#5
Clinical Context
Background information relevant to the evolving cannabis medicine landscape.
The University of New England has launched an online certification program in cannabis medicine and science, addressing a significant gap in formal clinical education as cannabis use expands across healthcare settings. This program is designed to train healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses, and other clinicians, in the evidence-based pharmacology, clinical applications, and regulatory landscape of cannabis therapeutics. The curriculum covers cannabinoid mechanisms of action, patient assessment, drug interactions, and appropriate dosing strategies that are critical for safe prescribing and patient counseling. As cannabis becomes legal in more jurisdictions and patients increasingly seek it for various conditions, formal education helps clinicians make informed recommendations and avoid potential harms from inadequate knowledge or drug interactions. The availability of structured, university-backed training may improve the quality of cannabis-related clinical care and help standardize practice across diverse healthcare settings. Clinicians seeking to expand their cannabis medicine competency now have a credible pathway to obtain formal certification and evidence-based knowledge.
This topic comes up in consultations often.
Dr. Caplan offers clinical context on evolving cannabis policy and its real-world implications for patients.
Book a consultation →“We’re finally seeing medical education catch up to clinical reality, and that’s essential because our patients are already using cannabis, whether we’re equipped to counsel them or not—a well-trained physician who understands the pharmacology and drug interactions can help patients make safer decisions than leaving them to navigate this alone.”
🎓 The emergence of formal educational programs in cannabis medicine through institutions like the University of New England reflects growing legitimacy of cannabinoid therapeutics in clinical practice, yet providers should recognize that certification programs vary widely in rigor, curriculum content, and evidence standards. While structured training is valuable given the expanding clinical applications of cannabis—particularly for chronic pain, chemotherapy-induced nausea, and certain seizure disorders—the current landscape lacks standardized educational benchmarks comparable to traditional pharmaceutical training, and many programs may emphasize practical dispensing knowledge over rigorous pharmacology and drug interaction data. Importantly, the evidence base for cannabis remains incomplete in many clinical domains, with limited high-quality randomized controlled trials, and individual state regulations create significant variation in what providers can legally recommend or prescribe. Clinicians considering such programs should evaluate whether the curriculum aligns with evidence-based medicine, includes robust coverage of adverse effects and drug interactions, and maintains appropriate skepticism toward
💬 Join the Conversation
Have a question about how this applies to your situation?
Ask Dr. Caplan →
Want to discuss this topic with other patients and caregivers?
Join the forum discussion →
Have thoughts on this? Share it: