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Dear Green Nurse
What are the best cannabis books for Nurses? I am interested in learning more and would like to have a few good books to read and reference.
Sincerely,
Cannabis Nurse Newbie
Dear Nurse Newbie,
Welcome to the world of cannabis nursing! There are many excellent books available on the subject, and I’ll share a list of my top recommendations at the end of this blog, complete with links for easy purchasing. However, one book truly stands out as essential reading for any nurse looking to understand cannabis nursing: Cannabis Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice. This book should be your first pick, as it thoroughly addresses the who, what, when, where, and why of cannabis nursing. It also clearly defines the scope of practice for nurses at all levels, from Registered Nurses to Master’s-prepared and Advanced Practice Nurses. If you haven’t read my journey of becoming a cannabis nurse you can read that here.
With you on the journey,
Your Favorite Green Nurse
As a Registered Nurse, educator, and advocate working in cannabis nursing and integrative health, I’m going to say this plainly:
If you are a nurse in 2025 and you do not yet understand the endocannabinoid system (ECS) or the professional scope of cannabis nursing, it’s time to change that.
As Maryanne, a 70-year-old nurse who first introduced me to the concept of cannabis as medicine, often says: “It’s time to get with the program.” It’s time to explore and understand one of the most misunderstood plants in the world.
Back in 2018 prior to Cannabis Nursing being recognized as a speciality, The National Council State Boards of Nursing put out a call to action in the Journal of Nursing Regulation that all nurses, advanced practice nurses and nursing students must have six essential areas of knowledge when it comes to cannabis as medicine.
This includes ALL nurses!
The six essentials areas of knowledge that all nurses must have includes:
1. The nurse shall have a working knowledge of the current state of legalization of medical and recreational cannabis use.
2. The nurse shall have a working knowledge of the jurisdiction’s medical marijuana program.
3. The nurse shall have an understanding of the endocannabinoid system, cannabinoid receptors, cannabinoids, and the interactions between them.
4. The nurse shall have an understanding of cannabis pharmacology, and the research associated with the medical use of cannabis.
5. The nurse shall be able to identify the safety considerations for patient use of cannabis.
6. The nurse shall approach the patient without judgment regarding the patient’s choice of treatment or preferences in managing pain and other distressing symptoms.
Why is it essential for nurses to understand the Endocannabinoid System? Your patients are already using cannabis — often without adequate guidance, and often with fear of stigma. Far too often, they’re left to rely on advice from retail staff, chatrooms, or internet influencers. As the most trusted profession, nurses need to be the credible, evidence-based voice our patients can turn to.
Cannabinoid Therapeutics is much more than just cannabis and hemp derived CBD because everything that we tell patients to do or not do influences this very important system which at its core is a stress recovery system meant to keep our bodies in balance or systemic homeostasis. Our role as cannabis nurses extends beyond safe consumption of products and includes educating patients on the endocannabinoid system, its functions, and how cannabis, hemp derived CBD and lifestyle as medicine can be used to support its optimal functioning.
That is why the new Cannabis Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice (American Cannabis Nurses Association [ACNA] & American Nurses Association [ANA], 2024) is an essential resource — not just for cannabis nurses, but for ALL nurses, including:
Every nurse should have this book in their professional library. Understanding cannabis nursing is no longer optional—it’s essential.
Cannabis Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice
1st – The Endocannabinoid System plays a vital role in overall health, yet it remains largely overlooked in most nursing curricula. The ECS, discovered in the early 1990s, is a major homeostatic system that regulates immune function, pain, inflammation, digestion, sleep, mood, metabolism, and more (Lu & Mackie, 2016; Mack, E. 2020). It is foundational to understanding how cannabinoids — both endogenous and plant-derived — interact with the body. It is why cannabinoids as supplements work to restore well-being, and modulate our health.
Yet most nursing programs barely mention the ECS. Cannabis Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice offers one of the clearest, most practical introductions to ECS physiology I’ve seen — written specifically for nurses (ACNA & ANA, 2024).
2nd – Nurses are among the most trusted professionals, yet misinformation about cannabis remains widespread. Patients are already using cannabis — for cancer-related symptoms, PTSD, chronic pain, seizures, autoimmune conditions, palliative care, mental health support, and more (Clark, 2021). In fact, research shows cannabis is one of the most widely used complementary therapies today (NASEM, 2017). Unfortunately, many patients don’t disclose cannabis use to their healthcare team because they fear judgment, legal consequences, or misunderstanding. They turn instead to dispensary staff or online sources — where quality of information varies dramatically.
“Patients trust nurses — and nurses need trustworthy, evidence-based cannabis education.”
This book gives us the basic tools to meet that need: clear, accurate, science-based cannabis education, grounded in both nursing ethics and professional scope. The educational programs offered by Holistic Caring and The Green Nurse are recognized in the new Scope and Standards of Cannabis Nursing as trusted and qualified resources for this level of instruction.(ACNA & ANA, 2024; NCSBN, 2018).
3rd – Cannabis nursing is firmly rooted in the principles of professional nursing standards. This is not “alternative” or fringe work — cannabis nursing is now an ANA-recognized specialty practice. The Cannabis Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice book formalizes this specialty by clearly defining the Scope of Practice for cannabis nurses. It also outlines comprehensive Standards of Practice, including the key elements of nursing care: assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation. In addition, the book establishes Standards of Professional Performance, which address essential areas such as ethics, advocacy, education, leadership, environmental health, and scholarly inquiry. These standards provide a strong professional framework, ensuring that cannabis nursing is grounded in the core values and expectations of modern nursing practice. All aligned with Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice (ANA, 2021).
“Cannabis nursing is not fringe — it is an ANA-recognized specialty practice with formal scope and standards.”
This book is absolutely essential for nurses practicing in this space — it protects patients, protects nurses’ licenses, and brings professional credibility to a field long clouded by stigma and misinformation.
4th – Nurses serve as unwavering advocates for health equity and social justice, guided by a strong ethical foundation. Cannabis prohibition has caused decades of harm, disproportionately impacting Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities through over-policing, incarceration, and loss of rights (ACLU, 2020). Even today, despite growing legalization, racial disparities in arrests and access persist. Nurses are called to be ethical advocates for health equity — and this book does not shy away from that responsibility. It provides both historical context and a clear call for nurses to lead in correcting these injustices.
“Cannabis prohibition continues to cause racial and social harms — nurses must be advocates for equity.”
5th – Cannabis is now an integral part of modern, integrative nursing practice. Cannabis nursing supports a truly holistic, person-centered model of care that weaves together multiple approaches to promote patient well-being. This includes the use of evidence-based cannabinoid therapeutics, informed by the latest science on the endocannabinoid system. It also embraces trauma-informed care, recognizing the profound impact of trauma on health. Cannabis nurses incorporate motivational interviewing to empower patients in making informed choices, alongside lifestyle and integrative health coaching to support sustainable wellness. Harm reduction principles are central to this practice, ensuring safe use and minimizing potential risks. Additionally, cannabis nursing is grounded in cultural humility and a commitment to social justice, honoring the diverse backgrounds and experiences of the patients we serve.
Cannabis Nursing supports a truly holistic, person-centered model of care, integrating:
Cannabis is here. Patients are using it. Nurses must lead — or risk being left behind.
The Cannabis Nursing book weaves together science, clinical application, and the ethical heart of nursing practice — making it an invaluable tool for anyone seeking to integrate cannabis into holistic patient care.
Who should read this book?
Final word from me, Your Favorite Green Nurse: Cannabis is not going away. If anything, its role in healthcare will only grow as more states legalize, more patients turn to plant-based therapies, and more research emerges. The future of healthcare lies in patient empowerment, with cannabis, hemp-derived CBD, and botanical formulations serving as powerful tools to support this vision. Patients want to reduce pharmaceuticals and procedures that no longer serve their best interest. These natural remedies help patients regulate the Endocannabinoid System, addressing root causes for holistic and systemic whole person healing.
Nurses must be prepared to lead — not follow — in this space. Nurses are the only licensed health professionals who have taken a stance to advocate for the safe therapeutic use of cannabis and hemp derived CBD professionally. The American Medical Association continues to classify it as a substance of abuse and only supports the use of medications approved by the FDA.
Cannabis Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice gives us exactly what we need: the clinical, legal, ethical, and professional grounding to do so with compassion, integrity, and excellence. I strongly recommend this book to every nurse, whether you’re new to cannabis therapeutics or an experienced advocate.
This book belongs on every nurse’s shelf.
If you’re curious about my journey to becoming a Cannabis Nurse Health Coach, you can explore my story here and you can explore our vetted educational programs at Holistic Caring & The Green Nurse which are also being offered at The Society of Cannabis Clinicians and The American Cannabis Nurses Association.
Other “HIGHLY” recommended books for your library to learn
American Cannabis Nurses Association & American Nurses Association. (2024). Cannabis nursing: Scope and standards of practice. https://www.nursingworld.org/nurses-books/cannabis-nursing-scope-and-standards-of-practice/
American Nurses Association. (2021). Nursing: Scope and standards of practice (4th ed.). https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/scope-of-practice/
American Civil Liberties Union. (2020). A tale of two countries: Racially targeted arrests in the era of marijuana reform. https://www.aclu.org/report/tale-two-countries-racially-targeted-arrests-era-marijuana-reform
Clark, C. S. (2021). Cannabis: A handbook for nurses. Wolters Kluwer. https://www.amazon.com/Cannabis-Handbook-CAREY-S-CLARK/dp/1975144260
Lu, H. C., & Mackie, K. (2016). An introduction to the endogenous cannabinoid system. Biological Psychiatry, 79(7), 516–525. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.07.028
Mack, E. (2020). Cannabis for health: Become a coach. AuthorHouse. https://www.authorhouse.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/812353-cannabis-for-health-become-a-coach
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2017). The health effects of cannabis and cannabinoids: The current state of evidence and recommendations for research. https://doi.org/10.17226/24625
National Council of State Boards of Nursing. (2018). NCSBN national nursing guidelines for medical marijuana. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 9(2, Suppl.), S1–S62. https://ncsbn.org/public-files/The_NCSBN_National_Nursing_Guidelines_for_Medical_Marijuana_JNR_July_2018.pdf
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