Evidence-based cannabis information for adults 50 and older Peer-reviewed citations · Always talk to your doctor or pharmacist · No product sales

Cannabis Nurses and the ACNA

The American Cannabis Nurses Association, Rebecca Abraham's Acute on Chronic Health, and how cannabis-trained nurses help seniors when physicians cannot.

Cannabis nursing has emerged as a recognized healthcare specialty — one with particular relevance for older adults who need more than a dispensary budtender's advice. These professionals bridge the gap between cannabis access and clinical safety, offering the kind of individualized, medication-aware guidance that seniors on multiple prescriptions genuinely need.

The American Cannabis Nurses Association

Founded in 2006, the American Cannabis Nurses Association (ACNA) spent nearly two decades building the professional infrastructure for cannabis nursing. That work reached a milestone in September 2023, when the American Nurses Association officially recognized cannabis nursing as a specialty — placing it alongside established disciplines like oncology, pediatrics, and geriatrics.

The following year, the ACNA published Cannabis Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice (2024), establishing formal competencies, ethical guidelines, and clinical standards for nurses working with cannabis patients. For seniors, this recognition means that cannabis nursing is no longer an informal niche — it is a credentialed profession with defined standards of care.

Rebecca Abraham, RN

President of Acute on Chronic — the first cannabis nurse clinic in the Midwest. Abraham has developed case studies on dementia patients using cannabis in both home and facility settings, addressing one of the most challenging areas of senior cannabis care.

Her clinical work focuses on the practical realities that families face: how to introduce cannabis to a parent with cognitive impairment, how to monitor responses when the patient cannot reliably self-report, and how to coordinate with facility staff in the complex legal landscape that surrounds cannabis in long-term care.

Eloise Theisen, MSN, RN, AGPCNP-BC

A board-certified Adult-Geriatric Nurse Practitioner at Stanford Medicine's palliative care department, Theisen has treated over 7,000 patients using cannabis with an average patient age of 76. She was among the first clinicians to develop dosing protocols specifically for elderly patients and co-founded Radicle Health.

As Chief Nursing Officer of Leaf411, the free national cannabis-trained nurse hotline, she extends her influence far beyond her direct patient roster. Her palliative care perspective shapes her approach: "In our patients who may have months to a few years to live, still being able to experience joy is really important."

For her full profile, see Physicians & Researchers.

Leaf411: The Free Cannabis Nurse Hotline

Leaf411 operates as the first free national cannabis-trained nurse hotline. Callers speak with registered nurses who can answer questions about dosing, product selection, potential drug interactions, and how to talk to their doctors about cannabis use.

For seniors who feel uncomfortable raising cannabis with their primary care physician — the 2024 Michigan/AARP poll found that 44% of regular senior cannabis users had not discussed their use with a healthcare provider — Leaf411 offers a confidential, no-cost starting point staffed by credentialed professionals.

The Pharmacist's Role in Cannabis Safety

Pharmacists bring a critical skill to cannabis care that nurses and physicians often lack: deep expertise in drug interactions. For seniors taking an average of five prescription medications, this matters enormously.

Pennsylvania requires pharmacist presence in all medical cannabis dispensaries — a model that provides an important professional safety layer. Minnesota's LeafLine Labs takes this further with 30- to 45-minute initial pharmacist consultations and ongoing dosing relationships.

The CANN-DIR tool (CANNabinoid Drug Interaction Review), developed at Penn State College of Medicine, provides a free evidence-based drug interaction checker at cann-dir.psu.edu, available in 11 languages. Every senior using cannabis alongside prescription medications should use this tool or consult a pharmacist directly.