Canadian Nursing Students Report Major Knowledge Gaps About Cannabis
Among 153 Canadian nursing students, approximately 90% reported knowledge gaps in cannabis regulations, 88% in effectiveness, and 86% in dosing — highlighting a critical gap in healthcare education.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Nursing students disclosed knowledge gaps in cannabis regulations (90%), effectiveness (88%), and dosing best practices (86%). Clinical exposure and virtual resources were identified as the most effective learning stimulants.
Key Numbers
153 nursing students. Knowledge gaps: regulations 90%, effectiveness 88%, dosing 86%. Survey ran September 2022 to February 2023.
How They Did This
Online survey of 153 Canadian undergraduate and graduate nursing students (September 2022-February 2023) examining knowledge, interest, and learning preferences regarding medical and recreational cannabis.
Why This Research Matters
Nurses are often the front line of patient care. If they graduate without understanding cannabis — which is legal across Canada — they can't effectively counsel patients or recognize cannabis-related health issues.
The Bigger Picture
Canada legalized cannabis in 2018, yet nursing education still hasn't caught up. This gap between legal reality and clinical training likely exists worldwide as more countries and states legalize.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Small sample from Canadian programs. Self-reported knowledge gaps may not reflect actual knowledge. Students who participated may be more interested in cannabis topics than average.
Questions This Raises
- ?Are similar gaps present in medical and pharmacy education?
- ?Would mandatory cannabis modules improve patient care outcomes?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Evidence Grade:
- Small cross-sectional survey providing preliminary evidence of an important education gap, but limited sample size and self-report methodology.
- Study Age:
- Recent survey capturing the education gap several years after Canadian cannabis legalization in 2018.
- Original Title:
- Canadian nursing students and education in medical and recreational cannabis: a preliminary evidence.
- Published In:
- International journal of nursing education scholarship, 22(1) (2025)
- Authors:
- Zanchetta, Margareth Santos, Metersky, Kateryna, Tan, Valerie, Lucchese, Stephanie Pedrotti, Siganevich, Yana, Sivasundaram, Prashajini, Nguyen, Truong Thanh Binh, Cordon, Charissa, Qureshi, Imran
- Database ID:
- RTHC-08023
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Do nurses learn about cannabis in school?
Based on this Canadian survey, most nursing students report significant knowledge gaps — 90% lack knowledge about regulations and 86% about dosing, suggesting cannabis education is inadequately integrated into curricula.
Why does this matter for patients?
Patients increasingly use cannabis and ask healthcare providers for guidance. Nurses who can't answer questions about cannabis safety, interactions, and dosing provide suboptimal care.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-08023APA
Zanchetta, Margareth Santos; Metersky, Kateryna; Tan, Valerie; Lucchese, Stephanie Pedrotti; Siganevich, Yana; Sivasundaram, Prashajini; Nguyen, Truong Thanh Binh; Cordon, Charissa; Qureshi, Imran. (2025). Canadian nursing students and education in medical and recreational cannabis: a preliminary evidence.. International journal of nursing education scholarship, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.1515/ijnes-2024-0009
MLA
Zanchetta, Margareth Santos, et al. "Canadian nursing students and education in medical and recreational cannabis: a preliminary evidence.." International journal of nursing education scholarship, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1515/ijnes-2024-0009
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Canadian nursing students and education in medical and recre..." RTHC-08023. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/zanchetta-2025-canadian-nursing-students-and
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.