Knowledge and attitudes of Australian general practitioners towards medicinal cannabis

This cross-sectional study is the first to examine the knowledge and attitudes of Australian general practitioners (GPs) towards medicinal cannabis. The survey was completed by 640 GPs across 5 major cities in Australia. Over 60% of GPs reported one or more patient enquiries about medical cannabis in the past three months. However, most felt that their knowledge was inadequate and less than 30% felt comfortable discussing medicinal cannabis with patients. Support for cannabis was condition specific, with strong support for use in cancer pain and palliative care. Although there was a high degree of neutrality with respect to the desire of GPs to prescribe medicinal cannabis, the vast majority supported a model of prescribing in which GPs played a significant role. These results highlight the need for continuing medical education and guidelines on the regulatory, pharmacological and clinical aspects of medicinal cannabis to ensure optimal patient care. Read the full article