With the increasing legalization of medicinal use of cannabis, health professionals are realizing the need for a text designed specifically for clinical practitioners. To address that need, this book offers a valuable resource for cannabis education, providing general knowledge all clinicians need in order to work with patients using medicinal cannabis. Although some books exist that discuss the endocannabinoid system and the pharmacology of cannabis components, these are often much more specialized or more appropriate for a scientific researcher, rather than a clinical practitioner. This book takes an interdisciplinary approach to medicinal cannabis, examining the history, laws, science, and current clinical research on the topic. From this introductory textbook, readers will gain analytical skills useful for interpreting ongoing research and new clinical information. This book fills the gap in cannabis science for both clinical practitioners and students.
Helps healthcare professionals navigate the maze of information and disinformation about medical cannabis Written for all healthcare professionals who are considering including medical cannabis in their treatment plans, this is the first handbook to disseminate all the information needed to advise patients safely and legally. Replete with evidence-based guidelines firmly grounded in the most up-to-date research, this resource covers the historical, legal, and biological context of medical cannabis so healthcare professionals can confidently discuss possible plans with their patients. Medical Cannabis Handbook For Healthcare Professionals delves into the biology of the endocannabinoid system, addressing how cannabis interacts with the body, its effects and side effects, and how to manage cannabis–drug interactions. Chapters discuss in detail how to talk to patients, what language providers can and cannot use, protocols for patient-centered dosing, and the variety of available cannabinoid pharmaceuticals. Based on the latest research, this book demonstrates the efficacy of cannabis in treating a broad range of symptoms and conditions. Written for any healthcare professional who might have to answer patient questions about medical cannabis, this handbook dispels common myths and confirms little-known facts about medical cannabis. KEY FEATURES: Delivers the most up-to-date, evidence-based research on medical cannabis to enhance understanding of this complex topic Provides historical, legal, and biological content so that healthcare professionals can confidently discuss medical cannabis with patients Dispels common cannabis myths and misinformation Discusses pain management regarding cannabis and opioids Co-published with Medical Marijuana 411, the leading medical cannabis education provider to offer online CME, CPE, and CNE courses to health professionals worldwide; and required certifications for dispensary consultants
Significant changes have taken place in the policy landscape surrounding cannabis legalization, production, and use. During the past 20 years, 25 states and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis and/or cannabidiol (a component of cannabis) for medical conditions or retail sales at the state level and 4 states have legalized both the medical and recreational use of cannabis. These landmark changes in policy have impacted cannabis use patterns and perceived levels of risk. However, despite this changing landscape, evidence regarding the short- and long-term health effects of cannabis use remains elusive. While a myriad of studies have examined cannabis use in all its various forms, often these research conclusions are not appropriately synthesized, translated for, or communicated to policy makers, health care providers, state health officials, or other stakeholders who have been charged with influencing and enacting policies, procedures, and laws related to cannabis use. Unlike other controlled substances such as alcohol or tobacco, no accepted standards for safe use or appropriate dose are available to help guide individuals as they make choices regarding the issues of if, when, where, and how to use cannabis safely and, in regard to therapeutic uses, effectively. Shifting public sentiment, conflicting and impeded scientific research, and legislative battles have fueled the debate about what, if any, harms or benefits can be attributed to the use of cannabis or its derivatives, and this lack of aggregated knowledge has broad public health implications. The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids provides a comprehensive review of scientific evidence related to the health effects and potential therapeutic benefits of cannabis. This report provides a research agendaâ€"outlining gaps in current knowledge and opportunities for providing additional insight into these issuesâ€"that summarizes and prioritizes pressing research needs.
Some people suffer from chronic, debilitating disorders for which no conventional treatment brings relief. Can marijuana ease their symptoms? Would it be breaking the law to turn to marijuana as a medication? There are few sources of objective, scientifically sound advice for people in this situation. Most books about marijuana and medicine attempt to promote the views of advocates or opponents. To fill the gap between these extremes, authors Alison Mack and Janet Joy have extracted critical findings from a recent Institute of Medicine study on this important issue, interpreting them for a general audience. Marijuana As Medicine? provides patientsâ€"as well as the people who care for themâ€"with a foundation for making decisions about their own health care. This empowering volume examines several key points, including: Whether marijuana can relieve a variety of symptoms, including pain, muscle spasticity, nausea, and appetite loss. The dangers of smoking marijuana, as well as the effects of its active chemical components on the immune system and on psychological health. The potential use of marijuana-based medications on symptoms of AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and several other specific disorders, in comparison with existing treatments. Marijuana As Medicine? introduces readers to the active compounds in marijuana. These include the principal ingredient in Marinol, a legal medication. The authors also discuss the prospects for developing other drugs derived from marijuana's active ingredients. In addition to providing an up-to-date review of the science behind the medical marijuana debate, Mack and Joy also answer common questions about the legal status of marijuana, explaining the conflict between state and federal law regarding its medical use. Intended primarily as an aid to patients and caregivers, this book objectively presents critical information so that it can be used to make responsible health care decisions. Marijuana As Medicine? will also be a valuable resource for policymakers, health care providers, patient counselors, medical faculty and studentsâ€"in short, anyone who wants to learn more about this important issue.
The cultural, scientific and legislative divide created by vigorous debates over the legalization of medical marijuana is giving way to a new synergy among community stakeholders across the United States. The goal is to improve access to medical marijuana for patients with refractory debilitating neurological disorders, cancer, and chronic pain as an alternative to ineffective pharmacotherapy and potentially addictive pain medications. The ultimate test of our nations resolve to ensure the welfare of our sickest patients is the enactment and implement of effective public health reform in the area of medical marijuana, also known as medical cannabis.This book evolved out of the present need for a definitive volume on the science and public health aspects of medical cannabis to fuel this national narrative. The ethnographic research presented in the concluding chapter was inspired by Professor Miriam W. Boeri and colleagues, at Bentley University in Waltham, MA. They examined views of community stakeholders including medical marijuana dispensary entrepreneurs, health care professionals, and patients in a state that legalized medical marijuana in 2013, yet there continued to be confusion and misunderstandings in the interpretation and implementation of medical marijuana guidelines during the period of policy shifts. Apparent gaps in policy development and implementation signaled the urgency for a comparison study addressing stakeholder views in New York State, where its medical marijuana program has legally dispensed the drug since 2014. The resulting pilot study was carried out in the Division of Health Policy and Management of the City University of New York School of Public Health. The research model incorporated ethnographic and grounded methodologies to detail the views of physicians, pharmacists, educators, patients, and entrepreneur stakeholders; with triangulation of data and application of dominant themes into a socioecological framework model to identify areas of public health policy reform. The findings of this study detail that New York, like other states that recently legalized the dispensation of medical marijuana, faces challenges beyond policy transparency, communication and education explicitly to improve the implementation process for applying and registering medical cannabis dispensaries, referring physicians, and qualified patient recipients.Ken Langone, Chairman of the Board of New York University Langone Health, and Steven Galetta, Chair of Neurology in the School of Medicine, where the authors is senior staff in neuroepidemiology, motivated him to pursue doctoral training in Health Policy and Management. The author has had the good fortune of interacting with thought-provoking medical students, neurology trainees, public health doctoral students, and professors who reinforce the high ethical standards in medical and public health practice and research. However, his patients still educate him in empathy and humanity. The author is grateful to his family, including his spouse Holly and sons Adam and Seth, who serve as his daily compass, encouraging him to take on projects that promote core values of medicine and humanity.
Cannabis is one of the oldest cultivated plants dating back 12,000 years and demonstrates medicinal properties including immune support, anti-inflammatory effects, and cancer-fighting potential. As cannabis receives regulatory approval in the United States, clinicians will need guidelines to prescribe medical marijuana for various health conditions. This book presents information to healthcare professionals focusing on medical cannabis. It is a science-based overview providing clinical recommendations and dosing guidelines for practitioners to advise patients appropriately. Features: Discusses the endocannabinoid system role in homeostasis, pain control, and regulatory function in health and disease Advises clinicians on cannabis use in patients with cancer; cardiovascular, brain, and liver function; mood disorders; and patients receiving palliative care Includes information on cannabis nutrition as well as the cannabis microbiome Features information on cannabis quality control for safe and effective delivery Cannabis: A Clinician’s Guide is written for clinicians providing a resource guide to help them assess the medicinal value of cannabis, answer patient and consumer questions, and recommend its use optimally. The book is divided into three sections covering cannabis science, use in clinical practice, and regulations and standards. It includes practical information on dosing guidelines and dispensary insights, personal cannabis stories, and an in depth look at the nutritional benefits of cannabis and how to use it in daily life. From the Author: "As a clinical nutritionist, I have been involved in the use of cannabis since 1981 while researching diabetes in India. Ayurvedic medicine listed cannabis as a beneficial herb with curing properties. In 1983, a Chinese medicine doctor in the Peoples Republic of China gave me a cannabis herbal supplement for sleep that he claimed Chairman Mao took regularly. Upon returning to the United States, no one would even talk to me about cannabis because of its Schedule I status. During an Antioxidants class taught for Everglades University, I included information on cannabis, but was restricted from including it in the course description. Cannabis: A Clinician’s Guide unveils deceit on this herbal medicine used for thousands of years providing insight into the science behind its use and how to incorporate cannabis into daily life, especially for those suffering from neurological disorders, cancer, and mood disorders."
For hundreds of years cannabis has been used as a therapeutic medicine around the world. Cannabis was an accepted medicine during the second half of the 19th century, but its use declined because single agent pain medications were advocated by physicians who demanded standardization of medicines. It was not until 1964 when the chemical structure of THC (delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol) was elucidated and its pharmacological effects began to be understood. Numerous therapeutic effects of cannabis have been reviewed, but cannabis-based medicines are still an enigma because of legal issues. Many patients could benefit from cannabinoids, terpenoids and flavonoids found in Cannabis sativa L. These patients suffer from medical conditions including chronic pain, chronic inflammatory diseases, neurological disorders, and other debilitating illnesses. As more states are legalizing medical cannabis, prescribers need a reliable source which provides clinical information in a succinct format. This book focuses on the science of cannabis as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory supplement. It discusses cannabis uses in the human body for bone health/osteoporosis; brain injury and trauma; cancer; diabetes; gastrointestinal conditions; mental health disorders; insomnia; pain; anxiety disorders; depression; migraines; eye disorders; and arthritis and inflammation. There is emphasis on using the whole plant — from root to raw leaves and flowers discussing strains, extraction and analysis, and use of cannabis-infused edibles. Features: Provides an understanding of the botanical and biochemistry behind cannabis as well as its use as a dietary supplement. Discusses endocannabinoid system and cannabinoid receptors. Includes information on antioxidant benefits, pain receptors using cannabinoids, and dosage guidelines. Presents research on cannabis treatment plans, drug-cannabis interactions and dosing issues, cannabis vapes, edibles, creams, and suppositories. Multiple appendices including a glossary of cannabis vocabulary, how to use cannabis products, a patient guide and recipes as well as information on cannabis for pets.
Written by experienced clinicians for practicing physicians and other health care providers, this timely handbook presents today’s available information on cannabis and its uses in all areas of patient care. Medical Marijuana: A Clinical Handbook summarizes what is currently known about the positive and negative health impacts of cannabis, detailed pharmacological profiles of both THC and CBD, considerations for each medical specialty, treatment approaches used by practicing clinicians, and insights into the history of cannabis and the current regulatory environment in the United States. This concise, easy-to-navigate guide is an invaluable resource for physicians and residents, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and other clinicians who seek reliable clinical guidelines in this growing area of health care.
Because marijuana is a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act, the therapeutic benefits of cannabis are no longer mentioned in the formal education of health care professionals. Doctors who do learn of the drug's therapeutic value are often intimidated by its illegal status. Thus millions of patients afflicted with such illnesses as glaucoma, AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, seizure disorders and chronic pain are denied access to information about the drug's benefits and, in many cases, suffer needlessly. Straightforward and nonpoliticized information on the therapeutic uses of cannabis is provided here by medical, legal and scientific professionals. Legal issues, a worldwide history of therapeutic cannabis and a discussion of its pharmacology are covered. Specific medical uses are then examined, including its application for sufferers of cancer, AIDS, glaucoma, and seizure disorders, and its potential use in psychiatry. Dosages and administration of cannabis are explored, along with considerations on the use of the drug during pregnancy and the risks of addiction and dependency.
Note to Readers: Publisher does not guarantee quality or access to any included digital components if book is purchased through a third-party seller. Helps nurses to provide the best and safest care for patients suffering from chronic pain This is the first book to discuss the use of medical cannabis in helping combat the opioid crisis, relieving pain, and reversing opioid addiction rates. With information presented in short chapters with bulleted content, this concise resource delivers all the information healthcare professionals need to know about non–cancer-related chronic pain, the opioid crisis, and medical cannabis. Using the most up-to-date evidence available, it examines the varied causes of chronic pain and provides a succinct overview of how cannabis can be integrated into treatment plans. Fast Facts About Medical Cannabis and Opioids delves into the epidemiology behind chronic pain, what the endocannabinoid system is, and how it works. It examines the complex interactions of opiates, cannabinoids, and the central nervous system, and answers key questions about different types of medical cannabis to promote open, honest conversations. Above all, this handbook provides the tools for obtaining unbiased, accurate information to share with patients. Key Features: Delivers a comprehensive overview of the opioid crisis in the United States and the benefits and drawbacks of medical cannabis as an alternative or supplement to opioids Discusses dos and don’ts of recommending medical cannabis to patients Provides the most up-to-date information on cannabis legislation Covers the endocannabinoid system and its biology Compares the use of opioids and medical cannabis for managing chronic pain Presents key information in short chapters, bulleted content, and figures, plus Fast Facts boxes that highlight key information
