American Nurses Association Formally Recognizes Cannabis Nursing As A Specialty Practice

The American Nurses Association (ANA) formally recognized cannabis nursing as a specialty practice area. Cannabis nursing is identified by the American Cannabis Nurses Association (ACNA) as a specialty practice focused on caring for consumers seeking education and guidance in the therapeutic use of cannabis. ANA represents more than 5 million nurses.

“ANA is pleased to officially recognize cannabis nursing practice as a nursing specialty,” stated ANA president Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, Ph.D., MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN. “This recognition highlights the essential role and special contribution of cannabis nurses to the health care system and promotes enhanced integration of cannabis therapies for health care consumers across diverse health care settings.”

ACNA highlighted its goal to improve cannabis nursing practice via advocacy, education, partnership, research and policy development.

See Also: Jordan Tishler, MD Talks About Medical Cannabis, Success Rates, Side Effects And That It Should Be A Specialty Field Of Its Own

“We are deeply gratified by the groundbreaking establishment of cannabis nursing as an ANA-recognized nursing specialty," said ACNA president Rachel Parmelee MSN, RN, CNE, AHN-BC. "Nurses are the largest group of health professionals, providing an opportunity to change the healthcare paradigm and include diverse wellness modalities beyond traditional Western medicine. Cannabis nursing requires specialized knowledge and competencies to navigate care and address the stigma associated with medical cannabis use to support a healthy society.”

The ANA made it clear it supports the urgency of clinical research to gather relevant data on the efficacy of marijuana and related cannabinoids.

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