Medical Marijuana
$39.00
Intermediate
Online
Course Abstract
Medical Marijuana is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that reviews the literature on medical, legal, educational, occupational, and ethical aspects of marijuana.
The passage of state laws legalizing the use of marijuana under certain specified conditions has precipitated an interesting variety of discussions, debates, and dilemmas. In spite of the fact that most of the states in this country have enacted legislation legalizing marijuana in some fashion, the reality is that neither the intended “medical” benefits of marijuana nor its known (and as yet unknown) adverse effects have been adequately examined using controlled studies. Conclusive literature remains sparse, and opinion remains divided and contentious.
Few healthcare professionals feel equipped to treat patients/clients who use medical marijuana. This is in part due to a lack of supporting evidence for its efficacy but also from a lack of formal training on how to treat such patients. Worldwide, across all disciplines, healthcare professionals reported not being ready to answer patient questions about medical marijuana.
“Legal” marijuana and “medical” marijuana are not the same thing, although in some cases they may overlap. The content of this course will not include the pros and cons of marijuana for recreational use, but only those aspects of marijuana that are intended for various medical uses. These aspects will include both the positive and negative consequences of marijuana use and the scientific evidence that is available at this time (as of September 2025). Also discussed in some detail will be the legal morass that has been formed by the advance of state laws that are not in alignment with current federal law.
This course is intended to present a summary of the literature on the various medical, legal, educational, occupational, and ethical aspects of marijuana. It will address the major questions about marijuana that are as yet unanswered by scientific evidence. The course will conclude with a list of implications for healthcare practitioners.
Course #31-58 | 2025 | 56 pages | 20 posttest questions | Mobile-Friendly
Learning Objectives
- Explain the sociopolitical context for medical marijuana in the United States
- Identify three different forms of marijuana and describe the effects they produce
- Discuss the history of marijuana legalization and discrepancies between state and federal law
- List three conditions for which there is sound efficacy data supporting the use of medical marijuana
- List three adverse effects of marijuana use and abuse
- Describe steps healthcare professionals can take to provide competent and ethical treatment vis-à-vis medical marijuana
Course Directions
This online course provides instant access to the course materials (PDF download) and CE test. The course is text-based (reading) and the CE test is open-book (you can print the test to mark your answers on it while reading the course document).
Successful completion of this course involves passing an online test (80% required, 3 chances to take) and we ask that you also complete a brief course evaluation.
About the Author(s)
CE Information
Counseling
Professional Development Resources (PDR) has been approved by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 5590. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. PDR is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Professional Development Resources is CE Broker compliant (#50-1635 - all courses are reported within two business days of completion). Professional Development Resources, Inc. is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0135 - Note: New York counselors will receive 3 continuing education credits for completing this self-study course).
Marriage and Family Therapy
Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Professional Development Resources maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Professional Development Resources is also approved by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP #5590); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB #1046, ACE Program); the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists (#MFT-0100 - Note: New York MFTs will receive 3 continuing education credit(s) for completing this self-study course); the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists (#114); and is CE Broker compliant (#50-1635 - all courses are reported within two business days of completion).
Nutrition and Dietetics
Medical Marijuana awards 3.0 CPEUs in accordance with the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s CPEU Prior Approval Program (Activity #190285 | Performance Indicators: 10.5.3, 11.3.1, 5.1.2, 7.3.1).
Professional Development Resources is CE Broker compliant (#50-1635 - all courses are reported within two business days of completion).
Psychology
Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Professional Development Resources maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Professional Development Resources is CE Broker compliant (#50-1635 - all courses are reported within two business days of completion). Professional Development Resources, Inc. is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists (#PSY-0145).
School Psychology
Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Professional Development Resources maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Professional Development Resources is CE Broker compliant (#50-1635 - all courses are reported within two business days of completion). Professional Development Resources, Inc. is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists (#PSY-0145).
Social Work
Professional Development Resources, #1046, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 6/12/2025 - 6/12/2028. Social workers completing this course receive 3 clinical continuing education credits. ACE format: Reading-based asynchronous distance learning.
Professional Development Resources is CE Broker compliant (#50-1635 - all courses are reported within two business days of completion). Professional Development Resources, Inc. is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers (#SW-0664 - Note: New York social workers will receive 3 continuing education credit(s) for completing this self-study course). Professional Development Resources is also approved by the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678).
Teaching
Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Professional Development Resources maintains responsibility for all programs and content. Professional Development Resources is also approved by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP #5590); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB Provider #1046, ACE Program); the Continuing Education Board of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA Provider #AAUM); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA Provider #3159); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR Prior Approval Program); the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists (#PSY-0145), State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0135) and marriage and family therapists (#MFT-0100), and the State Board for Social Workers as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers (#SW-0664); the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678); and is CE Broker compliant (#50-1635 - all courses are reported within two business days of completion).
Customer Testimonials
Excellent presentation that helped me understand where we are on research.
This was a very timely and productive course. I needed this information!
Very comprehensive report on the current research.
Very important information for therapist in todays ever changing world. I learned a great deal.
Good to be updated on this timely topic, to be able to answer client questions.
More Testimonials
Very relevant course. Great info. Well written and concise. To the point and helpful in providing and improving my own understanding.
The course author presented material on medical marijuana in a thorough, current, and empirically based fashion. I intend to use the course materials as a resource when working with patients considering medical marijuana.
Excellent presentation. Very through. I'd like to share this with clients!
Very informative. Good summary of research done.
A well done course, and I appreciated the comprehensive list of references, which will be a useful resource.
Excellent job discussing a tricky topic.
This course has been very enlightening and beneficial.
WELL DONE!! Thank you for this collection of more current information than I had on the topic.
Very interesting course I didn't know much about the topic and learned a lot of useful information. Test was well done and followed the presentation of the content clearly.
Course was very informative.
I really enjoyed learning more on this popular and contraversial topic which impacts the patients I work with.
The format was great and easy to follow. Information was very good.
Excellent course. Well written and very thorough.
This course updated me on this controversial issue, and by siting of research studies, I feel well-informed and have a better ability to formulate a professional and personal view on the matter. Thank you.
Great course with relevant material for my clinical practice.
Although there was a lot of information, I enjoyed this topic. It is relevant of what's going on currently. This was my favorite topic to date. Thank you.
Appreciated the considerable research and the inclusion and discussion of the legal implications.
Wow! This cousre is very informative, and yet the differnece between state and federal laws can cloud things up for all.
Very informative article based upon a seemingly thorough review of available scientific research. Great read!!
A good, current presentation of the variety of issues concerning marijuana studies and uses. The information was well-organized, written concisely and provides a good structure for review and for where to go if I want more information.
Well-organized and relevant material. The website and content easy to navigate.
I found this course to be engaging, well balanced, easy to understand and absorb, and very disturbing! Many thanks.
This was a well-balanced and well-researched course, helping eliminate much of the "clutter" around this topic.
Well done! The content was presented clearly and effectively. This is a much needed course.
This course helped me to determine what I should look for when I have a patient who is using marijuana.
Great presentation and so much information to incorporate into my practice!
A good module. I thought it addressed psychosocial, psychological/treatment, and legal areas that are important in my profession and I appreciated getting this information on use of a drug which is so widespread. I did think the answer to question #20 was not so clear, but overall this module was definitely worthwhile and I am glad I selected it. Thanks for a good little course that kept me interested and wanting to learn even more.
I found this article to be thorough, relevant, and informative.
Thank you for this excellent course. It helped to clarify questions I had about medical marijuana recommendations and use.
This was a particularly useful course. In this era, when the public is increasingly convinced that marijuana is absolutely harmless, it was great to read about empirical evidence showing that it's not benign at all.
Fantastic! Adequately thorough and relevant.
Very informative and detailed. It provides evidence based theory regarding use without demonstrating a bias against or in support. I found this article to be one that I can re-read and apply as needed to support clients considering medical THC.
Excellent course. Information was well organized, presented very clearly, and at a sufficiently high level so that I learned a great deal.
Thank you for this excellent course. It helped to clarify questions I had about medical marijuana recommendations and use.
