The Nation's 10 Best Cannabis Nurse Programs

Cannabis laws are changing fast, and patients need clinicians who understand how to use medical marijuana safely. Cannabis nurses fill that gap. They educate patients and providers, advise on treatment plans, and advocate for access. There's no formal certification pathway yet, but that may change soon, and several reputable training programs already exist for nurses who want the expertise.

Marijuana has been used medicinally for thousands of years, yet many people, including providers, still don't understand how to use it safely. That's the opening cannabis nurses step into.

A Rapidly Shifting Legal Landscape

The legal status of cannabis is confusing. Possession remains illegal under federal law, but as of 2025 medical cannabis is legal in 40 states, the District of Columbia, and several U.S. territories.

That gap between federal and state law has caused problems for patients, providers, and the industry, and it is starting to close. In October 2022, President Biden pardoned people convicted of federal marijuana possession. Efforts to give state-legal marijuana businesses access to banking, which would end risky cash-only operations, have advanced in Congress but have not become law.

Marijuana was long classified as a Schedule I drug by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the same tier as heroin, reserved for substances with high abuse potential and no recognized medical use. That changed in April 2026, when the Department of Justice and DEA moved FDA-approved marijuana drug products and state-licensed medical marijuana to Schedule III, alongside substances like testosterone therapy. Other forms of marijuana remain in Schedule I, and a broader rescheduling is still under administrative review.

Is There a Growing Need for Cannabis Nurses?

Medical marijuana use has climbed sharply. Between 2016 and 2020, the number of registered medical cannabis patients more than quadrupled, from 678,408 to 2,974,433.

These patients often have complex histories, including diagnoses like HIV/AIDS, cancer, or multiple sclerosis, or conditions that resist standard treatment. They need clinicians who can advise on safe options. Beyond registered users, more than 18% of Americans report using marijuana in the past year, so nurses in every specialty will encounter patients who use it.

What Is a Cannabis Nurse?

Cannabis nurses usually don't provide direct care like taking vital signs or giving medications, and unless the law specifically allows it, they can't acquire or administer cannabis. Instead, they counsel patients on safe use and work with other providers on planning, dosing, and evaluating a patient's response.

The role demands a deep understanding of the endocannabinoid system, drug interactions, side effects, and disease management in the context of cannabis use. Many cannabis nurses also take on advocacy. Jobs are growing in dispensaries, clinics, hospital systems, and product manufacturing, and some nurses become consultants or entrepreneurs who build treatment plans and education resources.

The Top Cannabis Nurse Training Programs

There are no formal credentials for cannabis nurses yet, though that may change. The American Nurses Association recognized cannabis nursing as a specialty in September 2023, and the American Cannabis Nurses Association, an ANA affiliate, is building credentialing pathways. The programs below run from least to most intensive.

1. NursingCE. Continuing education is the simplest entry point. NursingCE (by ATI) offers a 1.5 credit-hour course, Medical Marijuana and Cannabinoid Use for RNs and LPNs, for about $8.

2. American Cannabis Nurses Association. A professional association offering training and practice resources for cannabis nurses.

3. Cannabis Nurses Network. Another professional association, with workshops, career development, and continuing education courses for nurses and other clinicians.

4. Radicle Health. Offers programs for health professionals, from Cannabis Foundations (around $99) to workshops on topics like chronic pain and cardiovascular disease.

5. Florida Gulf Coast University. An online cannabis professional certificate that takes four weeks and ends in a certificate of completion. Open to health professionals and others, priced around $1,395.

6. University of Vermont. A noncredit professional certificate in cannabis science and medicine. The 8-week online program runs 8 to 10 hours a week and costs about $2,250.

7. Pacific College of Health and Science. A 30-credit master of science in medical cannabis therapeutics, fully online, completable in as little as 20 months. The college also offers an 8-credit certificate that takes about six months.

8. University of Maryland. The MS in medical cannabis science was the first U.S. program dedicated to medical cannabis. It's a two-year hybrid program with campus visits once per semester, and UMD also offers a fully online two-semester graduate certificate.

9. University of Colorado. The Skaggs School of Pharmacy offers an online MS in pharmaceutical sciences with a cannabis science and medicine specialization, totaling 30 credits.

10. Thomas Jefferson University. A 33-credit MS in medical cannabis science and business, fully online, completable in 1.5 to four years, with three stackable graduate certificates in cannabis medicine, science, and business.

Cannabis nursing is a growing path for nurses drawn to holistic care and to patients whose complex needs don't respond to traditional therapies. As the laws keep shifting, cannabis nurses are well positioned to serve in a fast-moving field.