Medical Marijuana / Cannabis

Medical marijuana — also called medical cannabis — is a term for derivatives of the Cannabis Sativa plant that are used to relieve serious and chronic symptoms. Cannabis sativa contains many active compounds, in particular: THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). THC is psychoactive (makes people “high”) while CBD is non-psychoactive.

The use of Medical Marijuana is at the moment legal in 29 States and Washington, DC but remains illegal at the Federal level. In the State of Florida, Medical Marijuana (or low-THC cannabis) is legal to treat these conditions:
Cancer,
Epilepsy,
Glaucoma,
HIV/AIDS,
PTSD,
ALS,
Crohn’s disease,
Parkinson’s disease,
Multiple Sclerosis,
Terminal Condition diagnosed by a physician and
Chronic Pain caused by a qualifying medical condition.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved one cannabis-derived and three cannabis-related drugs: dronabinol (Marinol, Syndros), nabilone (Cesamet) and cannabidiol (Epidiolex). Dronabinol and nabilone can be prescribed for the treatment of nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy and for the treatment of anorexia associated with weight loss in people with AIDS. Cannabidiol can be prescribed for the treatment of severe forms of childhood epilepsy.

Medical marijuana comes in a variety of forms, including:

• Oil for vaporizing
• Pill
• Topical applications
• Oral solution
• Dried leaves and buds

How and where you purchase these substances legally varies among the states that allow medical use of marijuana. Once you have the product, you administer it yourself. How often you use it depends on its form and your symptoms. Your symptom relief and side effects also will vary based upon which type you are using. The quickest effects occur with inhalation of the vaporized form. The slowest onset occurs with the pill form. Some medical marijuana is formulated to provide symptom relief without the intoxicating, mood-altering effects associated with the recreational use of marijuana.

Possible side effects of medical marijuana may include:

• Increased heart rate
• Dizziness
• Impaired concentration and memory
• Slower reaction times
• Negative drug-to-drug interactions
• Increased risk of heart attack and stroke
• Increased appetite
• Potential for addiction
• Cyclic vomiting syndrome
• Hallucinations or mental illness
• Withdrawal symptoms