Marijuana as medicine

The documented use of marijuana (also known as cannabis) as a safe and effective therapeutic botanical medicine dates back to 2700 BC. From 1840 to 1900, European and American medical journals published more than 100 scientific articles on the therapeutic use of cannabis. Cannabis was part of the American pharmacopeia until 1942. As of the date of this blog, medical marijuana is legal in 20 countries around the world and in 29 states in the United States.

Cannabis and its psychoactive cannabinoid, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), are considered remarkably safe for human consumption. According to the Drug Awareness Warning Network Annual Report, published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)—an agency within the United States Department of Health and Human Services—there has never been a single death recorded from the use of cannabis. In fact, many studies have shown that it is physically impossible for a human to die from a cannabis overdose.

Medical use (not recreational use) of cannabis has merit when you consider the fact the human body is designed to interact with cannabinoids. It is known that we have cannabinoid receptors in the brain (called CB1 receptors) and cannabinoid receptors in the periphery (called CB2 receptors; found in the spleen, macrophages, kidneys, and lungs). Medical use of cannabis has additional merit when you consider the growing evidence that it can be highly effective in the treatment of a wide variety of debilitating conditions:

• Alzheimer’s disease: The cannabinoids in marijuana have been found to decrease inflammation in the brain and remove the sticky amyloid plaques. Depending on the severity of the disease, this may either reduce the progression of Alzheimer’s, halt its progression, or even begin restoring memory and improving cognitive function. Cannabis can also be a powerful tool against many symptoms of Alzheimer’s, including depression, insomnia, and anxiety. It is also helpful for dealing with the side effects of some of the drugs used to treat Alzheimer’s, including loss of appetite and nausea. Emerging research suggests that regular use of low-dose THC may slow age-related cognitive decline.
• Amyotrophic laterals sclerosis (ALS): Also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Common symptoms of ALS include muscle weakness and muscle wasting, fatigue, speech impairment, and pain. The anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, analgesic, and neuroprotective effects of cannabis have not only been found to reduce the symptoms of ALS, it may even slow the progression of the disease.
• Anxiety: Low to moderate doses of medical cannabis have been found to offer quick and effective relief of anxiety, even in severe cases. Cannabis can be a safer alternative to benzodiazepines (“benzos”), such as Xanax, Klonopin, and Valium.
• Arthritis: Cannabis has been found to significantly reduce the pain and inflammation in both osteoarthritis and in rheumatoid arthritis.
• Cancer: Numerous studies have shown that cannabis not only slows the growth of cancer but actually kills cancer cells and shrinks tumors. THC has been found to turn off the ID-1 gene which causes cancers to multiply and spread. CBD (cannabidiol), another cannabinoid found in marijuana, enhances the anti-cancer effect of THC.
• Chemotherapy side effects: One of the most common uses for cannabis is to combat the horrible side effects associated with cancer chemotherapy. Not only does cannabis help combat cancer itself, it can increase appetite, reduce nausea, and eases the pain. In fact, there have been several FDA-approved synthetic cannabinoid medications that have been developed for this very purpose, however, they do not work as well as real cannabis (marijuana).
• Chronic debilitating pain: This is constantly recurring, severe pain that interferes with activities of daily living. This can be due to a variety of reasons, such as cancer, intense migraines, or a herniated disc from an automobile accident. Chronic pain is usually treated with prescription opioid (narcotic) painkillers. There are major side effects of prescription opioids, such as constipation, nausea, and vomiting. The primary and most serious issues with taking prescription opioids are the addiction, dependence, and overdose. In 2015, more than 15,000 people died from overdoses involving prescription opioids. Because opioids are chemically similar to heroin, many opioid patients jump to heroin if their prescriptions are discontinued. Both cannabis and opioids can reduce pain, but unlike opioids, cannabis is not associated with constipation, nausea, or vomiting. Nor does cannabis cause death from overdose. Furthermore, unlike opioids, cannabis can reduce inflammation in damaged tissue. Bottom line, cannabis can act as a safer alternative to opioids.
• Crohn’s disease: This is chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects the lining of the digestive tract. Crohn’s disease can cause abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, weight loss, anemia, and fatigue, and can sometimes cause life-threatening complications. Cannabis can reduce intestinal inflammation and nausea, and can help improve the gut bacteria environment. Unlike conventional medication, cannabis does not cause diarrhea or constipation.
• Depression: Scientists found that endocannabinoids—chemical compounds in the brain that activate the same receptors as THC, an active compound in marijuana—may be beneficial in treating depression that results from chronic stress. However, it’s important to note that the relationship between cannabis and depression is not so simple. Some research has suggested that regular and heavy marijuana users are theoretically at a higher risk for depression, a definitive link between cannabis use and depression has not been established. More studies are needed to determine whether, and how, cannabis might be used for patients with depression.
• Dravet syndrome: This is a type of epilepsy with seizures that are often triggered by hot temperatures or fever. Dravet syndrome appears during the first year of life, often beginning around six months of age with frequent fever-related seizures. Children with Dravet syndrome usually experience a delayed development of language and motor skills, hyperactivity, sleep difficulties, chronic infections, growth and balance issues, and difficulty getting along with others. Children with Dravet syndrome require full-time caretakers with tremendous patience and the ability to monitor them closely. In these patients, cannabis has been shown to reduce seizure activity by as much as 99%.
• Epilepsy: Cannabis is considered the most effective medicine for reducing or eliminating epileptic seizures. THC attaches to the neurons (brain cells) responsible for controlling excitability and relaxation.
• Glaucoma: This a condition of increased pressure within the eyeball, causing a gradual loss of sight. Studies in the early 1970s showed that cannabis lowers intraocular pressure, preventing damage to the optic nerve.
• Hepatitis C: The new drugs for hepatitis C are so potent, they cure the disease for nearly all who take them. Because these drugs are so strong, they can cause severe pain, nausea, lack of appetite, fatigue, and severe depression that can last for months. This prevents many from completing their treatment. Cannabis has been found to dramatically reduce the side effects of the hepatitis C drugs.
• HIV/AIDS: The top therapeutic benefits of cannabis for those with HIV/AIDS include appetite stimulation, reduction of nausea, anxiety or depression, and neuropathy symptoms, as well as a reduction in pain.
• Leeuwenhoek’s disease: This is a rare disease characterized by involuntary spasms of the diaphragm (the main muscle responsible for breathing). Common symptoms include severe pain, difficulty breathing, hyperventilation, respiratory distress, and episodic abdominal movements. This can lead to severe anxiety. Cannabis has been shown to calm the symptoms within seconds.
• Multiple sclerosis (MS): Muscle spasms are a common symptom of MS. Spasticity may be as mild as the feeling of tightness of muscles or may be so intense as to produce uncontrollable and intolerable spasms of the extremities.
• Night terrors: Severe nightmares, or night terrors, affect millions of people. Night terrors are often associated with PTSD and certain neurological disorders, as well as side effects from certain medications. Cannabis has been found to calm night terrors and restore sleep.
• Parkinson’s disease: Cannabis has been found to lessen the tremors and pain associated with Parkinson’s and improves fine motor movement. Furthermore, due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, cannabis can prevent neuron damage and may slow the progression of the disease.
• PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder): This is a mental health disorder that results from a failure to recover after experiencing or witnessing a terrifying event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault. The condition may last months or years, with triggers that can bring back the memory of the trauma accompanied by severe emotional and physical symptoms, such as nightmares or flashbacks, avoidance of situations that bring back the trauma, heightened reactivity to stimuli, anxiety, or depression. Cannabis has been found to provide relief to those suffering from PTSD.
• Respiratory diseases: For those suffering from asthma or emphysema, cannabis acts on the bronchial passages to dilate and open the lungs, making it easier to breathe. This may represent a faster, longer-lasting, and safer treatment option than inhalable steroids.
• Stroke: Cannabis has been shown to help stroke victims recover faster by decreasing the area of the brain affected by the stroke. The neurogenerative properties of cannabis can stimulate new brain cells to grow and helps restore cognitive function.
• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE): Also known as “lupus,” this is a devastating autoimmune disease. Cannabis has been shown to not only reduce the pain, inflammation, and nausea associated with the disease, it also acts to balance the immune system, thereby calming symptoms.
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI): This is a brain dysfunction caused by an outside force, usually a violent blow to the head. TBI often occurs because of a sports injury or automobile accident. Cannabis acts as neuroprotectant that can stop or slow the neurodegeneration that results from TBI.

There are two varieties of cannabis, indica and sativa. Indica is more relaxing, better at relieving pain, muscle spasms, migraines, seizures, and anxiety. Sativa is more uplifting, stimulating, and energizing, and induces feelings of well-being, increases focus and creativity, and fights depression. There are hybrid varieties which fall along the middle of the indica-sativa spectrum. Medical cannabis is most often inhaled by vaporization (not smoked) or taken orally. Inhalation results in a rapid onset and short duration of action. Oral ingestion has a delayed onset and a prolonged duration of action.

COMMENTS: Medical marijuana is now legal in Florida. The Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative, also known as Amendment 2, was approved by voters in the Tuesday, November 8, 2016, general election. A patient with a qualified medical condition receives an order for medical marijuana from a state-authorized physician. The patient then fills their order at an approved dispensary. Only a 45-day supply of medical cannabis can be filled at a time. I have been authorized by the Florida Department of Health to prescribe medical marijuana for those suffering from:

• ALS
• Cancer
• Crohn’s disease
• Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
• Glaucoma
• HIV/AIDS
• Multiple sclerosis
• Parkinson’s disease
• PTSD
• Severe muscle spasms
• Any debilitating medical conditions of the same kind or class as or comparable to those enumerated, and for which a physician believes that the medical use of marijuana would likely outweigh the potential health risks for a patient (Note: This is left to the discretion of the evaluating physician)

The physician fee is $350 for the initial evaluation and medical record review. Florida law requires a 45-day follow-up which can be done over the phone and the fee is $100. An in-person follow-up is required every 90 days and the fee is $150. There is no insurance or Medicare coverage for medical marijuana.

The medical marijuana itself is purchased separately from a state-approved dispensary. The cost is around $175 for a 45-day supply.

For millions of people, medical marijuana has been a godsend! To begin the process, click here to download the patient information form. After completing the form, please return it to us by fax (888-481-6799) or email (sylvia@healthyandstrong.com). We will call you after reviewing your information.