Medical marijuana usage at nursing facilities in PA

This project is focuses on medical marijuana usage in nursing facilities in Pennsylvania and situates that topic within PCOM’s multi-study initiative examining medicinal cannabis effects across populations and conditions. Pennsylvania’s unique regulatory environment — the Commonwealth requires that research accompany legalization of cannabis for serious medical conditions — provides both the impetus and an infrastructure for systematic study of cannabis use among vulnerable populations such as nursing home residents. PCOM, approved as a certified Academic Clinical Research Center under Pennsylvania's medical marijuana law since 2018, and collaborating with the Clinical Registrant Organic Remedies, has established an integrated program to gather and share data on quality of life, behavior, cognition, chronic pain, opioid management, autism spectrum disorder and PTSD, as well as drug usage patterns in Pennsylvania and in nursing homes.

The nursing facility study aims to identify who in the long-term care population is using medicinal cannabis, for which conditions, by which routes of administration, and with what outcomes and safety profiles. The research objective aligns with PCOM’s stated need to determine which patients benefit, optimal delivery methods, dosing and formulations, and potential side effects or barriers to use. Methodologically, the multi-study program envisions data collection that can inform clinicians and policy makers about therapeutic applications in real-world settings, including assessments of quality of life, cognition and behavior, and implications for chronic pain management and opioid stewardship among older adults. The program also addresses product safety by investigating processing methods to remove contaminants, a critical concern for pharmaceutical care in nursing facilities.

Prior PCOM studies documented rapid improvements in health-related quality of life in adults starting medical cannabis, preliminary pilot results on Dronabinol for chronic pain, and follow-up studies on sleep quality. Educational and clinical translational components are embedded in the program—PCOM offers a concentration in medicinal cannabis in its PharmD curriculum and pursues research to improve pharmacy students’ cannabis counseling capabilities. As presented, the nursing home research benefits from PCOM’s interdisciplinary faculty expertise and institutional resources, as well as its partnership with a Clinical Registrant, enabling data linkage and clinical oversight. The study aims to produce evidence to guide prescribing, inform training of clinicians and pharmacists, and support policy discussions in Pennsylvania on safe, effective use of medicinal cannabis among nursing facility residents.

Outcomes are intended to clarify therapeutic indications, balance of benefits and risks, and operational considerations for integrating cannabis-based treatments into long-term care settings.