Survey of oncologists finds knowledge gap on medical marijuana

As more states legalize medical marijuana, two key groups—researchers whose job is it to understand its benefits and drawbacks, and physicians charged with advising potential users—are struggling to catch up with policymakers.

Ilana Braun, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and chief of the division of adult psychosocial oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, led a survey of cancer physicians around the country, exploring their attitudes and actions on medical marijuana.

The survey was sent to 200 oncologists, with a 63 percent response rate. We asked Braun to outline her findings, which were…