Our thanks to Dr. Steven Reichbach and Lolita Reichbach of the Gulf Coast Ketamine Center for providing an update on Medical Marijuana.
INTERESTING BACKGROUND AND INFORMATION ABOUT MEDICAL MARIJUANA
A BRIEF HISTORY OF CANNABIS
– Has been used for over 4000 years
– Used by many cultures and religions for medicinal purposes
– In the US in 1940’s called “Reefer Madness” and classified as Schedule 1
– Schedule 1 meant no medicinal value and highly addictive
– Difficult to conduct studies and research
– First medicinal use 1976 for treatment of Glaucoma
– January 2016, Amendment 2 passed in Florida allowing for treatment of illnesses
ISSUES/OBSTACLES TO CANNABIS USE
– Federally, Cannabis is still considered Schedule 1 despite many attempts to change it to Schedule 2
– Cannot travel outside of issuing State with it
– No reciprocity between States that allow for cannabis use
– Employment regulations still an issue regarding job site testing
– Pain practices who refuse to continue to treat patients using cannabis
– Not covered by any insurance
– Due to history, still taboo in public opinion
– Can be cost prohibitive to clients on fixed incomes
– Lack of information about benefits among the medical community
BENEFITS OF USING MEDICAL CANNABIS
– Can be very effective in treating a wide variety of conditions
– Natural alternative to many pharmaceutical medications
– Works with body’s own endocannabinoid system
– Less overall side effects
– Many different routes of administration
– Can be used daytime and nighttime in different forms to treat conditions and maintain alertness
– Allows for possibility of decreasing use of more harmful or addictive medications
– Has shown high success in treating insomnia and chronic pain
– Average age of patients is about 60 years old
WHO QUALIFIES FOR MEDICAL CANNABIS?
Conditions: Cancer, Crohn’s Disease, Glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, MS, Epilepsy, PTSD, ALS, Parkinson’s Disease, Chronic nonmalignant Pain arising from one of above conditions, Any terminal condition with greater than 1 year survival, Any condition of similar type or class of conditions above
Additional Conditions: When deemed by the Qualifying physician and documented by relevant supporting studies, many of the following conditions also can be treated: Anxiety, Depression, Insomnia, Arthritic Pain, Chronic Post Surgical Pain, IBS, OCD, Back Pain, Migraines, Fibromyalgia, Autism, Ehler’s Danlos Syndrome, Auto Immune Diseases, Neuropathy, Alzheimer’s and many others
CARD APPLICATION
– Must be State resident or reside in State for more than 31 consecutive days
– Proof of Residency includes Driver’s License, or Utility Bill (water, gas , electric within last 60 days)
– Passport sized photo if not state resident
– Fee ($75 plus $2.75 fee) payable to the State by credit card
– Must have qualifying physician do initial evaluation with verifiable medical records stating condition
WHAT COMES NEXT?
– Once a patient has been deemed qualified to obtain a Medical cannabis card, a recommendation is
placed by the qualifying physician into the State database
– Once the application has been approved by the State, patients are directed to a dispensary to
purchase their cannabis products
– There are 13 different dispensary companies throughout the State operating 34 dispensaries
Click Here for Printable Flyer.
Click Here for more information about the Gulf Coast Ketamine Center.