Marijuana: What Clinicians Need to Know

Date: 4/12/24      Time: 9:30 am to 11 am

Contact Hrs: 1.5       CEU’s:  1.5 

Enrollment Limited to: No limit     

 Method:  Lecture, discussion  

Description: 

Marijuana and products derived from chemicals within it are used both medically and recreationally by an increasing number of people through the United States. To date, 38 states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for medical use while recreational use has been legalized in 24 states along with the District of Columbia. In this evolving legal landscape, marijuana use has become increasingly prevalent, particularly among teenagers and young adults. Nine percent of adult and seventeen percent of adolescent marijuana users become addicted to it. In this context, health care providers are on the front-lines caring for a growing number of people who use marijuana and an ever-expanding list of associated products. Understanding the effects of marijuana on both physical and mental health are critical to caring for growing number of people using it.  

 This session will provide an update on the current legalization status of marijuana along with reviewing the major products related to it used both medically and recreationally today. In addition, the main compounds of clinical interest in marijuana will be discussed along with their intoxication effects, physical signs, withdrawal symptoms, and long-term adverse effects. Pregnancy risks, medical uses, and urine drug screening for marijuana will also all be included in the session. Finally, the presentation will conclude by reviewing treatment interventions for people addicted to marijuana along with protective factors from developing addiction. Time for questions will be available after the presentation.  

 Learning Objectives:  

•  Differentiate between the many marijuana-related products and routes of administration. 
• Identify the signs and symptoms associated with both marijuana intoxication and withdrawal. 
• Articulate the addictive and long-term risks of marijuana use.  
• Become familiar with the treatments for addiction to marijuana and protective factors from addiction in general.  

Instructor:  John Douglas, MD, MBA, MS 

 Location:  Zoom  

 Cost: This training is free of charge to participants and is funded through the support of an Opioid Settlement Treatment awarded to WJCS by Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health.      

Westchester Jewish Community Services 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-0101, and by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW0067. 

 Please note:  To receive CE credits, one must attend the entirety of the class. Partial credit will not be awarded to those who attend only a portion of the class.  Therefore, late arrival or an early departure of greater than 10 minutes constitutes not attending a class in its entirety. To document attendance, participants must sign in and out of the class and complete an evaluation at the end of each class. 

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