University Announces Online Medical Cannabis Course For Health Professionals
16-Jan-23 05:02:16
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem announced last week that it would offer a new course in medical cannabis for health professionals. The 13-week course, which the university characterized as “groundbreaking,” is designed “to better educate doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other medical professionals about new cannabinoid treatments, practices and the latest research.
“The importance of medical cannabis education is undisputed,” Professor Yossi Tam, the director of the university’s medical cannabis research center, said in a statement from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. “As cannabis is becoming legalized in an increasing number of countries, it is more important than ever for doctors to understand this drug, its myriad uses, its benefits, as well as its current shortcomings. Our course reflects the expertise and extensive knowledge at the university. Medical practitioners will be able to learn from our leading cannabis researchers, gaining the knowledge to treat and advise with confidence.”
The new medical cannabis course is being offered by Hebrew University’s Multidisciplinary Center for Cannabinoid Research (MCCR). The staff at the center features Professor Raphael Mechoulam, the pioneering scientist known as the “Father of Cannabis Research” for his significant discoveries in the field over more than five decades. Other MCCR experts include Tam and Hadassah Medical Center’s Professor Yakir Rottenberg.
Patients And Doctors Seek Information On Medical Cannabis
The university notes that Dr. Peter Grinspoon of Harvard University found that while patients often seek education about medical marijuana, their doctors are overly dismissive of the treatment opportunities afforded by the medicinal use of cannabis. The tide seems to be turning, with many healthcare professionals now working to gain more knowledge about medical cannabis treatments. Researchers at the MCCR created the virtual medical cannabis series to help disseminate information and help address the stigma often associated with cannabis in the medical field. As an increasing number of countries legalize the use of medical cannabis, there is a need to educate physicians and other health professionals, who can play a major role in implementing policies.
“Doctors need greater access to knowledge about the drug, and this course aims to educate health professionals about the therapeutic role of medical cannabis in patient health,” the university wrote. “Cannabis has many medical uses from treating adults with chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting to treating chronic pain and treating adults with multiple sclerosis (MS)-related spasticity.”
SOURCE & CREDIT: FORBES