Get your Pennsylvania MMJ Card Online

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

AKA: Lou Gehrig’s Disease

This disease is a degenerative, neurological disease that attacks the central nervous system, which includes the brain and the spinal cord.  The cause of ALS is not fully understood but some research would point to a few origins including gene mutation, unusual immune responses and even chemical imbalance. Smoking or toxic environmental exposure may cause ALS symptoms to begin. The symptoms of ALS include fine and gross motor skill issues such as difficulty with walking, muscle weakness, difficulty swallowing and increased risk of falling. ALS does not have a known cure.  

How can Medical Marijuana Help Patients with ALS?

Clinical evidence presented in 2004, 2010, and 2015 have shown that medical marijuana can reduce symptoms of ALS by stimulating appetite, reducing pain and relaxing muscles. In addition, the 2010 study showed Medical Marijuana to be a powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory effects. This means that it has neuroprotective results and may even prolong neuronal cell life span. 

Autism

Autism is an extensive developmental disorder that is expressed in almost all dimensions of the child’s development.

Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) makes social interaction and communication difficult, and is marked by restricted and repetitive behavior. The range and severity of symptoms can vary widely and include difficulty with communication and social interactions, obsessive interests, and repetitive behaviors. Numerous studies have shown cannabis can relieve some of the symptoms suffered by many autistic people, including seizures, restlessness, and rage attacks.

How Medical Marijuana Helps Patients with Autism?

CBD is thought to be anti-inflammatory and has the potential to treat epilepsy, autism and psychiatric disorders without intoxicating side effects. Some published research suggests cannabis can alleviate spasticity and general pain in adults. Doctors have also begun to recommend CBD for children for Tourette syndrome, epilepsy, dystonia, and seizures.

Cancer

Cancer can come in many forms and is characterized by abnormal cells developing and dividing in an uncontrolled manner in the human body.  Cancer can form almost anywhere in the body.  Cancer cells are invasive and continue to divide and increase in number.  Cancer can cause many symptoms from pain to changes in weight and fatigue.  Gene mutations are the cause of cancer.  Your family history and environmental factors will affect your chances of developing cancer. While some cancers can be cured, others can be fatal. Early detection and treatment can greatly improve a patient’s survival rate.

How can Medical Marijuana Help Patients with Cancer?

Studies in 2015 and 2016 found that CBD (a major chemical compound in Medical Marijuana) demonstrated an ability to inhibit the growth of tumor cells in animals. Medical marijuana is very effective at treating symptoms of cancer including alleviating fatigue, pain, appetite loss, nausea, vomiting and anxiety.  Furthermore, a 2012 study published in PubMed showed that conventional cancer treatment combined with cannabinoids (Chemical compounds in Medical Marijuana) had a synergistic effect against cancer and tumor cells.  This means that by combining conventional treatment with Medical Marijuana, patients may benefit more than from just conventional treatment alone. 

Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s Disease is a chronic inflammatory condition involving the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, which can result in permanent intestinal damage. Patients suffering from this disease can become malnourished due to an inability to properly absorb nutrients, digest food and eliminate waste. Patients can experience severe chronic pain due to the inflammation in the intestinal tract.  This can cause patients to lose their appetite and feel nauseous.  Crohn’s Disease can also result in patients developing other health issues like bowel obstructions, ulcers, fistulas, anal fissures and even colon cancer.

How can Medical Marijuana Help Patients with Crohn’s Disease?

Inflammatory Bowel diseases, including Crohn’s, and the effectiveness of medical marijuana to treat symptoms has been heavily researched with very positive results.  Dr. Jeff Hergenrather, M.D. published a paper in 2005 that many called groundbreaking.  The benefits of Medical Marijuana were numerous and included weight gain, improved appetite, and reduced vomiting, fatigue and depression as well as an overall increase in physical activity. In another study, “Cannabis induces a clinical response in patients with Crohn’s disease: a prospective placebo-controlled study,” patients were given an 8-week treatment of Medical Marijuana. Amazingly, 45% of the patients experienced complete remission of their Crohn’s disease.

Medical Marijuana As An Alternative Treatment

The Ohio, Pennsylvania, Missouri and Oklahoma Medical Marijuana programs all recognize Spasticity as a qualifying condition for medical marijuana treatment. Emerging research suggests that many patients with conditions such as Cerebral Palsy (CP) or Multiple Sclerosis (MS) might consider cannabis to help relieve symptoms related to spasticity; it’s thought that medical marijuana might calm muscle spasticity. 

What is Spasticity?

Spasticity is a condition associated with damage to the brain, spinal cord or motor nerves, or neurological conditions. Spasticity is increased, involuntary, velocity-dependent muscle tightening that causes resistance to movement. The condition is typically a result of insult to the central nervous system or motor neurons. It may occur as a primary condition such as with degenerative conditions or as a result of secondary causes such as spinal cord injury, trauma to the brain, or inflammatory conditions such as multiple sclerosis.

Spasticity can range from mild feelings of muscle tightness to painful, uncontrollable spasms of extremities, often in the legs, around the joints, and in the lower back. Spasticity patients may experience  symptoms such as: 

• Abnormal posture
• Carrying a shoulder, arm, wrist, and finger at an abnormal angle due to muscle tightness
• Exaggerated deep tendon reflexes (knee-jerk or other reflexes)
• Repetitive jerky motions, especially when touched or moved
• Pain or deformity of the affected area of the body

Spasticity may also affect speech. Severe, long-term spasticity may lead to contracture of muscles. This can reduce range of motion or leave the joints bent.

What Conditions Cause Spasticity?

Spasticity is generally caused by damage or disruption to the area of the brain and spinal cord that are responsible for controlling muscle and stretch reflexes. These disruptions can be due to an imbalance in the inhibitory and excitatory signals sent to the muscles, causing them to lock in place. Some of the conditions that can cause spasticity include: 

• Adrenoleukodystrophy, which is a genetic condition that damages the membrane (myelin sheath) that covers nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord
• Brain damage caused by lack of oxygen, as can occur in near drowning or near suffocation
• Cerebral palsy 
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
• Multiple sclerosis
• Neurodegenerative illness, which are incurable and debilitating conditions that result in progressive degeneration and / or death of nerve cells. Examples include Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Huntington’s disease.
• Phenylketonuria, which is a disorder in which the body can’t break down the amino acid phenylalanine
• Spinal cord injury
• Stroke

Patients should seek medical care when spasticity is experienced for the first time with no known cause. Patients should also alert their doctor when their spasticity is worsening or becoming more frequent to the point their condition is preventing performance of everyday tasks. 

Read More

Epilepsy and Seizure disorders

Epilepsy is a seizure disorder – the severity of the condition can vary.

Epilepsy is a seizure disorder; the severity of the condition can vary from patient to patient.  A seizure occurs in a patient when the body experiences an abnormal electrical storm in the brain.  This electrical storm causes the individual to experience changes in consciousness and sensation.  It manifests outwardly in a number of different ways including small eye flickers on the mild end to full body convulsions on the more severe end. 

How can Medical Marijuana Help Patients with Epilepsy and Seizure disorders?

THC and CBD, cannabinoids abundant in marijuana, exert their effects on both central and peripheral nervous systems. CBD specifically has shown promise in early research studies to have anti-seizure potential.   

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is an eye disease that results in damage to the optic nerve causing vision loss.  Glaucoma can be broken down into two different types. Open-angle, which is the most common type, is caused when the drainage angle for fluid within the eye remains open.  This type of glaucoma happens over time and does not cause pain.  Peripheral vision will begin to decrease followed by central vision resulting in blindness if left untreated.  Closed-angle glaucoma can happen gradually or without warning. This type of glaucoma can cause severe pain, blurred vision, redness, dilated pupils and nausea. The risk factors include age, family history and prolonged steroid use.  Higher eye pressure has been shown to be connected to an increase in the tendency to develop glaucoma as well.  Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness.

How can Medical Marijuana Help Patients with Glaucoma?

Several studies have shown smoking marijuana can result in a decrease in eye pressure.  This is precisely the purpose of prescription medications given to those who suffer from glaucoma.  This makes medical cannabis a wonderful adjunct to traditional medicine or useful in cases where patients cannot tolerate traditional treatment.  The studies have shown the decrease in eye pressure can last on average 3 to 4 hours.  Future studies are looking at the effectiveness of edible forms to reduce eye pressures for longer durations.  Even further down the road will be research to understand what elements of medical cannabis result in the reduction of eye pressure. 

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is a viral disease that infects the liver. When an individual is infected with Hepatitis C inflammation in the liver can occur. The body’s natural response is to activate the immune system. This unfortunately leads to our own immune system attacking healthy liver cells causing further liver damage. Hep C for short, is spread from blood-to-blood contact, the sharing of drug needles, the sharing of toothbrushes, and sex. Mothers can also pass along the infection to their babies during childbirth. While symptoms are not always noticeable at first or ever, chronic Hep C can lead to depression, chronic fatigue, yellow discoloration to the skin (jaundice), fluid buildup in the abdomen, bruising easily, and dark colored urine.

How can Medical Marijuana Help Patients with Hepatitis C?

While medical marijuana cannot treat Hepatitis C, it can be used as an adjunct to other prescribed therapies to reduce the symptoms of the disease. Medical Marijuana’s ability to improve mood, reduce pain, and stimulate activity can provide you with symptom relief.

A correlation exists between the use of medical marijuana and hepatitis C symptoms. Research suggests medical marijuana has therapeutic benefits if you’re suffering from HCV. Additionally, the medicine’s side effects are typically mild and classified as “low risk,” with euphoric mood changes among the most frequent.

Scientific and anecdotal evidence tell us medical marijuana is a safe, effective medicine that helps patients with Hepatitis C endure the side effects of treatment. Marijuana can help to alleviate side effects such as aches and pains, decreased appetite and nausea.

AIDS/HIV

Human Immunodeficiency Virus is a disease that can be treated but not cured.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus is a disease that can be treated but not cured. The disease attacks and destroys white blood cells known as T Cells that are needed to fight other diseases and infections.  The effect is a weakening of an infected person’s immune system.  This can cause someone with HIV to suffer from a variety of symptoms and medical conditions.  The current treatment for AIDS/HIV is Antiretroviral Therapy, also known as ART.  This can help slow and in some patients stop the progression of the disease. 

How can Medical Marijuana Help patients with HIV/AIDS?

Research from the University of Washington and the University of California concluded that the cannabinoids in medical marijuana may have immunological benefit by reducing the frequency of activated T Cells.  This in turn may reduce the patient’s risk of developing illnesses that can often complicate the health of HIV/AIDS patients. 

Huntington’s Disease

Huntington’s disease is a progressive, fatal disease caused by a hereditary gene defect. The disease affects the patient’s long-term functioning, both physically and cognitively.

No cure exists, and many of the medications used to relieve the symptoms cause unpleasant side effects or worsening symptoms. Patients with Huntington’s disease gradually lose functioning as the disease progresses. Patients eventually need help with all functions and are typically confined to bed.

Antidepressants, anti-anxiety and anti-seizure drugs are often prescribed for Huntington’s disease.These drugs carry a high risk of side effects such as nausea, insomnia, and gastrointestinal problems. Many also cause, or contribute to the worsening of, depression or other psychiatric conditions.

How can Medical Marijuana Help patients with Huntington’s Disease?

Researchers believe Huntington’s disease may be strongly connected to the body’s endocannabinoid system. Because there is no known cure for Huntington’s disease, medical treatment focuses on allowing the patient to live as normal a life as possible. One aspect of treatment is to reduce anxiety. Medical marijuana has been proven to reduce anxiety in numerous clinical studies.

Medical marijuana may offer some relief from the painful symptoms of Huntington’s Disease. Patients with Huntington’s disease often have a loss of appetite and lose weight as the disease progresses. Medical cannabis helps many patients ease discomfort, minimize nausea, and stimulate their appetites.

Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s Disease is a chronic inflammatory condition involving the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, which can result in permanent intestinal damage. Patients suffering from this disease can become malnourished due to an inability to properly absorb nutrients, digest food and eliminate waste. Patients can experience severe chronic pain due to the inflammation in the intestinal tract.  This can cause patients to lose their appetite and feel nauseous.  Crohn’s Disease can also result in patients developing other health issues like bowel obstructions, ulcers, fistulas, anal fissures and even colon cancer.

SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT

How can Medical Marijuana Help Patients with Crohn’s Disease?

Inflammatory Bowel diseases, including Crohn’s, and the effectiveness of medical marijuana to treat symptoms has been heavily researched with very positive results.  Dr. Jeff Hergenrather, M.D. published a paper in 2005 that many called groundbreaking.  The benefits of Medical Marijuana were numerous and included weight gain, improved appetite, and reduced vomiting, fatigue and depression as well as an overall increase in physical activity. In another study, “Cannabis induces a clinical response in patients with Crohn’s disease: a prospective placebo-controlled study,” patients were given an 8-week treatment of Medical Marijuana. Amazingly, 45% of the patients experienced complete remission of their Crohn’s disease.

Epilepsy and Seizure disorders

Epilepsy is a seizure disorder – the severity of the condition can vary.

Epilepsy is a seizure disorder; the severity of the condition can vary from patient to patient.  A seizure occurs in a patient when the body experiences an abnormal electrical storm in the brain.  This electrical storm causes the individual to experience changes in consciousness and sensation.  It manifests outwardly in a number of different ways including small eye flickers on the mild end to full body convulsions on the more severe end. 

How can Medical Marijuana Help Patients with Epilepsy and Seizure disorders?

THC and CBD, cannabinoids abundant in marijuana, exert their effects on both central and peripheral nervous systems. CBD specifically has shown promise in early research studies to have anti-seizure potential.   

Multiple Sclerosis

A degenerative disease of the central nervous system

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system affecting the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. Symptoms of MS vary in range from a single symptom to multiple symptoms and mild in intensity to severe. Symptoms can include pain, fatigue, muscle stiffness or spasms, tremors, inflammation, depression, loss of muscle coordination or bladder control.

MS is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s own immune system attacks the protective covering called myelin, that insulate nerve fibers. This myelin sheath enables the brain to communicate with the rest of the body by allowing electrical impulses to travel along the nerve fibers quickly and efficiently. When myelin is damaged, electrical impulses or communication from the brain to the body is slowed or blocked causing MS symptoms.

SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT

How can Medical Marijuana Help Patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS)?

Much of the data or research collected on the effects of medical marijuana on MS symptoms come from patient surveys, self-reported assessments and observational studies. Two active compounds found in medical marijuana that have been studied in the management of MS include tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).  According to a study published in American Academy of Neurology among patients from the University of Rochester MS Center, results found majority of subjects found medical marijuana helpful in managing symptoms such as spasticity and pain.  The study also reported more than half the subjects felt their quality of life improved with the use of medical marijuana. Another promising study published in 2016 in European Neurology studied patients with treatment-resistant MS spasticity.  Real-life data from the study confirmed that adding THC:CBD oromucosal spray was an effective and well-tolerated treatment option for those patients.

Neurodegenerative Disorders

Neurodegenerative disorder is a term used to describe a group of conditions characterized by the progressive deterioration and loss of structure or function of neurons (nerve cells) in the brain or peripheral nervous system. These disorders are typically chronic and worsen over time.

Neurons are the fundamental building blocks of the nervous system and are responsible for transmitting electrical signals and carrying out various functions in the body. In neurodegenerative disorders, these neurons gradually degenerate and die, leading to a range of cognitive, motor, and behavioral symptoms.

Common neurodegenerative disorders include:

• Alzheimer’s disease: The most common cause of dementia, characterized by memory loss, cognitive decline, and behavioral changes.
• Parkinson’s disease: Affecting movement control, it leads to tremors, stiffness, slowed movements, and difficulties with balance and coordination.
• Huntington’s disease: An inherited disorder causing the progressive breakdown of nerve cells, leading to movement abnormalities, cognitive decline, and psychiatric symptoms.
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS): Also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, it affects nerve cells responsible for controlling voluntary muscles, leading to muscle weakness, paralysis, and eventually respiratory failure.
• Multiple sclerosis (MS): While not strictly classified as a neurodegenerative disorder, MS involves the immune system mistakenly attacking the protective covering of nerve fibers, resulting in communication problems between the brain and the rest of the body.
• Frontotemporal dementia: Characterized by the degeneration of nerve cells in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, leading to changes in personality, behavior, and language.

How Can Marijuana Help?

The exact causes of neurodegenerative disorders are often complex and can involve genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. While treatments may help manage symptoms and slow disease progression in some cases, there is currently no cure for most neurodegenerative disorders. Cannabis has a variety of properties that may help slow the progression of a neurodegenerative disorder, or manage the symptoms for increased quality of life for a patient.  Beneficial effects from medical marijuana treatment include:

• Anti-inflammatory Effects: Cannabis contains compounds called cannabinoids, such as THC and CBD, are the components which possess anti-inflammatory effects. Chronic inflammation in the brain can lead to damage to neurons, and may be a contributing factor to conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease. By reducing inflammation, cannabis may help protect the nervous system.
  -Antioxidant Effects: Cannabis contains antioxidants that can help protect neurons from oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is caused by an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the body’s ability to detoxify them. ROS can cause damage to neurons, and have been implicated in conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
• Neurogenic Effects: Some research suggests that cannabis can promote the growth of new neurons, a process called neurogenesis. This may be particularly important for conditions like depression and anxiety, which are associated with a decrease in neurogenesis.
• Anti-excitotoxic Effects: Cannabis has been shown to have anti-excitotoxic effects, meaning it can help protect neurons from damage caused by overexcitation. Excitotoxicity is a process that occurs when neurons are exposed to high levels of certain neurotransmitters, which can cause damage or death of the neurons. This is thought to be a contributing factor in conditions like stroke, traumatic brain injury, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Neuropathies

Neuropathy is nerve damage in the body that causes pain, weakness, or numbness. Neuropathies are typically the effect of an underlying condition that affects the peripheral nerves, which is why it’s also known as peripheral neuropathy.

How can Medical Marijuana Help Patients with Neuropathies?

Neuropathies can be extremely painful and affect various parts of your body. Using cannabis for neuropathy is an alternative treatment option to consider if you cope with the condition and can’t find relief from traditional therapies.

Parkinson’s Disease

A disorder of the nervous system that affects movement.

Parkinson’s disease is a disorder of the nervous system that affects movement. This progressive movement disorder can start in one limb or one side of the body and may worsen and spread to the other side.  The first sign of Parkinson’s disease is often a tremor or involuntary shaking of a hand.  Other common symptoms include stiffness or rigidity of muscles, slowness of movement, poor coordination, difficulty with speech and sleep.  

One cause of Parkinson’s disease is a loss of nerve cells in a specific part of the brain.  Those nerve cells, or neurons, produce chemical messengers called dopamine that help regulate movement.  Dopamine is essential to movement as well as coordination, cognition, attention, motivation, and pleasure.  Without enough dopamine, it becomes more difficult to start and maintain movement, learn, or sleep.

How can Medical Marijuana Help patients with Parkinson’s Disease?

While there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, our goal is the management of symptoms and an improvement in quality of life. The effects of medical marijuana in specific parts of the brain and its interaction with dopamine and different receptors is quite complex but its use in Parkinson’s patients has been suggested to help with motor and non-motor symptoms.  Patients have reported improvement of tremors, better sleep, the ability to move easier with less muscle stiffness, pain relief and reduced anxiety.

Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome

A mental health disorder that develops after you experience a traumatic, life-threatening, or highly stressful event.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health disorder that develops after you experience a traumatic, life-threatening, or highly stressful event.  Examples include sexual assault, war, death of someone close, or a natural disaster.  This is an anxiety disorder that can make it difficult to function to have a “normal” life.  It can last from months to years effecting social relationships, the ability to work and carry out daily tasks like going to the grocery store.  Common symptoms include overwhelming feelings of fear, sadness, anger, hopelessness, or irritability, nightmares, negative outbursts, and being on guard. 

In PTSD, the part of the brain responsible for the “flight-or-fight” response, called the amygdala, becomes overactive. Its job is to heighten our senses to be ready to act during perceived threat.  Another part of the brain that assesses the threat and brings the “flight-or-fight” response down when there is no actual threat is called the prefrontal cortex, and it becomes under-active.

How can Medical Marijuana Help patients with PTSD?

Many patients have reported medical marijuana to help in PTSD. According to an article published by Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute at University of Washington, anecdotal and case-reports showed evidence marijuana decreased flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety and hyperarousal in PTSD.  A recent trial showed canniboids, an active compound found in medical marijuana, lowered the amygdala’s response and increased the prefrontal cortex response to threat.  Other research has noted participants re-experienced the trauma decreased and had less avoidance of situations that reminded them of the trauma.  These continued reports make medical marijuana an effective treatment for PTSD.

Chronic Pain

Pain or related symptoms lasting more than 3 months.

Any condition that results in pain, or related symptoms, that lasts more than 3 months may be considered a qualifying condition under chronic pain. The intensity of the pain as well as other symptoms resulting from the painful condition such as anxiety, depression and sleeplessness can be considered in the overall assessment by our physicians when conducting a patient interview. Furthermore, the cause of the chronic pain condition can be fairly broad and can include the following commonly encountered “head to toe” every day problems:

Headaches

Migraines, tension headaches, cluster headaches

Neck Pain

Muscle strains, herniated disks, and arthritis related conditions

Shoulder Pain

Labral tears, rotator cuff injuries, arthritis related conditions

Chest Pain

Rib and muscle injuries, chronic pain secondary to pulmonary and respiratory issues, heartburn and acid reflux

Arms/Hands

Muscle or tendon injuries, prior broken bones, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, any type of arthritis, vascular disease and Reynaud’s Syndrome/Disease.

Abdominal Pain

Inflammatory bowel disease, hernias, prior organ injuries or surgeries involving the liver, spleen or kidneys, mesenteric ischemia, Herpes Zoster and shingles

Pelvic Pain: Male

Kidney stones, Varicoceles, Prostrate related pain, testicular pain, inguinal hernias, pelvic nerve compression and SI joint pain

Pelvic Pain: Female

Menstrual cramps, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), Endometriosis/Endometritis, Pelvic Congestion Syndrome, pain during sexual intercourse, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, pelvic nerve compression and SI joint pain

Legs

Hip and Knee pain or prior injuries, muscle or tendon strains, pulls, or tears, any broken bones, vascular pain secondary to poor circulation, Charley horse and cramps that become painful while walking or at night, restless leg syndrome

Neurological

Peripheral or diabetic neuropathy, sciatica, shingles, Lyme’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Epilepsy and Seizure disorders

Any Cancer or Surgical Related Pain

Any pain from cancer or surgical procedures

Foot and Ankle

Any type of tendon or bone injury, plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendon injury, bunions, ankle sprains and strains, prior foot surgeries, burning pain secondary to diabetic neuropathy

How Medical Marijuana Helps Patients with Chronic Pain

Medical Marijuana helps to control or block the pain associated with the possible causes listed above. If you have one or more of these Chronic Pain conditions, you may qualify for treatment with medical marijuana.

Schedule your appointment today with our doctors!

Sickle Cell Anemia

A genetic blood disorder that affects the shape of red blood cells and their ability to carry adequate oxygen to the rest of the body.

Sickle cell anemia is a genetic blood disorder that affects the shape of red blood cells and their ability to carry adequate oxygen to the rest of the body.  With sickle cell anemia, red blood cells die easily, become moon shaped and get stuck in blood vessels instead of having a round shape, flowing freely and living long.  As the name suggests, the disorder is characterized by anemia and severe fatigue. Another major symptom are episodes of pain, called pain crisis, lasting from hours to weeks intense enough to require a hospital stay. This pain
often starts from infancy and increases in severity as a patient ages, and can lead to recurring hospitalization,
reduced quality of life, depression, and disability. The episodes of pain can increase especially
during times of stress, infection, and dehydration.

How can Medical Marijuana Help Patients with Sickle Cell Anemia?

Research suggests that medical marijuana may be a useful tool in managing pain while reducing the use of opioids frequently prescribed to patients with SCD. A recent survey taken by Yale New Haven Hospital and Yale University found many sickle cell patients use marijuana for its medicinal benefits.  A 2020 study done at the University of California published in Science Daily found that participants using cannabis reported less pain than participants that were not given cannabis.   That study also found that cannabis appears to be safe and potentially effective in treating chronic pain.  Another study published in the American Society of Hematology, also done in 2020, showed lower rates of hospital admissions with patients taking medical marijuana.  These recent studies of the positive effects of medical marijuana on sickle cell patients is now gaining speed as patients report reduced pain.

Patients utilizing medical marijuana have also reported improved mood as well as a reduction in anxiety, commonly associated with sickle cell disease. At the right dose, medical marijuana has been shown to regulate the GABA and the glutamate neurotransmitters which affect serotonin levels thereby reducing anxiety. Sickle Cell Disease is a life-long battle.

Any Terminal Illness

Patients diagnosed with terminal illnesses suffer a broad range of physical and emotional symptoms. Families of patients with terminal illnesses have to quickly cope with the devastating news while preparing for the last days of their loved one’s life.

Conventional palliative medicine aims to make a patient feel as comfortable as possible in their last remaining days. Because many prescription drugs that treat terminally ill patients can cause enormously unpleasant side effects, natural therapies can help ease the pain that terminally ill patients and their families experience.

How can Medical Marijuana Help Patients with Terminal Illness?

For terminally ill patients, medical cannabis is recommended as a complementary treatment solution alongside prescription opiates or other drugs for symptom management. Cannabis can also be an effective alternate solution when terminal patients decide they no longer wish to take conventional medications. Research on medical cannabis for terminal illness has shown its effectiveness in treating specific symptoms often associated with end-of-life difficulties.

Tourette’s Syndrome

Tourette Syndrome is a neurological disorder. While the exact cause is unknown t is most likely the result of genetic and environmental factors. The neurotransmitter chemicals, dopamine and serotonin play a role. The symptoms of Tourette syndrome include simple and complex “tics, both motor and vocal in nature. Simple motor tics include excessive eye blinking, head jerking, shoulder shrugging, eye darting, nose twitching, mouth movements. Simple vocal tics include grunting, coughing, throat clearing and barking. Complex motor tics include touching objects, smelling objects, walking in a certain pattern, obscene gesturing, jumping and twisting and bending. More complex tics include repeating words or phrases and using vulgar language. These tics appear involuntary and can increase in severity when individuals are stressed, excited or tired. Males are 3 times more likely than women to suffer from Tourette Syndrome.

How can Medical Marijuana Help Patients with Tourette’s Syndrome?

Medical marijuana has two primary chemical components: Delta-9- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD). Medical marijuana and cannabis-based medications that include THC and cannabis extracts have been reported to reduce symptoms of Tourette Syndrome in small scientific studies, patient reports, and anecdotal case reports. They are currently used to treat adult patients in Germany, Israel and Canada. There is insufficient data to support that CBD, without the addition of THC, is an effective treatment for Tourette Syndrome. The symptoms that can be improved through the use of medical marijuana are tics, insomnia, anxiety, obsessive compulsive behavior and anger.