Psychiatric Hospital Staff Say Cannabis Legalization Brought Benefits But Also New Clinical Challenges

Providers reported legalization had some positive impacts (improved product safety, more open clinical conversations) but also raised concerns about increased cannabis use rates, risks to mental health, and ongoing challenges engaging patients about cannabis. Providers recommended updated curricula, clinical guidelines, standardized screening, and public health campaigns.

Qualitative study with semi-structured interviews of 20 healthcare providers (physicians, pharmacists, nurses) at a tertiary psychiatric hospital in Ontario, Canada, conducted June-July 2021. Thematic analysis of responses about legalization impacts on patient health, clinical practice, and the cannabis access system.

Mental health settings are at the front line of potential cannabis-related harms. This study provides the first systematic look at how legalization has affected clinical practice in a major psychiatric hospital, revealing a gap between the evolving cannabis landscape and provider preparedness.

Cannabis legalization is being adopted in more jurisdictions, but mental healthcare infrastructure has been slow to adapt. These provider perspectives highlight specific, actionable gaps -- from training to screening to clinical guidelines -- that other jurisdictions can address proactively rather than reactively.

Single psychiatric hospital in Ontario limits generalizability. Provider perspectives may not reflect patient experiences. The 2021 data collection occurred during COVID-19, which may have independently affected both cannabis use and mental health care delivery.