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 oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, led a survey of cancer physicians around the country, exploring their attitudes and actions on medical marijuana.
The survey was sent to 400 oncologists, with a 63 percent response rate. We asked Braun to outline her findings, which were published last month in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Stories you may be interested in
Cannabis for Treating IBD: Hope or Hype?
Nausea, abdominal pain and changes in appetite. These are all things that can significantly impact one’s wellbeing if left untreated, yet they have all shown marked improvements when associated with cannabis. Yet, less is known about the effects of cannabis on inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, a chronic inflammatory condition that impacts the gastrointestinal tract…
Read More 
Systematic review: Efficacy and safety of medical marijuana in selected neurologic disorders
Report of the Guideline Development Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology: We performed a systematic review of medical marijuana (1948–November 2013) to address treatment of symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), epilepsy, and movement disorders. We graded the studies according to the American Academy of Neurology classification scheme for therapeutic articles. Read the full…
Read More 
Combating Opioid Dependence
The opioid epidemic is a hot topic across the United States, along with the alternatives that could alleviate the tragic consequences the epidemic brings. Opioids, also known as narcotics, are strong prescription pain relievers such as oxycodone, hydrocodone and fentanyl. Although illegal, heroin is also considered to be an opioid. Most patients are introduced to…
Read More 
COVID-19 and medical cannabis patients: What you need to know
In the midst of the COVID-19 maelstrom, the recent shuttering of nonessential stores has created concern around access to cannabis, particularly for medicinal cannabis consumers. Those who depend on cannabis for therapeutic purposes will be relieved to learn that across the US, medical cannabis dispensaries have been deemed essential services, comparable to pharmacies. As of March…
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 
LEGALIZING CANNABIS LINKED TO LESS OPIOID PRESCRIPTIONS, COULD HELP COMBAT EPIDEMIC, SCIENTISTS SAY
There are less opioid prescriptions on average in U.S. states where medical and recreational marijuana are legal, research has revealed. Access to recreational cannabis in the U.S. was tied with a 11.8 percent lower rate of opioids prescriptions each day, and 4.2 percent for medical marijuana. The authors of the paper published in the Journal of Health Economics said recreational weed…
Read More