Part six of our Knowledge Translation (KT) Challenge series features a team of clinical pharmacists specializing in chronic disease management and medication therapy.
Clinical Pharmacist Anita Ho is used to answering patients' medication-related questions about dosage, drug interactions and safety. However, when it comes to medical cannabis for chronic pain, the conversations get a little hazy.
“Many primary care pharmacists are unfamiliar with medical cannabis and whether it is effective and safe based on patients' comorbidities and the medications they may be taking,” says Anita.
According to a study in The Canadian Journal of Pain, care providers have an overall positive image of medical cannabis but only a small proportion are likely to recommend it. The study also found that 30 per cent of people living with chronic pain use cannabis, yet 56 per cent of care providers feel unprepared to answer their questions.
“There is limited high-quality evidence on drug interactions, side effects and the long-term safety of cannabis use,” Anita says.
Thanks to funding from Peace Arch Hospital Foundation, Anita and her Knowledge Translation (KT) Challenge team of pharmacists, including Anita Rasoda and Wendy Tacuba Chavelas, are hoping to fill the information void by creating a toolkit of clear, evidence-based materials that will benefit both patients and care providers.
The project will initially involve the Chronic Pain Clinic at the Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre and the Primary Care Network in White Rock, with plans to expand in the future. The goal is to promote safer, cannabis-related care across B.C.’s primary care networks.
Under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations people can access medical cannabis with documentation from a care provider. It’s up to the individual to procure their own cannabis.
“When you purchase cannabis from recreational cannabis stores that aren’t required to follow the same guidelines as licensed providers, there may be uncertainty if you're getting the exact dose or product your doctor or nurse practitioner recommended,” says Anita. “With the recreational route, the products also tend to have higher THC levels to give purchasers a high, but that’s not exactly what we want in terms of pain control.”
Through the Knowledge Translation Challenge, the KT team is hoping to turn over a new leaf on cannabis discussions—equipping care providers with the tools to guide patients confidently and enabling those living with chronic pain to make informed, safer choices.
Learn more about the KT Challenge.
Read other stories in our series:
- 🎉 Congratulations to our Knowledge Translation Challenge 2025 recipients.
- KT Challenge 2025: Improving outcomes for patients on ventilators.
- Supporting families, fortifying futures: Knowledge Translation Challenge 2025.
- KT Challenge 2025 – New Quick Alert Tool for long-term care.
- Improving health outcomes for people living with chronic kidney disease: Knowledge Translation Challenge 2025 - Fraser Health