A majority of hospice health professionals favor allowing the legally regulated use of cannabis for terminally ill patients, according to survey data published online in the Journal of Palliative Medicine.
Investigators at the University of Pennsylvania utilized a 16-item questionnaire to assess the knowledge, experience, and views of hospice professionals regarding the use of marijuana in terminally ill patients.
Authors concluded, “The study results revealed that, like the general public, hospice health care providers are generally in favor of legalization of marijuana and, if legalized, would support its use in symptom management for their terminally ill patients.”
Various health professional organizations, including the American Nurses Association and the American Public Health Association, have enacted resolutions in support of allowing patients the legal alternative to use cannabis therapy.
For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: [email protected]. Full text of the study, “Assessment of hospice health professional knowledge, views, and experience with medical marijuana,” appears in the Journal of Palliative Medicine.
