In the US, the Cannabis Nurses Network (CNN) is a membership organization that provides education, continuing education, and networking for nurses interested in becoming or being a “cannabis nurse”. Being a Cannabis Nurse does not exist yet as a specialty, but the organization has that as a goal. The organization has been around since 2015 but online education and membership began in 2019. With an understanding that nurses are patient advocates, the organization was instrumental in the passage of Ryan’s Law. Ryan’s Law went into effect January 2022 and requires healthcare facilities to allow the use of medical cannabis on their premises for terminally ill patients with a valid medical cannabis card or/ recommendation from their physician.
Topics included in the CNN educational programs are: Political & Advocacy Landscape, Indigenous & Spiritual Plant Medicine, Hemp & CBD, as well as a Cannabis Nurse Entrepreneurship course.
The American Nurses Association (ANA) supports the therapeutic use of Cannabis as well as a reclassification from a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing established guidelines outlined in the Journal of Nursing Regulation that would require cannabis education in advanced practice registered nurse teaching.
Sean Hocking
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