Addressing the Widening Gap in Medical Cannabis Education

Over 3.6 Million Registered Cannabis Patients in the US: Bridging the Gap Between Medical Cannabis and Patient Safety

As of 2021, there were over 3.6 million registered medical cannabis patients across the United States, highlighting a significant demand for the plant as a treatment option. Yet, despite this growing public interest in medical cannabis, there is an increasing gap in access to qualified healthcare practitioners who can offer proper guidance on its safe use. Many patients seek reputable information on cannabis consumption, underscoring the need for partnerships that can provide comprehensive, patient-centered solutions.

In light of this, Weedgets, a company focused on innovative cannabis accessories, has recently announced a strategic partnership with the American Cannabis Nurses Association (ACNA). This collaboration aims to bridge the gap between the cannabis industry and healthcare, ensuring that patients receive the highest quality guidance and products for safe cannabis consumption.

The Importance of Partnering with Medical Associations for Cannabis Patients

Partnering with a medical association such as the ACNA is a critical move—not just for the industry but, more importantly, for the patients who rely on medical cannabis. The ACNA is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing cannabis nursing practice through advocacy, education, research, collaboration, and policy development. Their mission aligns closely with ensuring that cannabis patients receive proper care and knowledge, especially when it comes to safe consumption methods.

“The American Cannabis Nurses Association has a mission to advance excellence in cannabis nursing practice through advocacy, collaboration, education, research, and policy development,” said Nicole Foss, President of the ACNA.

By partnering with cannabis-focused businesses like Weedgets, which prioritize patient safety, the ACNA is amplifying its message. “We are using our important voice to highlight products that have a positive impact in the space,” Foss added. This collaboration brings greater awareness to the key role that cannabis nurses play in the broader conversation about cannabis in healthcare.

Building Bridges Between Healthcare Providers and the Cannabis Industry

According to Foss, this partnership is more than just a product endorsement—it represents an important step in building bridges between the cannabis industry and the healthcare community. For the past year, ACNA has been focused on fostering connections between healthcare providers and patients, especially when it comes to product development. This model has been successfully used in other areas of medicine, particularly in the development of medical devices, and ACNA sees this as a critical step in cannabis medicine as well.

“Building the bridge between the cannabis industry and healthcare has been a focus of ACNA for the last year,” Foss explained. “The model of connecting healthcare providers and patient voices in product development is key to medical device development within other areas of medicine, and we see this as a key step to build that model in cannabis medicine.”

The partnership with Weedgets was intentional. ACNA’s members have a direct, first-hand relationship with patients, which makes them uniquely positioned to offer insights into patient needs, particularly in terms of safe consumption hardware and devices. One of the most significant outcomes of this partnership was that ACNA became the first U.S. medical association to endorse a cannabis pipe, demonstrating their commitment to patient safety.

Addressing the Lack of Education on Cannabis Consumption Devices

While many organizations focus on educating patients about the overall medical uses of cannabis, there has been a notable lack of education on cannabis consumption devices. This partnership aims to fill that gap. As Nicole Foss noted, many ACNA members interact with patients who choose to smoke or inhale cannabis, even though research suggests that this is not the safest method. Despite the risks, smoking remains the most widely used method for cannabis consumption.

“Many of our nurse members interact with cannabis patients who choose to consume cannabis through smoking or inhalation. Based on clinical research, this is not the safest way to consume cannabis, but it is the most widely used method,” Foss remarked.

Through the endorsement of safer consumption devices, such as Weedgets’ Maze-X pipe, ACNA and Weedgets hope to provide patients with better alternatives to traditional methods of inhaling cannabis.

Weedgets’ Innovative Approach to Cannabis Consumption

Before entering the cannabis industry, Weedgets’ founder spent much of his career engineering life-saving medical devices, earning over 100 patents in the process. His foray into cannabis was driven by personal necessity—his children began smoking cannabis in high school, and despite attempts to deter their usage, it became clear that prohibiting cannabis was not a viable solution.

Rather than preventing use, the founder pivoted to designing smoke filtering and cooling accessories to reduce the harmful effects of smoking. By eliminating harsh smoke, these devices make inhalation safer, reducing coughing and other adverse effects.

With a background in medicine, it was a natural crossover to bring safer consumption options into the cannabis space. The Maze-X pipe, one of Weedgets’ flagship products, exemplifies this commitment to safety by offering a patented technology that cools smoke and filters out harmful toxins.

ACNA’s Endorsement of the Maze-X Pipe: A Milestone in Cannabis Medicine

Partnering with ACNA allows Weedgets to uphold the organization’s patient-centered approach, further validating the safety and effectiveness of their products. This partnership is particularly significant for patients who rely on direct smoke inhalation for their treatment. It also highlights the need for safer alternatives to traditional smoking methods, especially for medical cannabis users with conditions like asthma or COPD.

Nicole Foss echoed the importance of this collaboration, saying, “Having a smoking device…that addresses some of the negative impacts related to inhalation of cannabis is one step in meeting the patient where they’re at to ensure a safer medical cannabis journey.”

The Maze-X pipe utilizes a patented cough-less technology that dramatically reduces the temperature of the smoke while filtering out harmful resin and tar. Traditional pipes often generate smoke temperatures between 250-300°F, while the Maze-X cools it to 100-120°F, significantly lowering the risk of lung and throat damage. This technology not only provides a smoother, cooler smoke but also reduces coughing, making it suitable for patients who require inhalation but are concerned about the negative health impacts associated with it.

A Step Forward for Cannabis Patients

The partnership between Weedgets and ACNA marks a significant step forward for the cannabis industry, particularly in terms of patient safety and education. By focusing on safe consumption practices and developing products that cater to the medical needs of patients, this collaboration sets a new standard for cannabis healthcare.

With over 3.6 million registered cannabis patients in the U.S., it is more important than ever to ensure that these individuals have access to safe, reliable products and the necessary information to make informed decisions. The Weedgets-ACNA partnership exemplifies how the industry can evolve to meet the needs of patients while promoting safer methods of cannabis consumption.