States with medical marijuana laws saw 20 percent drop in some opioid prescriptions
States with active medical marijuana laws saw certain opioid prescription rates drop nearly 20 percent compared to states without medical marijuana programs, according to a first-of-its-kind study out of Columbia University’s Irving Medical Center.
Authors said the findings underscore the importance of providing patients with pain management alternatives, such as cannabis, in efforts to reduce opioid use.
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Florida doctors face new rules for medical marijuana (And how Arfinn Med can help)
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – New rules laying out the do’s and don’ts physicians must follow when certifying patients to smoke medical marijuana took effect last week, but it’s not clear that doctors or patients are fully aware of them. Patients certified or recertified to smoke medical marijuana must sign a new standardized consent form as of last…
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Medical Marijuana Faces Acceptance Barrier by Hesitant Medical Schools
A new study shows a growing interest by university pharmacy programs in teaching about medical marijuana in their curriculum, while medical schools seem to lag behind. Sixty-two percent of U.S. pharmacy school respondents queried in a new survey said they included medical marijuana in their doctorate of pharmacy curriculum. That’s according to a nine-page study co-authored by…
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Survey of oncologists finds knowledge gap on medical marijuana
As more states legalize medical marijuana, two key groups — researchers whose job is it to understand its benefits and drawbacks, and physicians charged with advising potential users — are struggling to catch up with policymakers. Ilana Braun, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and chief of the division of adult psychosocial…
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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…
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Cannabis improves symptoms of Crohn’s disease despite having no effect on gut inflammation
In the first study of its kind, cannabis oil has been shown to significantly improve the symptoms of Crohn’s disease and the quality of life of sufferers but, contrary to previous medical thinking, has no effect on gut inflammation. In a randomised, placebo-controlled study, researchers from Israel have shown that cannabis can produce clinical remission…
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European Parliament Passes Cannabis Resolution, Joins WHO In Supporting Medical Marijuana
Following reports about the World Health Organization (WHO) recommending a rescheduling of cannabis and several of its key components under international drug treaties, the European Parliament voted on Wednesday on a resolution that would help advance medical cannabis in the countries that form the European Union. Read the full story here.
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