William Paterson University’s Cannabis Research Institute has launched two online courses on medical cannabis, designed for pharmacists and medical practitioners. These non-credit, self-paced courses, which result in a professional certificate, are offered in collaboration with Concinto Inc., an accredited provider of continuing medical education by the Canadian Council on Continuing Education in Pharmacy (CCCEP).

The Medical Cannabis Core Education Program comprises six evidence-based modules that provide the necessary knowledge and skills required to respond to inquiries by clients, patients, and other healthcare providers on cannabis usage, proper assessment, monitoring, and care plan development. The program’s instructional time equivalency is 10 hours.

The Medical Cannabis Advanced Program, with an instructional time equivalency of 2 hours, focuses on such topics as the major difference between cannabis constituents, cannabinoid pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, precautions, contraindications, and potential drug-drug interactions. The evidence-based modules in this program also explore the inter-relationship between cannabinoids and opioids and potential clinical implications on opioid crisis management.

Comprised of University faculty and staff from various academic disciplines, William Paterson University’s Cannabis Research Institute provides evidence-based scientific and social scientific information on topics related to cannabis, as well as opioid drugs and other substances. The Institute’s interdisciplinary group of professionals conducts basic, clinical, and public health research and analyzes data to inform policymakers, to provide information for drug-related counseling, and to inform curricula.