affect patient access and outcomes?

Common questions

Do pharmacists support medical cannabis?

In this Polish survey, the vast majority considered medical cannabis effective, though opinions split on whether recreational use should also be legal. Most were comfortable discussing cannabis generally but less confident giving detailed advice.

Is medical cannabis widely used in Poland?

Despite being legalized in 2017, medical cannabis use in Poland remains limited. This survey suggests pharmacist education gaps may be one barrier to wider clinical integration.

Read the original research

Concerns, Beliefs and Attitudes of Pharmacists About Medical Cannabis Use in Poland.

Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 13(21)

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Merks, Piotr; Cameron, Jameason; Kazmierczak, Justyna; Białkowski, Artur; Świetlik, Dariusz; Borowska, Mariola; Wierzba, Waldemar; Bołkun-Skórnicka, Urszula; Śliż, Daniel; Blicharska, Eliza; Fedorowski, Jarosław; Vaillancourt, Regis; Religioni, Urszula. (2025). Concerns, Beliefs and Attitudes of Pharmacists About Medical Cannabis Use in Poland.. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 13(21). https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13212657