Medical practitioners are being called upon to share their expertise and advance the field of cannabinoid medicine as the Australian and New Zealand College of Cannabinoid Practitioners prepares to host its annual conference on the Gold Coast.
Now in its second year, the event will bring together doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other medicinal cannabis industry professionals from across Australia for a three-day program.
The conference runs from May 2 to 4 at the Intercontinental Sanctuary Cove Resort and is open to all health practitioners registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
ANZCCP vice president Dr Orit Holtzman said the 2024 inaugural event "exceeded all expectations".
"It was energising to see so many passionate professionals come together to share knowledge and push the field forward," she said. "This year, we're building on that momentum with a program that bridges cutting-edge research and real-world clinical insights."
New to this year's schedule are clinical workshops, with profession-specific sessions for doctors, nurses, and pharmacists scheduled for Friday afternoon.
The weekend program includes panel discussions on ethics, legislation, and compliance, alongside masterclasses covering the endocannabinoid system, the dependence risks linked to THC treatments, and the role of medicinal cannabis in sleep disorder management, delivered by Dr Jamie Rickcord, Dr Mark Hardy, and Dr Dev Banerjee respectively.
Additional presenters at the conference include Dr Jim Connell, Dr Imran Kham, and nurse practitioner Lisa Dick.
Associate professor and NICM director of research Mike Armour will present a research update on medicinal cannabis and gynaecological pain, while Dr Gianni Del Rosario-Makridis will deliver a session on cannabis chemovars for clinical practice.
Further sessions will feature Dr Daryl Efron speaking on medicinal cannabis for paediatric developmental, behavioural, and mental health disorders, and Dr Bryce Joynson addressing the relationship between medicinal cannabis and ADHD.
"Whether your focus is research or patient care, there's something here to support and inspire your work," Dr Holtzman said.
Tickets for the event are available here.
