Toward medical cannabis education in Israel

Objectives: To assess knowledge, attitudes and beliefs regarding medical cannabis among Israeli medical, nursing, social work and other health related students as well as to outline the formation of an instrument for standardized data collection on these topics. Methods: An invitation to participate with a link for the online survey was sent to all students pursuing a degree in medicine, nursing, social work, and other health disciplines in the Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Israel. The instrument included 32 items that measured knowledge, attitudes and beliefs regarding medical cannabis. In addition, demographic data were collected and participants were asked about the frequency of medical or recreational cannabis use. Results: Among the 763 participants, 596 were females (78 %), and the mean age was 25.8 years. While the reported personal use of medical cannabis was minimal (1.9 %), cannabis use for recreational purposes was relatively common (54.0 %). The vast majority believed that medical cannabis holds significant health benefits but expressed concerns regarding potential risks of cannabis use. Additionally, the vast majority of students felt unprepared to answer patients' questions about medical cannabis and expressed a desire to receive more training. Several significant differences between the different academic disciplines were observed. Conclusions: In light of current regulatory and scientific developments, it is apparent that students of health professions will need a greater level of understanding of medical cannabis than previous generations of students. This study emphasizes the ample need for more knowledge and formal education to students of health and related professions.