Background: On August 11, 2016, the Canadian government announced the new Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR) outlining reasonable cannabis use for medical purposes. Educators teaching cannabis-related content face challenges as the new legalization requires a shift away from a focus on substance abuse towards incorporating economic, social, and health promotion aspects.
Objectives: To provide a report on what curricula incorporating the concept of cannabis are offered by post-secondary institutions as well as how and for what purpose is content is offered.
Method: A scoping review of published and grey literature was conducted to determine the extent of the available research and grey literature related to the concept of cannabis in postsecondary curricula in North America. Online search engines and multiple databases were used.
Results: Peer-reviewed nursing articles emphasize teaching cannabis in terms of substance abuse treatment rather than knowledge about medical cannabis. Within English-speaking Canadian universities/colleges that have a nursing school, many cannabis-related courses are being developed. These include different disciplines such as pharmacology, agriculture, and marketing and are delivered in the format of courses, workshops/seminars, and public presentations in classroom or online.
Conclusion: This study suggested that a limited number of courses about medical cannabis are being offered in post-secondary institutions in North America. As legislation changes continue to impact post secondary education, curricula must be adapted to meet the new requirements.
