4 Hours / 4 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Marijuana and Cannabinoids: An Overview for Forensic Mental Health Professionals is presented by Shawn K. Acheson, PhD in partnership with the American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP).

This program provides a broad overview of marijuana and related natural and synthetic cannabinoids. Topics to be covered include the history of their use and the evolution of THC content and synthetics; the basic pharmacology of how cannabinoids affect the brain and how they are processed by the body; and the cognitive, behavioral, and psychomimetic effects of cannabinoids. Participants also learn how this information relates to specific forensic matters such as criminal competence, mental state at the time of the offense, and mitigation at sentencing.

This program is intended for fellow psychologists of all levels of experience, particularly those working in criminal forensic contexts. Psychologists in private practice, as well as those working in state hospitals, state or federal prisons, may benefit from the material presented. However, various other professionals may also gain valuable information including psychiatrists, social workers, and counselors with experience or interest in forensic matters.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe the history of cannabinoid use and the evolution of the types and potency of cannabinoids
  • 2 Describe the basic pharmacology of cannabinoids and their cognitive, behavioral, and psychotomimetic effects
  • 3 Describe information to various forensic concerns, including criminal competencies, mental states at the time of the offense, and mitigation

  • Intended Audience

    This training is intended for professionals specializing in forensic psychology, criminal forensic evaluations, or related applied psychology fields. It is also relevant for those with experience or interest in forensic matters, including psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, counselors, and other mental health professionals. The content is tailored to address the needs of those working in criminal forensic contexts but is broadly applicable to a range of professionals involved in forensic mental health.

    • Psychologist
    • Forensic Psychologist
    • Psychiatrist
    • Social Worker
    • Counselor
    • Mental Health Professional

  • Experience Level

    This training is applicable for all career stages: entry-level, mid-career, and experienced professionals.

    • Beginner: Little or no prior knowledge of cannabinoid pharmacology or forensic applications; seeking foundational understanding of cannabinoid history, effects, and relevance to forensic mental health.
    • Intermediate: Some familiarity with substance use or forensic mental health; seeking to expand knowledge of cannabinoid pharmacology, evolving potency, and application to forensic evaluations.
    • Advanced: Experienced in forensic mental health or substance use assessment; seeking to deepen expertise in the nuanced effects of cannabinoids and their implications for complex forensic cases.

  • Practice Setting

    Professionals specializing in forensic psychology, criminal forensic evaluations, and related applied psychology fields typically work in environments where mental health intersects with the legal system. These settings require expertise in assessing, diagnosing, and providing expert opinions on individuals involved in criminal or civil legal matters. The practice environment is often structured, secure, and multidisciplinary, involving collaboration with legal professionals, law enforcement, and correctional staff. Work may occur in institutional settings, private offices, or community agencies, with a focus on evaluation, treatment, and consultation related to forensic issues.

    • State or federal prisons and correctional facilities
    • State hospitals or forensic psychiatric hospitals
    • Private forensic psychology or psychiatry practices
    • Court clinics or court-appointed evaluation centers
    • Community mental health centers with forensic programs
    • Juvenile detention centers or youth justice facilities
    • Law enforcement agencies (consultation or assessment roles)
    • Academic or research institutions specializing in forensic mental health

Presented By

Shawn Acheson, PhD, Acheson Forensic NeuroPsyche Consulting (Owner)

Dr. Acheson earned his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL in 1997. He completed specialized training in clinical neuropsychology during his pre-doctoral internship and post-doctoral fellowship in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University Medical Center. He spent most of his career teaching and conducting clinical and pre-clinical research on TBI and the neurodevelopmental effects of alcohol and marijuana. In 2011 he joined the Duke Center for Psychiatry and Law and served as Lead Psychologist from 2015 – 2017. He also served as Staff Neuropsychologist in the Compensation & Pension and Neuropsychology Clinics at the Durham VA Medical Center from 2016 – 2017. In 2017 he returned to private practice in Asheville, NC where he provides clinical and forensic neuropsychology services in civil, criminal, and administrative courts.

View More Programs from this Presenter
Shawn Acheson, PhD

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Brief History of Cannabis and Cannabinoids
    Crime and Use statistics
    Changes in potency and the designer craze
    The evolution of delta-9 alternatives (e.g., CBD, Delat-8, Delta-10)

  • Basic Pharmacology of Cannabinoids (natural and synthetic)
    Structure and function
    Drug detection and clinical laboratory findings
    Acute Intoxication, Chronic Use, & Withdrawal

  • Cognitive, Behavioral, and Psychotomimetic effects of cannabinoids

  • Forensic Applications
    Criminal Competencies
    Mental State
    Mitigation

  • Neurodevelopmental Effects (as time permits)
    Prenatal
    Adolescent
    Geriatric

We are proud to partner with

American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP)

American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP)

We are proud to partner with the American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP) for this training. AAFP is a non-profit organization of board-certified forensic psychologists whose mission is to contribute to the development and maintenance of forensic psychology as a specialized field of study, research, and practice. The Academy does this by providing high-quality continuing education workshops, providing a forum for the exchange of scientific information among its members, and conferring awards upon outstanding students and practitioners in the field of forensic psychology.

Learn More About Our Partner

CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).



Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356 and the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6811. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CONCEPT Professional Training, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CONCEPT Professional Training maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits.