Utilization of medicinal hemp: a qualitative analysis of clinicians’ perspectives in Ghana

Abstract

Background: Previous studies have explored the perspectives of health care professionals on the use of medicinal hemp, but they were mostly situated in high income countries. This study sets out to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of health care professionals regarding the use of hemp in clinical therapy vis-à-vis the legislative framework in Ghana. Objective: To explore the perspectives of physicians on the use of medicinal hemp and its legalization in Ghana. Method: A qualitative study employing purposive sampling and face-to-face in-depth interviews was conducted among twenty (20) physicians practicing in Ghana. The interviewees were selected based on specialty and scope of practice. The in-depth interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed using the Theory of Planned Behavior. Results: Twenty (20) clinicians participated in the study. Fourteen (14) respondents were male and six (6) were female. The medical specialties of the interviewees were anaesthesiology, oncology, neurology, and orthopaedics. The identified themes include clinical use, stigma (sociocultural classification of cannabis), clinical non-prescription, policy landscape and regulatory control. Conclusion: Prescribers’ intention to recommend medicinal hemp is influenced by a complex interplay of various socio-political factors such as knowledge, policy, cultural environment, and stigma.