Medical Cannabis

Marijuana is a drug that is made up of the flowers, leaves and buds of the hemp plant Cannabis sativa. It has become incredibly popular and is used to treat a variety of medical conditions. Physicians and pharmacists are seeing a lot more patients on medical cannabis and better understanding the intended and adverse effects associated with it. Local Family Physicians and pharmacists can help with information and percriptions.

Conditions Medical Cannabis May Help

If you live in a place where medical cannabis is legal and your physician thinks it might help, you may use it for conditions such as:  Local Family Physicians and pharmacists can help with information and percriptions.

• Alzheimer's disease 
• Nausea from chemotherapy 
• Glaucoma 
• Chronic pain 
• Crohn’s disease 
• HIV or AIDS 
• Weight loss due to an illness
• Multiple sclerosis 

The cannabis plant has many types of cannabinoids in it, including THC, and CBD. There are also terpenes, aromatic compounds that give the particular smell to cannabis. There are over 100 cannabinoids in the cannabis plant. Of those 100 cannabinoids there are two that are found in higher concentration than all others: THC, also called delta9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, and CBD, also called cannabidiol.  Local Family Physicians and pharmacists can help with information and percriptions.

How to Use Medical Cannabis 

Some people who use medical cannabis find that they no longer need over-the-counter or prescription painkillers as often, or at all. Medical marijuana can also help reduce the anxiety and stress related to managing a chronic condition. There are different ways to use medical cannabis, including:  Local Family Physicians and pharmacists can help with information and percriptions.

• Smoking it like a cigarette 
• Vaporizing it (no smoke) 
• Eating it in a cookie or candy 
• Taking a liquid extract 

There are some side effects of marijuana, which are generally short-term, including:

• Euphoria 
• Dry mouth 
• Fast heartbeat 
• Drowsiness 
• Dizziness 
• Red eyes 
• Short-term memory loss 
• Low blood pressure 

Medical cannabis isn’t for everyone, so your physician will help you decide if it is a good option for your condition. He or she will likely not prescribe it if you have heart disease, a history of psychosis or are under 18. 

Talk to your family physician if you'd like more information on medical cannabis.   Local Family Physicians and pharmacists can help with information and percriptions.

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Print this Action Plan and check off items that you want to discuss with your healthcare provider

• If you live in a place where medical cannabis is legal and your physician thinks it might help, you may use it for conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, nausea from chemotherapy, glaucoma, chronic pain, Crohn’s disease, HIV or AIDS, weight loss due to an illness and multiple sclerosis.

• Some people who use medical cannabis find that they no longer need over-the-counter or prescription painkillers as often, or at all. Medical marijuana can also help reduce the anxiety and stress related to managing a chronic condition.

• There are different ways to use medical cannabis, including smoking it like a cigarette, vaporizing it (no smoke), eating it in a cookie or candy and taking a liquid extract.

• There are some side effects of marijuana, which are generally short-term, including euphoria, dry mouth, fast heartbeat, drowsiness, dizziness, red eyes, short-term memory loss and low blood pressure.

• Medical cannabis isn’t for everyone, so your physician will help you decide if it is a good option for your condition. He or she will likely not prescribe it if you have heart disease, a history of psychosis or are under 18.

Adherence:
Adhering to your medications, prescribed exercises or lifestyle changes (such as dietary changes, smoking cessation, reduced alcohol consumption, etc.) is essential to improving health outcomes successfully. Compliance to any prescribed treatment is the number one thing you can do to ensure positive changes and optimal treatment outcomes.

Medical cannabis, is cannabis and cannabinoids that are prescribed by doctors to their patients. The use of cannabis as a medicine has not been widely studied due to production restrictions and government regulations. A limited amount of evidence has shown that medical marijuana can help with conditions that involve chronic pain.