Cannabis Resources for Family Physicians
Guidance in Authorizing Cannabis Products Within Primary Care
Before cannabis use legalization, little research had been conducted on its therapeutic use, safety, or efficacy. This puts family physicians in a difficult position when asked to authorize a patient’s access to a product with little evidence to support its use. The CFPC has published Guidance in Authorizing Cannabis Products Within Primary Care to support our members with clinical decisions and in discussions with their patients.
Additional Resources
Cannabasics: A Primer for Health and Social Service Providers
The "Normalizing Conversations" project team is thrilled to introduce Cannabasics: A Primer for Health and Social Service Providers. This primer serves as a valuable resource for healthcare and social service providers, delivering evidence-based insights into cannabis, its consumption methods, and fundamental principles of harm reduction. It has been crafted to offer a sufficiently detailed overview, enabling frontline professionals to engage in meaningful conversations with clients who use cannabis, and if needed, offer them appropriate harm reduction guidance.
In partnership with the CPHA, the Cannabasics Information Package, initially published in 2018, has been updated in 2023 by Dr. Daniel Bear, a cannabis researcher with nearly 20 years’ experience studying drug policy.
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s Lower-Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines
Simplified guideline for prescribing medical cannabinoids in primary care
This simplified medical cannabinoid prescribing guideline provides practical recommendations for the use of medical cannabinoids in primary care. All recommendations are intended to assist with, not dictate, decision making in conjunction with patients.
Guideline summary
Medical Cannabinoids (printable version)
Medical Cannabinoids (electronic version)
Non-Medical Cannabis
Preventing and reducing cannabis use-related harms and risks are top-of-mind when it comes to the legalization of cannabis. Through screening, assessment, and discussion with patients, primary care providers play an important role in harm reduction.
The Non-Medical Cannabis resource is designed to equip primary care providers with evidence-based, balanced information to discuss cannabis use, its associated risks and benefits with their patients, and to screen for cannabis use disorder and related problems.
Cannabis and your health
10 ways to reduce risks when using
Factsheet for health care providers
Cannabis and Pregnancy Don’t Mix: Evidence-Based Facts for Health Providers
Patient handout
What You Need to Know about Cannabis, Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Evidence-based posters
These evidence-based resources were developed by Dr. Stan Kutcher in partnership with Dr. Selene Etches (IWK Health Centre), Dr. Phil Tibbo (Nova Scotia Health Authority/Dalhousie University), and Dr. Rob Milin (University of Ottawa). There are four different posters geared to students, teachers, caregivers, and school-based student care providers. They are all available free to download at http://teenmentalhealth.org/cannabis along with external links for anyone wanting more information.
10 Questions About Cannabis Use And Your Teen: One-pager for Parents / Caregivers
10 Questions About Cannabis Use And Teens: One-pager for School-based Clinicians
10 Questions About Cannabis Use And Your Student: One-pager for Teachers
10 Questions About Cannabis Use And Teens: Poster for Students
Questions? Contact us at [email protected].
