National marijuana pharmacy association launched

There are associations and boards representing pharmacists in all sorts of settings. Now, there is a national association to support pharmacists who dispense marijuana products to treat specialty diseases.  

The National Association of Cannabis Pharmacy (NACP) was launched recently during the Specialty Pharmacy EXPO in Tampa, Fla.

"The focus has to be on the patient and how they are receiving guidance and education to manage conditions in which medical marijuana is incorporated as part of the treatment plan," said Joseph Friedman, RPh, MBA. "There is an immediate need for the development of advanced training and parameters for pharmacists to lead the process."

NACP’s focus will be providing education on compounding, administering, and using medical marijuana for specialty therapeutic conditions including multiple sclerosis, HIV, cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis.

NACP will coordinate training pharmacists to use marijuana for concomitant therapy. It will study creating an accreditation program for pharmacies dispensing marijuana and a professional certification program for pharmacists. 

"The legislation guiding the use of medical marijuana varies by state and does not include the pharmacist in a role that allows them to use their knowledge and expertise to protect the patient and improve their outcomes," said Mathew Sherwood, a consultant to NACP. "This is an opportunity to close that gap."

For more information about NACP, contact info@cannabisrx.org.