Below please find the Policy and Position Statements promulgated by the leadership of the American Cannabis Nurses Association.

Most Recent Statements

The Impact of Descheduling and Decriminalizing Cannabis - Issued 4/28/22

Purpose: Cannabis has a long history of being used successfully to treat medical conditions. However, politics and greed have led to its criminalization over the course of the 20th century. The American Cannabis Nurses Association (ACNA) believes the time has come to deschedule and decriminalize cannabis based on the current science. 

Sha’Carri Richardson’s suspension after testing positive for THC - Issued 7/7/21

Overview: "The ACNA would like to see organizations such as WADA and USADA update their policies to accurately reflect the current science. Cannabinoids can be effective in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which can occur after exposure to a traumatic event. The ACNA wrote a resolution on PTSD in May 2020 calling on the Nation’s governing bodies to acknowledge the importance of passage of legislation that qualifies PTSD for medical cannabis in all states."

Workplace Drug-testing of Nurses for Cannabis - Issued 5/5/21

Overview: The purpose of this position statement is to establish the American Cannabis Nurses Association’s position regarding pre-employment, random drug-testing, and suspicion of intoxication practices. It outlines the rationale for eliminating drug-testing for cannabis in nurses, and proposes a more reliable method to test impairment before drug-testing. 

ACNA Critical of SAMHSA Policy - Issued 7/8/20

Overview: "A federal health agency charged with overseeing America’s mental health has become the the latest enforcer of the failed federal cannabis prohibition.” so says Eloise Theisen, President of the American Cannabis Nurses Association, in response to reports that the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has instituted a new policy that will bar individuals and organizations from receiving grants that may be used directly or indirectly to provide for cannabis treatment.

Cannabis Use for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - Issued 5/12/20

Overview: ACNA supports the use of cannabis for PTSD and calls on the nation's governing bodies to acknowledge the importance of passage of legislation that qualifies PTSD for medical cannabis in all state. 

Earlier Statements 

A Resolution Regarding the Proper Scheduling of Cannabis in the U.S. Controlled Substances Act of 1970
 - Issued 9/5/17

Purpose: ACNA Calls on the United States Congress to increase the health, safety and well-being of our citizens by establishing a new cannabis-only schedule--Schedule VI--in the Controlled Substance Act that will accommodate all cannabis products.

ACNA Resolution on Whole Plant Cannabis - Issued 3/12/15

Purpose: The purpose of this resolution is to reiterate the ACNA support for patient access to whole plant cannabis.

Resolution Regarding Cannabis and the Human Endocannabinoid System: Education for Every Nurse - Issued 1/24/17

Purpose: The purpose of this resolution is to reiterate the ACNA support for evidence-based cannabis education to be made available to all practicing nurses and healthcare providers.

ACNA Position Statement on Concurrent Cannabis and Opiate Use - Issued 8/4/13

Purpose: The American Cannabis Nurses Association supports the monitored and controlled use of cannabis in conjunction with opiate administration for patients (either human or animal) who are suffering from severe pain, intractable pain, severe neuropathy or pain associated with terminal illness. Additionally, any patient on long-term opiate therapy should be evaluated for cannabis therapy to lessen the risk of adverse events associated with opiates. This position is justified by the evidence base of use patterns, the in-vitro research demonstrating the interaction of endocannabinoid receptors with opiate receptors, the potential severity of adverse events associated with long-term opiate use and the ethical responsibility of health care practitioners to advocate on behalf of their patients.

Also:

American Nurses Association (ANA) Position Statement on Cannabis - Issued 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this statement is to reiterate the American Nurses Association (ANA) support for patients having safe access to therapeutic marijuana.