Q: As more states legalize cannabis I worry that my kids will start to see commercials and advertisements that might entice them to try cannabis. What protections exist around advertising cannabis to minors? A: Most states that have legalized cannabis have very strict laws on advertising to consumers, especially those with medical cannabis. Remember it’s only been…
DetailsQ: My grandmother is asking about medical cannabis. Before I ask her doctor about it, I’m wondering: What should seniors consider when deciding whether to use medical marijuana? A: The fastest growing segment of medical cannabis patients is in fact, senior citizens, with a 75% increase over a three-year period as more states started passing legislation allowing it. And this number…
DetailsQ: What is the difference between cannabis legalization and decriminalization, and how does it impact medical marijuana users? A: Many people mistakenly think that decriminalization and legalization are interchangeable terms when it comes to cannabis law, and they are not. Decriminalization removes criminal penalties for personal use of small amounts of cannabis, which still remains an illegal…
DetailsQ: Will medical marijuana help my autistic child, or hurt them? I thought about trying cannabis with my autistic son, but I read articles about it being harmful for the developing brain. A: Autism is often one of the top medical conditions that push parents to seek medical cannabis. Many of the older studies talking about the dangers…
DetailsQ: If I start my special needs child on medical cannabis for his seizures, what happens during the school day? A: That is one of the critical issues that parents like yourself face with respect to medical cannabis therapeutics. Despite the individual states recognizing that there are children who need medical cannabis, at the present, it is…
DetailsQ: Why do the benefits of my medical cannabis sometimes vary slightly every time I use it, even when I buy the same product from the same dispensary? A: That is an excellent question and part of some of the frustration that both we as physicians and you as patients feel when using cannabis for medical therapeutics.…
DetailsQ: When it comes to medical cannabis, do strains matter? A: This is an interesting question because I often hear from my patients that the dispensary staff are pushing specific strains for certain medical problems. But scientifically speaking, I don’t believe it is that simple and we probably have not advanced the science to that point yet. Today the…
DetailsQ: Can cannabis treat neuropathy? And if so, what products should I use for it? A: While the initial answer may be a simple one, we don’t know yet. What follows is a review of what we do know. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), over one-quarter of…
DetailsQ: How addictive is cannabis? A: As an emergency physician in inner cities such as Detroit and Baltimore for the last 25 years I am, unfortunately, very familiar with caring for patients with addiction. Over the years, I have seen the nomenclature change from “drug abuse” to “substance abuse” to, now, “substance use disorder.” I became interested…
DetailsQ: Why is medical marijuana federally illegal? What is the history that led up to that? A: Cannabis has a long, complicated, and conflicting history in US politics. Historically it has been used as a food, a fiber, and a medicine for thousands of years in many different countries and cultures. In the US it has only…
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