Facilitators and barriers to the regulation of medical cannabis: a scoping review of the peer-reviewed literature

Abstract

Background In recent decades, several political, legislative, judicial, consumer, and commercial processes around the world have advanced legalization efforts for the use of medical cannabis (MC). As the use of MC evolves through legislative reform, with an increase in public acceptance and therapeutic potential, a need exists to further investigate the facilitators and barriers to MC regulation. Methods A scoping review was conducted to identify the facilitators and barriers associated with the implementation of MC regulations. MEDLINE, EMBASE, AMED and PsycINFO databases were systematically searched; no restrictions were placed on geographic location/jurisdiction. Eligible articles included those that evaluated the MC regulatory framework of one or more countries. Results Twenty-two articles were deemed eligible and included in this review. Themes identified include: (1) effects of conflicts, mindset, and ideology of state population, (2) the use of comparisons to analyze MC regulation, and (3) the need for more knowledge, advice, and empirical/clinical evidence to inform future MC policies. Conclusion Policymakers should be aware of facilitators to the MC regulation implementation process, such as the influence of state and federal congruence, increased transparency, and the incorporation of stakeholder concerns, in order to effectively respond to a growing societal acceptance of MC and its use among patients. Given a comprehensive understanding of these influential factors, policymakers may be better equipped to meet the consumer and commercial demands of a rapidly evolving MC regulatory environment.

The quality of health information provided on web sites selling cannabis to consumers in Canada is poor

“…While recreational cannabis remains largely illegal on a global scale, medical cannabis has been legalized in countries such as Uruguay, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and over 30 states in the United States [ 6 ]. In Canada, cannabis was legalized for recreational use following the Cannabis Act in 2018, almost two decades after the legalization of medical cannabis in 2001 [ 7 , 8 ].…”

Medical Cannabis for Chronic Nonmalignant Pain Management

“…As of 2021, 36 US states and the DC have passed laws legalizing medical, while 18 US states and the DC have passed laws regulating the legalization of recreational marijuana [6]. There are also medical cannabis programs in other countries such as Canada, Germany, Italy, Israel, the Netherlands, UK, Uruguay, Brazil, Colombia, and Thailand [43,44]. Approximately 72% of the US population now lives in states where medical cannabis is legalized [6,45].…”

Exploration of facilitators and barriers to the regulatory frameworks of dietary and herbal supplements: a scoping review

“…Studies that exclusively evaluated regulatory frameworks of non-DHSs (i.e., complementary and alternative medicines such as acupuncture or chiropractic) were excluded. Studies exclusively evaluating the regulatory framework surrounding cannabis were also excluded as it is commonly regulated separately from DHSs; this work is instead presented in a separate review [23]. All retrieved articles were pilot-screened for eligibility by MK and AS independently and in duplicate, based on the title and abstract, followed by the screening of the full-texts of the articles.…”