A brief educational session on medical marijuana pharmacology, interactions, and regulations produced statistically significant knowledge gains across physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and nurse technicians, while revealing that 83% of marijuana-using patients had potential drug interactions.
Hospital educators, pharmacy directors, continuing medical education planners, and healthcare administrators.
What the researchers found
All four provider groups showed significant post-education knowledge improvements: physicians (P<.01), nurses (P<.001), pharmacists (P<.01), and nurse technicians (P<.05). Chart review found 72 of 87 patients (83%) who self-reported marijuana use had at least one potential drug-drug interaction.
Why it matters
Healthcare providers are the frontline for catching dangerous drug interactions, but most have never received formal education on cannabis pharmacology. A single session produced measurable knowledge gains, suggesting this is a fixable gap.
The numbers in context
43 providers participated. Significant knowledge gains: physicians (P<.01), nurses (P<.001), pharmacists (P<.01), nurse technicians (P<.05). Chart review: 72/87 patients (83%) with marijuana use had potential drug interactions.
How the study worked
Pre- and post-education survey of 43 healthcare providers at a community hospital, with multiple-choice knowledge questions and Likert-scale attitude assessment. Secondary outcome: retrospective chart review of drug interactions in marijuana-using patients.
What this study cannot tell us
Small sample (n=43) from a single community hospital. No control group. Post-test immediately after education does not measure long-term knowledge retention. Chart review identified potential, not actual, drug interactions.
How to read the evidence
Pre-post design without control group limits attribution of change to the intervention. Significant results across multiple provider types strengthen confidence.
When this study was published
2024 publication.
The bigger picture
As cannabis use rises and patients increasingly combine it with prescription medications, the knowledge gap among providers creates real patient safety risks. The good news: even brief, targeted education makes a measurable difference.
Questions still open
- Do knowledge gains from a single session persist at 6 or 12 months?
- Would routine drug interaction screening for cannabis-using patients reduce adverse events?
Common questions
Why don't healthcare providers already know about cannabis interactions?
What kinds of drug interactions does cannabis cause?
Read the original research
Assessment of education in a community hospital on healthcare providers' knowledge of and attitudes toward medical marijuana.
Currents in pharmacy teaching & learning, 16(6), 396-403
Citation
Meyers, Sierra; Gant, Kisha; Burmeister, Melissa. (2024). Assessment of education in a community hospital on healthcare providers' knowledge of and attitudes toward medical marijuana.. Currents in pharmacy teaching & learning, 16(6), 396-403. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cptl.2024.03.007
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