More and more Canadians are accessing recreational stores to obtain cannabis to self manage medical conditions. According to a Canadian survey (2022), up to 73% of Canadians using cannabis for medical purposes did not have medical authorization from a healthcare professional.1 As research into the use of cannabis as a therapeutic option continues to emerge, so does the need for standards that can help.
“A national standard is needed to provide guidance to organizational leaders and clinical teams in inpatient care settings on how to respectfully, without stigma, approach the use of medicinal cannabis with or without medical authorization,” says Régis Vaillancourt, HSO’s Medical Cannabis Working Group and HSO’s Medication Management Technical Committee Chair. He further explains that the focus must be on providing optimal, people-centred clinical care in the context of the current societal approach to the use of cannabis products.
To that end, Health Standards Organization (HSO) is proud to announce the publication of its National Standard of Canada, CAN/HSO 11013:2022 Cannabis Use for Medical Purposes: Inpatient Care Settings. This standard provides guidance to organizational leaders and clinical teams in inpatient care settings on the safe handling and use of cannabis for medical purposes, either medically authorized or self-selected, recognizing Canada’s 2016 Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations and Bill C-45, the Cannabis Act.
This publication is only made possible from the contributions of lived experience and expertise from HSO’s Medical Cannabis Working Group and HSO’s Medication Management Technical Committee, and with funding and support from Standards Council of Canada.
Visit HSO’s e-store to access CAN/HSO 11013:2022 Cannabis Use for Medical Purposes: Inpatient Care Settings.