# Attitudes, beliefs and willingness to prescribe medical cannabis among public medical practitioners in Malaysia. > **Author:** Benjamin Caplan, MD (ABFM Board Certified, MA Lic. #240562, NPI: 1962722637) > **Publisher:** CED Clinic (https://cedclinic.com) > **Canonical URL:** https://cedclinic.com/malaysian-physician-medical-cannabis-attitudes-survey/ > **Published:** 2026-04-27T23:16:57-04:00 | **Last Modified / Clinically Audited:** 2026-09-28T17:02:04-04:00 > **Clinical Summary:** New survey reveals 65% of Malaysian physicians support medical cannabis availability, with 87% backing pain management applications despite restrictive laws. --- CED Clinical Relevance  #64Notable Clinical Interest Evidence Brief | CED ClinicMalaysian physicians show cautious acceptance of [medical cannabis](https://cedclinic.com/therapeutic-benefits-of-thc/), with 65% supporting availability for specific conditions despite regulatory uncertainty. Physician Attitudes[Medical Cannabis](https://cedclinic.com/therapeutic-benefits-of-thc/)[Pain Management](https://cedclinic.com/cbd-cbg-topicals-for-eczema/)[Healthcare Policy](https://cedclinic.com/cannabis-legalization-in-canada-new-opportunities/)International Perspectives Malaysian physicians show cautious acceptance of medical cannabis, with 65% supporting availability for specific conditions despite regulatory uncertainty. What This Study Teaches Us This survey demonstrates that even in countries with strict cannabis prohibition, physicians can distinguish between recreational and medical use when forming clinical opinions. The strong preference for pain conditions (87% support) suggests physicians are most comfortable with cannabis applications that have the strongest evidence base. Why This Matters Malaysia represents a regulatory environment where cannabis remains fully prohibited, making physician attitudes particularly relevant for understanding how medical opinion might influence future policy development. The findings suggest substantial clinical interest exists even under restrictive legal frameworks. Study Snapshot Study Type Cross-sectional survey Population 420 medical practitioners working in Malaysian government institutions Intervention 23-item online questionnaire assessing attitudes, beliefs, and prescribing willingness Comparator None Primary Outcome Physician attitudes toward medical cannabis prescribing Key Finding 65% agreed medical cannabis should be available for certain conditions, 87% supported use for pain, 74.3% willing to recommend for cancer pain Journal The Medical journal of Malaysia Year Not specified in abstract Clinical Bottom Line Malaysian government physicians show measured support for medical cannabis in specific clinical contexts, particularly [pain management](https://cedclinic.com/cbd-cbg-topicals-for-eczema/), despite working within a prohibitive regulatory environment. This suggests clinical evidence may transcend cultural and legal barriers in shaping physician perspectives. What This Paper Does Not Show This study cannot demonstrate actual prescribing behavior, patient outcomes, or how these attitudes translate to clinical practice. It also doesn’t reveal the depth of cannabis knowledge among respondents or compare attitudes across different medical specialties in detail. Where This Paper Deserves Skepticism Survey responses may reflect social desirability bias, and the 23-item questionnaire structure isn’t detailed enough to assess response quality. Government-employed physicians may have particular concerns about expressing views that conflict with national policy, potentially skewing results toward more conservative positions. Dr. Caplan's Take I find it encouraging that physicians in a restrictive environment still recognize medical cannabis potential, particularly for pain where the evidence is strongest. However, without knowing their actual cannabis knowledge base, these attitudes may shift significantly with education or clinical experience. What a Careful Reader Should Take Away Physician attitudes toward medical cannabis appear to be influenced more by clinical evidence than by local legal frameworks, particularly for well-established indications like pain management. However, attitudes alone don’t predict clinical implementation success in restrictive regulatory environments. Join the Conversation Have a question about how this applies to your situation? [Ask Dr. Caplan →](https://benjamincaplan.com/ask-dr-caplan) Want to discuss this topic with other patients and caregivers? [Join the forum discussion →](https://cedclinic.com/interact/discussion-forums/forum/cannabis-industry/) Have thoughts on this? Share it: [X Share on X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Just%20read%20this%20on%20CEDclinic.com%3A%20Attitudes%2C%20beliefs%20and%20willingness%20to%20prescribe%20medical%20cannabis%20among%20public%20medical%20practitioners%20...%20%40drcaplan&url=https%3A%2F%2Fcedclinic.com%2Fmalaysian-physician-medical-cannabis-attitudes-survey%2F)[in Share on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcedclinic.com%2Fmalaysian-physician-medical-cannabis-attitudes-survey%2F)[🦅 Share on BlueSky](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Just%20read%20this%3A%20Attitudes%2C%20beliefs%20and%20willingness%20to%20prescribe%20medical%20cannabis%20among%20public%20medical%20practitioners%20...%20via%20%40drcaplan.bsky.social%20https%3A%2F%2Fcedclinic.com%2Fmalaysian-physician-medical-cannabis-attitudes-survey%2F)[📷 Follow on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/drbenjamincaplan)[📝 Read more on Substack](https://doctorapprovedcannabis.substack.com/)[🔔 Subscribe via RSS](https://cedclinic.com/feed/) Table of Contents - [FAQ](#FAQ)[What percentage of Malaysian physicians support medical cannabis use?](#What_percentage_of_Malaysian_physicians_support_medical_cannabis_use) - [Which medical conditions do physicians most support medical cannabis for?](#Which_medical_conditions_do_physicians_most_support_medical_cannabis_for) - [How does the current legal status affect physician willingness to prescribe?](#How_does_the_current_legal_status_affect_physician_willingness_to_prescribe) - [What factors influence physician attitudes toward medical cannabis?](#What_factors_influence_physician_attitudes_toward_medical_cannabis) - [Are Malaysian physicians adequately informed about medical cannabis?](#Are_Malaysian_physicians_adequately_informed_about_medical_cannabis) - [Related](#Related) ## FAQ #### What percentage of Malaysian physicians support medical cannabis use? According to this nationwide survey of 420 public medical practitioners, 65% agreed that medical cannabis should be available for certain medical conditions. This represents a cautious but significant acceptance among healthcare providers despite the current illegal status of cannabis in Malaysia. #### Which medical conditions do physicians most support medical cannabis for? Pain management emerged as the primary indication, with 87% of physicians supporting medical cannabis for pain conditions. Cancer-related pain specifically showed strong support, with 74.3% of practitioners willing to recommend medical cannabis for this indication in clinical vignettes. #### How does the current legal status affect physician willingness to prescribe? While recreational cannabis remains illegal under Malaysian law, the study reveals a disconnect between legal restrictions and clinical opinion. Despite regulatory uncertainty, a majority of physicians demonstrated willingness to prescribe medical cannabis for appropriate conditions, particularly pain-related disorders. #### What factors influence physician attitudes toward medical cannabis? The study examined participant demographics, clinical specialties, employment history, and exposure to medical cannabis knowledge as influencing factors. #### Are Malaysian physicians adequately informed about medical cannabis? The study assessed practitioners’ exposure to medical cannabis knowledge as part of their survey methodology. While specific knowledge gaps weren’t detailed in the summary, the research design suggests that education and familiarity with [medical cannabis evidence](https://cedclinic.com/cannabis-microdosing-pain-relief-clinical-evidence/) plays a role in shaping physician attitudes and prescribing willingness. [https://cedclinic.com/contact/](https://cedclinic.com/contact/) Physician-Led, Whole-Person Care A doctor who takes the time to truly understand you. Personal care that starts with listening and is guided by experience and ingenuity. Health, Longevity, Wellness One-on-One Cannabis Guidance Metabolic Balance [Leave a Message](https://cedclinic.com/contact/) [Metabolic Care](https://cedclinic.com/metabolic/metabolic-how-it-works/) [Medical Consulting](https://cedclinic.com/book/) [Cannabis Care](https://cedclinic.com/book/) [https://cedclinic.com/contact/](https://cedclinic.com/contact/) ### Related --- ### Verification & Medical Governance - **Lead Clinical Author:** Benjamin Caplan, MD - **Credentials:** Board Certified in Family Medicine (ABFM), Former CMO Canna Care Docs (250,000+ patients supervised), Founder & CMO CED Clinic & CED Foundation, Author of *The Doctor-Approved Cannabis Handbook* (Penguin Random House). - **Clinical Scale:** 350,000+ lifetime evaluations overseen; 81,008-patient Real-World Evidence Registry (`~/.ced_rwe_vault.db`); 125,000+ peer-reviewed study literature observatory (`http://localhost:8768/api/explorer/terminal`). - **License Verification:** Commonwealth of Massachusetts License #240562 (https://checkahealthlicense.mass.gov/). - **NPI Registry:** 1962722637 (https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/provider-view/1962722637). - **Ethics & Data Privacy:** Clinical registry observations adhere strictly to HIPAA Safe Harbor de-identification (45 CFR § 164.514(b)) and criteria for secondary research exemption under 45 CFR § 46.104(d)(4).