The Holistic Cannabis Academy, or HCA as it is also known, is a brand new educational program focused on teaching healthcare practitioners about the power of medicinal cannabis.

Created by Colorado-based dietitian nutritionists Donna Shields and co-founder Laura Lagano, HCA is a unique program offering something that the medical cannabis space currently lacks.

Shields saw an opportunity to develop something that would enlighten healthcare experts on the topic of medical cannabis when she discovered that her work colleagues had zero knowledge on the subject.

“Our philosophy is that cannabis is a tool, one of many healing tools. It should be part and parcel of an overall treatment plan,” says Shields.

Holistic Cannabis Academy will broaden perspectives on medical cannabis treatments

Shields’ motive for developing the HCA was to view cannabis on a broader scale and to spotlight the “whole body system” and how everything is connected on a physical level.

Shields believes that one of the most integral aspects of healing involves the integration of medical cannabis with various types of healthcare, including proper nutrition, meditation, yoga, and acupuncture.

She focuses on a “synergistic” effect in treatment care.

“You don’t have to be in one camp or the other. Cannabis can be used in conjunction with your medication; we never tell anyone to stop taking their medication,” says Shields.

“This can be an integral part of your treatment plan. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing,” she continued.

The foundation on which the Holistic Cannabis Academy was built is reflective of Shields and Lagano’s beliefs.

This dynamic duo strives to expand knowledge and perspectives on medical cannabis through the efficient delivery of valuable information regarding medical cannabis’ position in the medical industry.

Users can join Holistic Cannabis Academy at any time

An online program with rolling admissions, the HCA is constantly open to new members.

The program is carefully marketed by Shields in more ways than one. Mainly, she hosts web summits and taps into medical conferences as a way of attracting the attention of potential members.

The initial summit stretched over four days and featured 28 speakers. Impressively, 17,000 doctors and health care experts decided to get onboard with the HCA after the first summit.

Perhaps one of the most appealing aspects of the program is the fact that there are no set geographical restrictions for classes and therefore the student body stretches worldwide, with many members registering in Australia, Canada, Spain and New Zealand.

Interest overseas may actually be less apprehensive than in the United States.

“I see those in Canada as already being more holistically minded, so this isn’t that big a leap [for them],” Shields comments.

“As Canada looks to fully legalize, they’re not hamstrung by the same issues that we have [in the United States], so it’s been more comfortable for them to think about it.”

The Canadian Health Coach Alliance and Canadian Institute for Integrative Nutrition recently approved the HCA for continuing education credit hours.

Considering the fact this enables healthcare practitioners to adhere to continuing education requirements during their time spent enrolled in the HCA’s course, it is considerably valuable.

The founders of the HCA also operate similar programs in the states by collaborating with nutrition organizations.

However, this is a time-consuming task that necessitates hard work and patience, due to the governing organization and requirements of each American institution being unique to one another.

Holistic Cannabis Academy will not divulge medical advice

The Holistic Cannabis Academy was designed to assist every member with a personal approach.

Although members of the HCA shouldn’t expect to receive medical advice when they sign up, patients can learn about medicinal cannabis and pass the information on to their doctors.

As the medical cannabis industry gains momentum and the world welcomes cannabis reform, the HCA stands a good chance at becoming one of the most valuable tools out there for patients and practitioners alike.