The success of a nation’s medical cannabis program largely hinges on the views of the country’s professional medical community. After all, even if a country has legalized cannabis for medical use, if no doctors or other medical professionals are willing to approve patient access to medical cannabis, it will directly hinder progress.

With that in mind, the results of a recent survey of medical students in Colombia asking about views toward medical cannabis are encouraging. A team of researchers affiliated with Santiago de Cali University conducted the survey, with their findings published in the Journal of Cannabis Research.

The stated objective of the survey was to “assess the levels of knowledge and attitudes regarding medical cannabis among Medicine, Nursing, and Physiotherapy students at a private Colombian university” and to “identify sociodemographic predictors of higher knowledge and favorable attitudes.”

“A cross-sectional study was conducted among 658 undergraduate students selected through simple random sampling stratified by academic program and semester, using official enrollment lists as the sampling frame. A validated questionnaire assessed sociodemographics, knowledge, and attitudes. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression identified predictors of higher knowledge and favorable attitudes (p < 0.05; 95% CI).” the researchers stated about their methodology.

“Overall, 63% reported moderate to substantial knowledge, though significant gaps persisted: 69% demonstrated low self-perceived knowledge regarding therapeutic dosage, 92% lacked awareness of legal regulations, and 60% showed insufficient knowledge about pharmaceutical forms.” the researchers found. “Attitudes toward the medical use of cannabis were predominantly favorable: 75% supported expanded legalization and 89% endorsed academic training.”

“Results suggest that incorporating medical cannabis education into health curricula may be beneficial, although additional studies are needed to confirm this recommendation in broader contexts.” the researchers concluded.

Colombia is home to an emerging legal medical cannabis industry, with the South American nation announcing late last year that it would allow authorized medical cannabis patients to use flower. In addition to its domestic medical cannabis industry, Colombia is increasingly becoming a top international source for medical cannabis products. For example, in 2025, Colombia exported over 3.5 tonnes of medical cannabis products to Germany, up from .641 tonnes in 2024.