Medical Marijuana: A Primer on Ethics, Evidence, and Politics

• Medical marijuana is a complex issue with implications for APRN practice.
• This manuscript describes the current controversy surrounding medical marijuana in the US.
• The manuscript identifies the relevant statements in the ANA Code of Ethics and the ethical values in the debate.
• The manuscript examines the conflicting evidence, policies, and laws.

Controversy in the United States about the decriminalization of cannabis to allow health care providers to recommend it for therapeutic use (medical marijuana) has been based on varying policies and beliefs about cannabis rather than on scientific evidence. Issues include the duty to provide care, conflicting reports of the therapeutic advantages and risks of cannabis, inconsistent laws, and even the struggle to remove barriers to the scope of practice for advanced practice registered nurses. This article reviews the ethics, evidence, and politics of this complex debate.