Cannabis Nursing is a Specialty!

A New Era in Cannabis Nursing: Personal Journey, Professional Recognition, and the Launch of Scope and Standards of Cannabis Nursing

On September 27, 2023, The American Nurses Association (ANA)—representing the interests of over 5 million nurses nationwide—announced the formal recognition of cannabis nursing as a nursing specialty. This pivotal moment in healthcare honors the expertise and commitment of professionals dedicated to providing safe, evidence-based care through the therapeutic use of cannabis. At the forefront of this historical moment and movement is the American Cannabis Nurses Association (ACNA), a membership organization committed to its mission to advance excellence in cannabis nursing practice through advocacy, collaboration, education, research, and policy development.

Introducing a Landmark Publication – In a further step to solidify the foundation of cannabis nursing, ACNA, in collaboration with ANA, has published Scope and Standards of Cannabis Nursing. This groundbreaking document provides comprehensive guidelines, outlining the roles, responsibilities, and evidence-based practices essential for safe and effective cannabis nursing. It is a key resource for practitioners looking to integrate cannabis into their care routines while maintaining the highest standards of practice. Cannabis Nursing has been defined as a “subspecialty of nursing that focuses on the care of patients who use cannabis for medicinal purposes.” The therapeutic use of cannabis refers to utilization of cannabis products for medicinal, wellness, and healing purposes. This is personal and subjective to each consumer with objective criteria being improvement in one or more of the five key health domains: biological, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social. Importantly, these benefits should occur without causing harm to any of the other health domains.

My Journey to Becoming The Green Nurse(™) – My name is Sherri Mack, and I am now the Chief Nursing Officer and co-founder of Holistic Caring and The Green Nurse and Bloom Hemp CBD. My personal and professional journey into holistic cannabis nursing is both transformational and deeply personal. I discovered the healing potential of cannabis during a critical time in my life—one that redirected my career and redefined my understanding of plants as medicine.

Like many others, my initial experiences with cannabis were both experimental and recreational. During college, it became a source of relaxation and offered a refreshing, lighthearted outlook on life—moments I occasionally embraced during social gatherings and parties. During my time in nursing school, cannabis played a helpful role in reducing my alcohol consumption while I worked as a cocktail waitress and occasionally tended bar. After graduating from college, I became deeply focused on advancing my nursing career and striving for excellence while working in Boston’s prestigious teaching hospitals. As a result, cannabis was no longer a part of my life.

In 2012, my life took an unexpected turn when I found myself on the other side of the hospital bed, fighting for survival at just 45 years old. While working as a medical center specialist and clinical nurse liaison for a home infusion company, I developed pseudomembranous C. diff colitis. In my nursing role at that time, I specialized in helping patients transition to at-home care, managing complex intravenous and enteral therapies with dedication and expertise. I saw over 20 patients daily, many of whom were on contact precautions due to infectious diseases. Occasionally, I was tasked with visiting newly discharged patients at home to establish their care and initiate therapies within their home environment. Unfortunately, during this time, I contracted an infectious disease while on the job.

I was a patient in the ICU for weeks with megacolon and despite numerous procedures and rounds of various medications, nothing provided relief. To make matters worse, I developed an autoimmune condition called Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR), leaving me in constant, unrelenting pain that no treatment—conventional or alternative—could ease. My physical suffering took a toll on my mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. I spiraled into crushing anxiety, panic disorder, depression, agoraphobia, and, ultimately, a devastating diagnosis of “failure to thrive.” There was a time in my life when I was prescribed over 18 different pharmaceutical combinations, and it left me completely devoid of the will to live. It’s a profoundly haunting experience—to be fully aware of all the reasons you have to keep going, yet feel completely disconnected from life, overwhelmed by an unbearable pain that fuels an unshakable desire to die.

A retired Registered Nurse friend of mine visited me one day and generously shared her deep knowledge of cannabis and its fascinating history. She recounted how her pharmacist father stocked cannabis formulations in his 1920s pharmacy. She also revealed that she had been using cannabis since the age of 17 and, now at 70, she took no ongoing regular pharmaceuticals and had never been hospitalized. She encouraged me to take a couple of puffs from a joint that she brought me from her garden, and for the first time in months, my pain vanished.

My friend Maryanne who shared her cannabis harvest with me.

Inspired by the experience, I made the decision to obtain my medical cannabis certification. As a single mother of three, I was determined to rise above the stigma and ensure I adhered to the rules, staying fully compliant and responsible. When I went to get my medical cannabis card, I vividly remember the doctor’s words: “You’re awfully young to have so many medical issues.” I recall asking him, “What now? What’s next? How do I use this to manage my health?” His response was disheartening: “Good luck, kid. Here’s a list of dispensaries where you can shop.” There was no guidance, no direction—just a sense of being left to figure it out on my own. After receiving my medical cannabis certification card, I began exploring the healing potential of this remarkable plant, guided by the expertise of Boston’s medical cannabis caregiver community. Over time, I gained the knowledge and skills needed to cultivate, extract, and craft my own medicines.

I explored medical cannabis dispensaries, collaborated with private caregivers, and dedicated myself to understanding how this incredible medicinal plant could support my healing journey. It took time to figure out the products, compounds, ratios, dosing, and timing with my other treatment regimen. I had to work through my own stigma about using cannabis daily as medicine, but when I researched the science of cannabis I was both shocked and relieved. I knew that if I could figure this out for myself, I would help others and declared that I would be called The Green Nurse (™)

Rediscovering Cannabis in Mainstream Medicine – Over time, I discovered that cannabis offered a far safer alternative to opioids and other pharmaceuticals. As I delved into the risks of chronic opioid use, I realized just how fortunate I was to have avoided their hold on my condition. With cannabis, I wasn’t just managing my pain—I was also supporting systemic homeostasis throughout my entire body. In contrast, pharmaceuticals had stripped me of vitality and wholeness, while cannabis was nurturing healing across my body, mind, and spirit in ways I could never have imagined. Drawing from a comprehensive review of over 35,000 scientifically validated studies, I now share the wealth of evidence highlighting the profound therapeutic potential of cannabis.

As I began to regain my health, I immersed myself in cannabis research and uncovered the fascinating role of the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) and the Endocannabinoidome in regulating our biological processes and organ systems. Learning how cannabinoids can restore proper cell signaling to promote deep, root-level healing was a transformative discovery—one that was never covered in my BSN curriculum at Boston College. Historically, cannabis was a cornerstone of mainstream medicine, with its extracts readily available in pharmacies as far back as 1850. However, the racially charged Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 abruptly ended widespread access to these therapeutic compounds.

The American Medical Association (AMA) originally objected to this taxation as it targeted physicians, retail pharmacists, and medical cannabis cultivation and manufacturing. Physicians were perplexed by the term, unaware that “marihuana” would now remove the cannabis extract, a pleiotropic workhorse in family medicine. This drove medicine to only focus on the synthetic medications preferred by the prohibitionists and drug developers who were set on removing cannabis as competition to the new pharmaceutical products that they sold. It’s disappointing that the AMA has withdrawn its recognition and support for cannabis as a form of medicine, especially considering its endorsement of its use in the past.

For over 5,000 years, humans around the world have turned to cannabis to support whole-body health, with no recorded fatalities. Renowned for its safety and effectiveness, cannabis has long been a trusted remedy for people of all ages. Today, it is reclaiming its place as a powerful healing tool with an unmatched safety record. My mission is to live as a testament to its benefits, helping others discover their capacity to heal, become their own hero, and ultimately contribute to healing the world.

I’ve been dedicated to cannabis nursing for over a decade, and in 2015, I founded The Green Nurse(™) with a mission to educate and empower patients to live their best lives. My goal has always been to help individuals make informed decisions tailored to their needs by teaching them about the endocannabinoid system and the safe use of cannabis and hemp-derived CBD.

In 2018, I ventured into podcasting, inspired by the NCSBN’s guidelines, which emphasized that nurses—whether advanced practice, master’s-prepared, BSNs, or students—must understand six key areas of cannabis as medicine. This led to the creation of The Green Nurse Podcast: Living Your Best Life, which has just launched its 8th season. The podcast shares powerful healing stories and expert clinical discussions, all designed to highlight how cannabinoids can serve as a bridge to whole-person healing for a range of conditions and symptoms. Recently, our podcast was syndicated on Red Coral Universe, and all episodes throughout the years are available on our YouTube channel. It’s been an incredible journey, and I’m honored to continue shining a spotlight on the transformative potential of cannabis in healthcare.

In 2021, I partnered with Elisabeth Mack to merge our companies and create Holistic Caring and The Green Nurse, driven by a shared vision to train health professionals and deliver exceptional patient care. To advance this mission, we acquired Bloom Hemp CBD, ensuring access to safe, high-quality medicinal formulations supported by compassionate nursing care. We also established a Free Holistic Caring Network to connect patients with providers, promoting education and collaboration within the community. We have a saying, “People are making great cannabinoid medicines, people are selling these amazing plant medicines, yet no one is interpreting how to use cannabis as a medicine… that is what we do”

Elisabeth Mack winning Nurse Educator of The Year in 2023 at ACNA.

Community, Collaboration, and Professional Growth – My journey in cannabis nursing has been profoundly shaped by two exceptional organizations that have driven advancements in this field:

American Cannabis Nurses Association (ACNA) – Founded in 2006 and officially established as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2010 by Nurse Mary Lynn Mathre and her dedicated colleagues, the American Cannabis Nurses Association (ACNA) is devoted to advancing excellence in cannabis nursing through advocacy, education, research, and policy development. Serving as a Board Member during the 2022–2024 term has been a profound honor. One of ACNA’s landmark achievements under its leadership has been the release of the Scope and Standards of Cannabis Nursing, a testament to its unwavering commitment to advancing the nursing profession. I am deeply honored to continue contributing to this vital work, now serving a second term on the Board of Directors as Membership Committee Chair for 2024–2026.

Cannabis Nurses Network™ (CNN) – Established in 2015, CNN is a global platform supporting the professional growth of nurses by providing education in cannabis science, fostering collaboration, and creating opportunities to apply this knowledge in their communities. As a founding member since 2018, I have witnessed CNN’s transformative impact in empowering nurses and enriching their practice.

These organizations have played a pivotal role in my journey, inspiring the creation of The Green Nurse and my collaboration with Elisabeth Mack at the Holistic Caring Network and our merger. Together, we are evolving Holistic Caring Educational Programs to align with the Scope and Standards of Cannabis Nursing just published and Green Nurse Coaching and Consulting in partnership with Bloom Hemp. I invite you to explore these innovative communities and become part of the movement toward holistic, patient-centered care. Together, we have the power to shape the future of cannabis nursing. I encourage you to explore these resources, engage with the vibrant community of cannabis health professionals and join us in our mission to empower others through education and healing.

Live Your Best Life & Help Others Do The Same!

My Celebratory Skydive: Free from All Pharmaceuticals.

Resources & Offerings to Explore & Learn

• Holistic Caring & The Green Nurse – Educational Programs, Coaching & Consulting.
• Holistic Caring Network – Free educational network run by nurses & our pharmacist.
• Bloom Hemp CBD – Organic Hemp CBD, woman and nurseowned, doctor and nurse formulated, symptom targeted formulas, free nurse line and free emailed care plans customized to you.
• The Green Nurse Podcast – Living Your Best Life & Clinical Conversations
  • YouTube
  • Red Coral Universe