A Nurse's Perspective on Patient Usage - guiding from bong use to vaporisers & oils.
Interview with Nurse Deb Ranson
Read time: 2-3 mins
As legal access to medical cannabis continues to expand in Australia, the ongoing shift away from the underground "green market" is being propelled by compassionate and highly skilled practitioners like Nurse Deb Ranson.
Deb is a Registered Nurse whose approach to supporting medical cannabis patients reflects a nuanced understanding of cannabis medicines and the realities of human behaviour. Deb is highly passionate about ensuring quality medications are accessible to patients and is a vocal advocate for changes in driving laws for medical cannabis patients.
In a recent conversation with the Insiders Extract’s Adam Miller, Deb shares insights into the realities of supporting patients as a nurse in the medical cannabis space.
Her work, particularly with patients transitioning from high-volume, unregulated cannabis use to medically supervised treatment, highlights the critical role of education, empathy, and practical harm reduction.
Dissolving Old Habits
Deb works with cannabis patients on assessment and education prior to consultations with the prescribing doctors. Many of Deb’s patients arrive from the green market using four or five grams of flower per day, a situation she regularly has to challenge gently.
“You're not Bob Marley,” she quips during consultations, aiming to dissolve cultural myths around heavy use without alienating her patients. Instead of demotivating patients with judgments about past choices, she offers an empowering pathway: titrating down flower use while introducing higher-quality, regulated THC and CBD oils.
By integrating discussions around terpenes, the individualised nature of the ECS (endocannabinoid system), and alternative modes of delivery including vaporiser technology, Deb helps patients understand how to utilise cannabis as the potent medicine it is, but also why it matters.
“It’s not about punishing people for how they used cannabis before," she explains. "It’s about showing them what’s possible when you have access to proper medicine and real support.”
This style of approach is increasingly relevant as Australia's relationship with medical cannabis evolves. According to the 2022–2023 National Drug Strategy Household Survey, 3.0% of Australians reported using cannabis for medical purposes in the past year. However, the majority of Australians accessing cannabis for medical reasons still obtain it without a prescription, with only 1 in 5 people always having their cannabis prescribed by a doctor.
These data highlight the importance of educators like Deb in bridging the gap between informal use and supported, medically guided healthcare.
Trust and Titration
Deb doesn’t rush her patients. She builds trust, rather than overwhelming patients with immediate lifestyle overhauls. One of the first steps for green market users transitioning to medical cannabis patients is encouraging them to set aside a small weekly budget toward purchasing a vaporiser. “You can’t just throw too much at them at once," she says. "Change takes time."
Deb gives an example of a typical patient in this sort of case. For a patient accustomed to frequent daily bong use, in conversation with the prescribing doctor, they might be started on two grams of high-quality flower per day, supplemented with a carefully titrated oil regimen specific to their symptom picture.
These types of patient benefit from a non-judgemental and practical support. Deb notes, "By 12 months, some are down to just over a gram a day," and often patients not only use less cannabis but report better symptom control.
Her method is an antidote to the cookie-cutter dosing models that can plague less-informed prescribing practices world-over. “We've all got feet, but we don’t wear the same shoes,” she reminds, emphasising how cannabinoids and terpenes interact differently with each person's unique endocannabinoid system.
An Advocate at Heart
Despite the success stories, barriers remain. Australia's strict drug-driving laws, which criminalise THC presence regardless of prescription or impairment, continue to discourage some patients from pursuing cannabis treatments.
“We’re prescribing a legal medication," she says. "But people are still scared to lose their license”. Anecdotally, that fear drives them back to opioids, at considerable risk.
As an ambassador for Drive Change, Deb lends her voice to the campaign advocating for evidence-based reforms to cannabis driving laws in Australia. She champions the rights of medical cannabis patients, arguing that no one should be forced to choose between safe treatment and their freedom to drive
With Australia’s medical cannabis industry maturing, currently estimated to be worth over $400 million in 2024-25, it remains grassroots pioneers like Nurse Deb Ranson who ensure that its growth is measured not just in profits, but in patient lives.
Deb Ranson is a Registered Clinical Nurse Consultant with over 19 years' experience in Australian healthcare, specialising in cardio-thoracic and transplant nursing whilst establishing herself as a leading advocate for medicinal cannabis access and education through founding the Australian Nurses Cannabis Support & Information Network and co-founding the Australian Cannabis Nurses Association. Her work spans clinical practice at Origins of Alchemy, educational initiatives with Nurses Green Health Education and policy development with the Queensland Nurses & Midwives Union, earning recognition as 'Nurse of the Year 2024' and advancing understanding of plant-based medicines throughout Australia's healthcare landscape.
Disclaimer: This information is shared with a global readership for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or business advice. All patient-related information has been de-identified OR fictional to protect privacy. Nothing in this article is intended to promote the use or supply of medical cannabis to members of the public.
