ACP Calls for Evidence-Based Public Health Approach to Cannabis Regulation

ACP Calls for Evidence-Based Public Health Approach to Cannabis Regulation

Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M24-0638            

URL goes live when the embargo lifts     

A public health approach is necessary to address the legal, medical, and social complexities of cannabis use, says the American College of Physicians (ACP) in a new policy paper, “Regulatory Framework for Cannabis: A Position Paper from the American College of Physicians.”  In the paper, ACP issues recommendations to policymakers on adopting a public health approach to prevent and control adverse cannabis-related health outcomes. The policy paper is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Among the recommendations, ACP supports rigorous research into the health effects, potential therapeutic uses, and the impact of legalization on cannabis use. Additionally, ACP calls for the decriminalization of possession of small amounts of cannabis for personal use to help address systemic inequities and promote a treatment-focused alternative to criminal penalties for substance use disorders. The policy paper goes on to outline a public health approach to controlling cannabis in jurisdictions where it is already legal. ACP also calls for insurance coverage of treatment for cannabis use disorder and incorporating information about cannabis into medical education.

Media contacts: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Angela Collom at [email protected]. To speak with someone from ACP, please contact Jacqueline Blaser at [email protected].