Attitudes toward medical cannabis among family physicians practising in Ontario, Canada: a qualitative research study.
Attitude of Health Personnel
Female
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Health Services Accessibility
/ legislation & jurisprudence
Humans
Male
Medical Marijuana
/ adverse effects
Mental Health
/ ethics
Middle Aged
Needs Assessment
Ontario
/ epidemiology
Physicians, Family
/ education
Practice Patterns, Physicians'
/ ethics
Qualitative Research
Risk Assessment
Journal
CMAJ open
ISSN: 2291-0026
Titre abrégé: CMAJ Open
Pays: Canada
ID NLM: 101620603
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Historique:
entrez:
14
4
2021
pubmed:
15
4
2021
medline:
6
8
2021
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Medical cannabis has been legally available in Canada since 2001, but its benefits and harms remain uncertain. We explored attitudes toward medical cannabis among family physicians practising in Ontario. Between January and October 2019, we conducted a qualitative study of Ontario family physicians using semistructured telephone interviews. We applied thematic analysis to interview transcripts and identified representative quotes. Eleven physicians agreed to be interviewed, and 3 themes regarding medical cannabis emerged: reluctance to authorize use, concern over harms and lack of practical knowledge. Participants raised concerns about the limited evidence for, and their lack of education regarding, the therapeutic use of cannabis, particularly the harms associated with neurocognitive development, exacerbation of mental illness and drug interactions in older adults. Some participants thought medical cannabis was overly accessible and questioned their role following legalization of recreational cannabis. Despite the increasing availability of medical cannabis, family physicians expressed reluctance to authorize its use because of lack of knowledge and concerns regarding harms. Family physicians may benefit from guidance and education that address concerns they have surrounding medical cannabis.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Medical cannabis has been legally available in Canada since 2001, but its benefits and harms remain uncertain. We explored attitudes toward medical cannabis among family physicians practising in Ontario.
METHODS
Between January and October 2019, we conducted a qualitative study of Ontario family physicians using semistructured telephone interviews. We applied thematic analysis to interview transcripts and identified representative quotes.
RESULTS
Eleven physicians agreed to be interviewed, and 3 themes regarding medical cannabis emerged: reluctance to authorize use, concern over harms and lack of practical knowledge. Participants raised concerns about the limited evidence for, and their lack of education regarding, the therapeutic use of cannabis, particularly the harms associated with neurocognitive development, exacerbation of mental illness and drug interactions in older adults. Some participants thought medical cannabis was overly accessible and questioned their role following legalization of recreational cannabis.
INTERPRETATION
Despite the increasing availability of medical cannabis, family physicians expressed reluctance to authorize its use because of lack of knowledge and concerns regarding harms. Family physicians may benefit from guidance and education that address concerns they have surrounding medical cannabis.
Identifiants
pubmed: 33849983
pii: 9/2/E342
doi: 10.9778/cmajo.20200187
pmc: PMC8084545
doi:
Substances chimiques
Medical Marijuana
0
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
E342-E348Informations de copyright
© 2021 Joule Inc. or its licensors.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Competing interests: None declared.
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