Skip to content

Doctors and patients are flying blind as medical marijuana use rises, research lags

July 25, 2019 / Arfinn Med MD /

Doctors and patients are flying blind as medical marijuana use rises, research lags

Marijuana’s role in the health care universe has grown exponentially over the past few years. Currently, 33 U.S. states have legalized the use of medical marijuana, and more and more states are considering making it legal for recreational purposes as well. As cannabis becomes more accessible, many people are turning to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) products to treat health issues like rheumatic and musculoskeletal disease (the aches and pains of arthritis).

Unfortunately, because cannabis remains illegal and classified as a Schedule 1 drugunder federal law (defined as being of no medical use), there has been a troubling lack of scientific and medical research on the effectiveness of cannabis treatments. This dearth of evidence-based data has left many health care providers unable to counsel their patients on everything from whether a cannabis treatment could be effective for their condition, to what dosages are appropriate, to how cannabis might interact with their other medications or health conditions.

Read Full Article Here

Stories you may be interested in

Arfinn Med March Updates

We are very happy to announce the release of several new functions within the Arfinn Med Platform.  Those include: * Text message updates from patients regarding their treatments * Templating for exam notes  * Updated analytics and dosing reports * Google calendar and Calendly integrations to schedule appointments. Please view the video below for more…
Read More →

How Medical Marijuana Affects Men vs. Women

As expected, men and women differ in a multitude of ways, from genetic makeup and hormonal behavior to how we process information and emotionally respond. The differences in our makeup are the exact reason why any medical treatment, including medical marijuana, will have a diverse impact on men vs. women. Let’s take a closer look…
Read More →

PTSD and Cannabis

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that occurs in people who witnessed or have gone through a traumatic event.  That can include events such as  natural disasters, war/combat, a serious accident, or personal assault, among others.  People suffering from PTSD have disturbing thoughts and feelings related to the traumatic event that can last…
Read More →

More baby boomers use medical marijuana, but they want their doctors to get wise to the risks and benefits

Baby boomers’ marijuana use has edged upward in the past decade, but recent research suggests some still have a hard time getting a hold of the drug. Older adults want more education, more research and greater openness with their health-care providers about using medical marijuana, according to a qualitative study of older cannabis users and non-users in…
Read More →

Older adults and medical marijuana: Reduced stigma and increased use

As a primary care doctor who has incorporated medical cannabis into his practice, it is notable how many silver-haired patients are coming in to discuss the pros and cons of a trial of medical cannabis. These patients range from people in their 60s with kidney failure who can no longer take certain pain medications but…
Read More →

Aching for a Better Alternative?

To close out Arthritis Awareness Month, we’re highlighting how medical marijuana may be a beneficial alternative treatment for this painful and debilitating disease. With over 31 million Americans suffering from various types of arthritis, the condition stands as the leading disability throughout the U.S. As many may know, arthritis is most common among the middle-aged…
Read More →

Leave a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.