State Policies and Clinicians' Perspectives on the Inclusion of Medical Cannabis in the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.

Gregor C.; Tian M.; Tusing L.; Wright E.; Piper B.; Romagnoli K. · Medical cannabis and cannabinoids · 2026

**Background & Methods** This mixed-methods study assessed clinician and administrator perceptions regarding inclusion of medical cannabis (MC) use information in Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) and documented current state-level practices. The research involved 50 qualitative interviews conducted March-July 2023 with clinicians and administrators, supplemented by a national survey sent to 51 state PDMP administrators examining MC information sharing protocols. **Key Findings** - Among 28 interviewed participants explicitly discussing PDMPs, 19 (67.9%) believed MC inclusion in PDMPs would positively impact patient care by enabling clinicians to access actionable information regarding cannabis use. - State-level implementation of MC in PDMPs remains limited: only 6 states (Connecticut, Louisiana, New York, Ohio, Mississippi, Virginia) included MC dispensing information with timestamps, while 4 states (Arizona, Illinois, North Dakota, Utah) maintained MC card indicators in their systems. - Potential clinical benefits identified include prevention of drug-cannabis interactions, early identification of cannabis-induced psychosis, detection of misuse patterns, and improved harm prevention through comprehensive medication and substance use documentation in electronic health records. **Dosage & Administration** Not reported. **Safety & Adverse Effects** The paper identifies potential harms that MC inclusion in PDMPs could prevent, including drug-drug interactions, cannabis-induced psychosis, and cannabis misuse; however, specific adverse effect data from cannabis use were not reported in this policy and perception study. **Evidence Quality** This exploratory mixed-methods study has notable limitations including small sample size (50 interviews, 51 state responses), potential selection bias in participant recruitment, and reliance on perceptions rather than outcome data demonstrating clinical impact. The study represents preliminary evidence (Level 4) appropriate for identifying policy considerations but insufficient for establishing clinical efficacy. Findings are descriptive in nature and reflect the landscape as of 2023, prior to the 2024 rescheduling of cannabis to Schedule III. The study does not provide empirical evidence of improved patient outcomes from PDMP MC integration, representing an important gap for future implementation research.

More recent cannabis research