Medical cannabis in schools: A qualitative study on the experiences of clinicians

Guidance is lacking for medical cannabis use in Canadian schools in both legislation and approach; the impact of ambiguous policy on patient care is unknown. A qualitative study was undertaken to explore the experiences of clinicians who care for school-aged children who take medical cannabis.

Semi-structured interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Qualitative content analysis performed using the Dedoose qualitative software ascribed meaning units and codes, which were further consolidated into categories and subcategories.

Thirteen physicians were interviewed virtually, representing seven provinces in Canada. The physicians provided care for between five and hundreds of school-aged children who took medical cannabis. The most common indications were refractory seizure disorders and autism. The interviews provided rich descriptions on perceptions of medical cannabis in schools, and in general. Five overarching categories were identified across both domains including variability, challenges (subcategories: lack of knowledge, stigma, lack of policy, and pragmatic challenges), potential solutions (subcategories: treat it like other medications, communication, education, and family support), positive experiences and improvements over time.

In Canada, cannabis-based medicine use in schools still faces important challenges. Effective education, communication, family support and policy refinements that allow cannabis to be treated like other prescription medications are recommended to improve the status quo. These findings will guide the C4T Medical Cannabis in Schools Working Group's future priorities and initiatives.