ANA Resolution

Providing Patients Safe Access to Therapeutic Marijuana/Cannabis

Passed at the 2003 House of Delegates

WHEREAS, the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 categorized marijuana as a Schedule I substance making it unavailable for medicinal use; and,

WHEREAS, nine states and the District of Columbia have passed laws that permit use of medicinal marijuana/cannabis; and,

WHEREAS, marijuana/cannabis has a wide margin of safety for use under prescribed supervision, and it is effective for numerous conditions; and,

WHEREAS, many desperate patients and families risk breaking the law to gain access to marijuana/cannabis for therapeutic use; and,

WHEREAS, ten of ANA’s Constituent Member Associations (CMAs) have taken positions in support of access to marijuana/cannabis for therapeutic use; and,

WHEREAS, ANA’s Congress on Nursing Practice in 1996 supported the education of registered professional nurses regarding current, evidence-based therapeutic uses of cannabis and the investigation of the therapeutic efficacy of cannabis in controlled trials; and,

WHEREAS, nurses have an ethical obligation to be advocates for access to healthcare for all,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the American Nurses Association will:

1. Support research in controlled investigational trials on the therapeutic efficacy of marijuana/cannabis, including alternative methods of administration.

2. Support the right of patients to have safe access to therapeutic marijuana/cannabis under appropriate prescriber supervision.

3. Support the ability of health care providers to discuss and/or recommend the medicinal use of marijuana without the threat of intimidation or penalization.

4. Support legislation to remove criminal penalties including arrest and imprisonment for bona fide patients and prescribers of therapeutic marijuana/cannabis.

5. Support federal and state legislation to exclude marijuana/cannabis from classification as a Schedule I drug.

6. Support and encourage the education of registered nurses regarding current, evidencebased therapeutic use of marijuana/cannabis.

Retrieved from ANA's Resolution