Cannabis Module: At-Risk Populations, Product Safety, and Patient Concerns
2.0 hour online/home study education module
Beneficence and nonmaleficence are two important ethical principles in the healthcare professions. These principles require healthcare professionals to weigh the benefits and risks of treatment, and specifically for this course, the benefits and risks of medical cannabis use. As patients play a more active role in their treatment decisions, and may choose to use medical cannabis with or without a prescription or recommendation, healthcare professionals need to be adequately prepared to discuss the benefits and risks of medical cannabis use, potential drug interactions, and the safety of cannabis products.
The risks of medical cannabis use may be higher in certain populations, including adolescents, pregnant and lactating women, and advanced age patients. Furthermore, patients taking other concurrent medications while using medical cannabis may be at risk for significant drug interactions. Therefore, it is critical to gain an understanding about why these at-risk or vulnerable populations may need special attention. Additionally, patient safety concerns exist regarding the quality and purity of products because there is widespread availability and they have disparate regulation. This module will highlight how healthcare professionals can help patients make informed decisions about cannabis use as it relates to benefits, risks, and product quality.
Learning Objectives
At the completion of this course, participants will be able to:
- Examine the effects of medical cannabis in adolescents, pregnant and lactating women, and patients of advanced age.
- Evaluate drug interactions that can occur with medical cannabis.
- Discuss important patient safety issues, including determining medical cannabis product quality and purity.
- Demonstrate appropriate patient counseling regarding cannabis use, especially in at-risk populations.
The University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education (CPE). This event has been accredited for up to 2.0 contact hours of knowledge-based CPE home study.
0008-0000-22-078-H01-P
Release 08/18/2022
Expires 08/18/2025
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