Spanish General Counsel Of Official Colleges Of Physicians Plans To Train Doctors In Cannabis Care
The formal approval of cannabis for medical purposes in Spain has created a demand to train doctors in prescribing medical cannabis
The Spanish General Council of Official Colleges of Physicians has announced plans to train doctors to prescribe medical cannabis. This endeavor however is not something specific to cannabis reform, but rather incorporates cannabis into already existing training programs for new medicines in general.
There is no date set for the initiation of the new program.
The Urgent Need for Doctor Training and Education
The need for doctors who understand how to administer cannabis as medicine has never been more urgent. As recreational reform how hangs in the balance in multiple European countries, how the drug interacts with the human body is an issue that still needs to be better understood – no matter the intention of the user.
There are several reasons for this. The first is, of course, medical. Most mainstream physicians do not understand how to administer cannabis – and specialists tend to err on the side of extreme caution – leaving many medical users without enough medicine. The additional issues include ending discrimination that still exists against medical cannabis users – such as prohibiting them from receiving organ transplants – to understanding how cannabis interacts with the human body.
The second reason, however, is clearly because additional reform is on the way. “Recreational users” will mushroom across Europe – many of whom are actually patients but do not realize it.
The Status of Cannabis Legalization in Spain
Spain pioneered the idea of cannabis clubs – the model for which has shown up internationally – and most notably, in South Africa. For the past decade, clubs have been established across the country and are now present in most Spanish cities. Barcelona remains the centre of club culture and where most of the country’s clubs are located.
Beyond this, Spain has issued five licenses for medical cultivation at a federal level, the last being issued just this year.
In addition, hemp cultivation is legal across the country – but only for industrial use.
The formal recognition of medical cannabis is an important step here – but it clearly won’t be the last. Training doctors in cannabis care is an important part of the process to normalize the use of the plant as a medicine.
