The Bright Future of Medical Marijuana in the World of Healthcare

Updated on July 14, 2021

There’s no denying that cannabis is becoming more accepted in the world of healthcare. Even ancient cultures turned to medical-grade marijuana for treating a variety of ailments, but it wasn’t until the 90s that it started to become an acceptable treatment route for things like chronic pain, anxiety, sleep disorders, and cancer. 

Pro-cannabis companies and websites like cannabisgrowingcanada.com are focusing more than ever on helping patients gain easier access to their medical needs, especially if those needs call for medical marijuana. 

In the opinion of Forbes, the FDA, and many more reputable sources, we can expect the popularity of cannabis to steadily increase among healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies, and patients. If you thought cannabis had already made an impact on healthcare, just wait to see what happens next. Here’s what you can expect in the coming years:

Attitudes Will Continue to Change Towards Cannabis

Within the past few decades, we have seen a huge leap in the acceptance rates of medical cannabis. A survey from the Pew Research Center found that over 62% of American citizens believe that marijuana should be 100% legal. This is five times greater than what it was in 1969 and twice as high as 2000. 

In the US alone, 33 states plus D.C. have officially legalized marijuana for medical use, and more will continue to join the ranks as the years go on. Canada has gone as far as legalizing cannabis for recreational purposes country-wide. According to Happy Seed Bank, Canadians can even grow their own medical plants from home with an ACMPR license while following certain restrictions. 

You can definitely expect these attitude trends and acceptance rates to continue, maybe one day they’ll even reach 100%. 

Policies Regarding Cannabis Will Change on All Levels

As cannabis becomes more accepted within the healthcare industry, you can expect some major policy reforms. A huge reason for this is that more and more billion-dollar corporations are pumping money into the cannabis industry, and these corporations have a great deal of influence on the American government. 

At the moment, there’s a lot of gray areas when it comes to cannabis and American banking. American banks are hesitant to partner with cannabis-related businesses, especially since there are some major differences in state-to-state legislation. 

For this reason, the American Banker’s’ Association is pushing for more clarity regarding cannabis laws. You can expect the first step in policy reform will begin with the banks, then move on to state and federal laws regarding cannabis use and consumption. 

The Popularity of CBD Will Increase Drastically

In many ways, CBD is a medical patient’s dream. In terms of therapeutic effects, CBD and THC are very similar, but the good news about CBD is that it doesn’t create a high. You’ve probably already noticed that CBD is being advertised more frequently, and this trend will continue to increase. 

CBD is viewed as a legitimate option for treating (or at least alleviating) a variety of ailments without the patient running the risk of getting high. It is sold in many forms and can be used orally or topically, catering to the needs of each individual patient. This isn’t just a temporary wellness craze; CBD is here to stay. 

The FDA Will Become More Lenient

For the first time in history, the FDA approved a marijuana-deprived drug containing CBD in 2018. This drug is called Epidiolex and it is used for the treatment of seizure disorders, and so far there’s been a great success. 

It is still illegal under federal law to market food products and supplements containing CBD, but the FDA has recently hinted that this may change in the near future. Not only is this great news for companies that manufacture products containing CBD, but also for medical patients who rely on CBD for treatment. 

It’s impossible to know exactly what will happen with cannabis and the healthcare industry, but the forecast calls for continuing acceptance among providers and patients alike. 

The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.