The increased acceptance of medical marijuana as a medicine by the scientific community and the broader public obligates physicians treating patients – both those who recommend marijuana and those who do not - to be informed about its indications, uses, and laws governing its utilization. The goal of this presentation will be to present information relevant for physicians about the laws governing the recommendation of marijuana, including variation by state, and the currently available data regarding its indication for various psychiatric illnesses including Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. This presentation will examine various medico-legal topics that physicians may wish to consider or incorporate into their discussions with patients, such as the potential for conflicts related to employment and possible legal repercussions. This includes the potential curtailment of patient rights, such as their right to gun ownership. From a risk management perspective, physicians must be aware of the potential liability of recommending medical marijuana. While no physician, to date, has been successfully sued for malpractice for recommending medical marijuana, lawsuits have arisen from incorrect diagnosis that led to the receipt of medical marijuana cards. Likewise, the overall lack of informed consent guidelines regarding the recommendation of marijuana as a treatment places physicians in a vulnerable position for litigation. The expectation is that at the conclusion of this presentation, physicians will feel better able to identify the potential consequences of making medical marijuana recommendations and be better able to protect themselves and patients from potential harm.

**This content was captured for the 2020 APA OnDemand product and may reference information from various sources and terminology from previous editions of the DSM.

Course References

• Alsherbiny, Muhammad A, and Chun Guang Li. “Medicinal Cannabis-Potential Drug Interactions.” Medicines (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 6,1 3. 23 Dec. 2018 “A Review of Medical Cannabis Studies Relating to Chemical Compositions and Dosages for Qualifying Medical Conditions.” Minnesota Department of Health , May 2018. https://www.health.state.mn.us/people/cannabis/docs/practitioners/dosagesandcompositions2018.pdf.

• Associated Press. “Judge: Medical Marijuana User Fired from Job for Failing Drug Test Can Sue Former Employer.” KUTV, KUTV, 23 Dec. 2018, https://kutv.com/news/nation-world/judge-medical-marijuana-user-fired-from-job-for-failing-drug-test-can-sue-former-employer. Coats v. Dish Network, 350 P.3d 849 (Colo. 2015)

• Fugh-Berman, Adriene. Medical Cannabis Adverse Effects & Drug Interactions. https://doh.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/doh/publication/attachments/Medical Cannabis Adverse Effects and Drug Interactions_0.pdf.

• Henry, Megan. “Ohio Employers Can Fire Workers Who Use Medical Marijuana.” The Columbus Dispatch, 31 May 2019, https://www.dispatch.com/business/20190530/ohio-employers-can-fire-workers-who-use-medical-marijuana.

• Higgins , Brian F. Physician Alert: Patient Informed Consent for Medical Marijuana Treatments. 23 Apr. 2019, https://www.healthlawmattersblog.com/medical-marijuana-patient-informed-consent-form. 

Learning Objectives

• Recognize medical marijuana indications, uses, and laws governing its utilization.
• Explain marijuana’s potential side effects and drug-drug interactions.
• Describe the potential for conflicts related to employment and possible legal repercussions.
• Consider informed consent and the potential consequences of making medical marijuana recommendations.

Target Audience

Psychiatrists, Residents/Fellows

Estimated Time to Complete

Estimated Duration: 105 minutes
Begin Date: July 1, 2021
End Date: July 1, 2024

How to Earn Credit

Participants who wish to earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit ™ or a certificate of participation may do so by completing all sections of the course including the evaluation. After evaluating the program, course participants will be provided with an opportunity to claim hours of participation and print an official CME certificate (physicians) or certificate of participation (non-physicians) showing the completion date and hours earned. 

Continuing Education Credit

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. 

The APA designates this enduring CME activity for a maximum of 1.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Faculty and Planner Disclosures

All financial relationships relevant to this activity have been mitigated.

Program Presenters

• Chandler Hicks, D.O., Psychiatry resident, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.
• Maria Lapchenko, D.O., board certified psychiatrist, Tufts Medical Center, Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.
• Sara West, M.D., psychiatrist, Heartland Behavioral Healthcare-Massillon, Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.
• Adrienne Saxton, M.D., forensic psychiatrist, Atrium Health Provider, Dr. Saxton discloses the following relationships: Other: Private practice in forensic psychiatry. I am paid by attorneys and employers to conduct forensic psychiatric evaluations.

Program Planners

• Tristan Gorrindo, M.D., Director of Education, American Psychiatric Association. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.
• Katie Putnam, Membership Development Specialist, American Psychiatric Association. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.
• Ally Brown, Associate Director, Online Learning, American Psychiatric Association. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.

Accessibility for Participants with Disabilities

The American Psychiatric Association is committed to ensuring accessibility of its website to people with disabilities. If you have trouble accessing any of APA’s online resources, please contact us at 202-559-3900 for assistance.

Technical Requirements

This internet-based CME activity is best experienced using any of the following:

• The latest and 2nd latest public versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari
• Internet Explorer 11+

This Web site requires that JavaScript and session cookies be enabled. Certain activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation, or printable versions of the content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be: Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player.

Optimal System Configuration:

• Browser: Google Chrome (latest and 2nd latest version), Safari (latest and 2nd latest version), Internet Explorer 11.0+, Firefox (latest and 2nd latest version), or Microsoft Edge (latest and 2nd latest version)
• Operating System: Windows versions 8.1+, Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) +, Android (latest and 2nd latest version), or iOS/iPad OS (latest and 2nd latest version)
• Internet Connection: 1 Mbps or higher

Minimum Requirements:

• Windows PC: Windows 8.1 or higher; 1 GB (for 32-bit)/2 GB (for 64-bit) or higher RAM; Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content
• Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.5 or higher with latest updates installed; Intel, PowerPC G5, or PowerPC G4 (867MHz or faster) processor; 512 MB or higher RAM; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content

For assistance: Contact educme@psych.org for questions about this activity | Contact learningcenter@psych.org for technical assistance