title: Opinions of Hospital Pharmacists in Canada Regarding Marijuana for Medical Purposes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Canada's most recent Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations have changed the way in which patients access marijuana. Furthermore, if authorized by the person in charge of the hospital, a pharmacist practising in a hospital may now place orders with licensed producers for dried marijuana for in-hospital use by patients. As use of this product increases, hospital pharmacists may have an increased role in the care of patients who are using marijuana for medical purposes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The primary objective of this study was to determine the opinions of hospital pharmacists in Canada regarding marijuana for medical purposes. The secondary objective was to assess the factors influencing these opinions.
  
  
  METHODS
  An online survey was made available in early 2015 to licensed hospital pharmacists in Canada through individual provincial and territorial pharmacy regulatory bodies, pharmacist associations, hospital pharmacy directors, the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, and the Association des pharmaciens des établissements de santé du Québec. Responses were based on a 5-point Likert style scale, ranging from "completely agree" to "completely disagree".
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 769 valid survey responses were received. Among the respondents, 44.6% (333/747) agreed that marijuana is safe, whereas 55.2% (411/745) agreed that it is effective. Only 17.2% (129/748) agreed that they were knowledgeable about marijuana for medical purposes, and about 65% of respondents reported no formal training in this area. Factors that influenced respondents' opinions were age, education, area of clinical practice, province of work, and personal experience.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many Canadian hospital pharmacists agreed that marijuana for medical purposes is safe and effective, yet few considered themselves knowledgeable about this substance, with more than half reporting no formal training on the topic.
authors.affiliation: BSc(Pharm), ACPR, was, at the time of this study, a Pharmacy Resident at Horizon Health Network, Moncton, New Brunswick. She is now a Pharmacist with Health PEI, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.affiliation: PhD, is Professor of Psychology at Mount Allison University, Sackville, New Brunswick.
authors.forename: Odette
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gould
authors.affiliation: BSc(Chem), BSc(Pharm), PharmD, FCSHP, is Clinical Pharmacy Manager and Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Oncology with Horizon Health Network, Moncton, New Brunswick.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: LeBlanc
authors.affiliation: BSc(Pharm), ACPR, PharmD, is Clinical Pharmacy Manager and Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Emergency Medicine with Horizon Health Network, Moncton, New Brunswick.
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Manuel
keywords: Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations; efficacy; hospital pharmacists; knowledge; medical marijuana; safety