The history of medical marijuana
Medical marijuana was prescribed by doctors until 1942. That’s when it was taken off the U.S. pharmacopoeia, the list of commonly available drugs.
“Marijuana has been a medicine for 5,000 years,” says Donald I. Abrams, MD. “That’s a lot longer than it hasn’t been a medicine.” Abrams, who is an oncologist and director of clinical research programs at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at the UCSF School of Medicine in San Francisco, is one of a handful of top-flight doctors in the country researching medical marijuana. “The war on drugs is really a war on patients,” he says.
Marijuana the plant’s Latin name is cannabis — has a host of components called cannabinoids. These components may have medicinal properties.
“There are 60 or 70 different cannabinoids in marijuana,” says Abrams. Marinol contains only one cannabinoid — delta-9 THC. When THC is isolated from the plant, other ingredients are lost, including those that might be buffering any adverse effects of taking “straight” THC. “In Chinese medicine,” Abrams says, “they prescribe whole herbs and usually combinations of herbs.”
As per the legislation of Florida’s Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative, Amendment 2, passed November 08, 2016, qualified patients diagnosed with a debilitating medical condition may lawfully obtain and use marijuana for medical purposes, where the patient has been certified by a licensed Florida marijuana doctor.
Chronic Pain is a complex pain disorder that causes widespread musculoskeletal pain, sleep problems, and emotional and mental distress. According to the National Chronic Pain Association, the condition affects of the world’s population. Various treatment options exist; however, there is currently no known cure. According to a 2017 nationally representative survey, American adults take an average of four prescription drugs a day. (A 2016 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found that participants had taken over five prescription drugs in the past 30 days.) While the U.S. population has only increased 20% over the last two decades says some Marijuana Doctors in Sarasota, the total number of prescriptions filled by adults and children has skyrocketed.
Qualifying Medical Conditions for Marijuana in Florida:
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS/Lou Gehrig’s disease)
- Anxiety
- Anorexia
- Arthritis
- Back Pain
- Cachexia
- Cancer
- Chronic Pain/Severe Pain
- Crohn’s disease
- Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome
- Diabetes
- Epilepsy
- glaucoma
- Hepatitis C
- HIV/AIDS
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Lyme Disease
- Migraines
- Multiple sclerosis
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Muscle Spasms/Chronic Muscle Spasms
- Parkinson’s disease
- post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Seizures
- Severe Nausea
- Sickle Cell Anemia
- Spasticity
- or any other ailment/condition of the same severity/symptoms, when determined by a physician’s opinion that the medical use of marijuana would surpass any potential health risks
- a terminal condition/terminal illness
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Who can legally use medical marijuana in Florida?
Medical marijuana is a treatment option for Florida residents who have documented cases of Parkinson’s disease, PTSD, Crohn’s disease, glaucoma, AIDS/HIV, ALS, cancer, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, chronic pain, seizure disorders, muscle spasms or any similar debilitating condition. It is also available to people suffering from any condition determined to be terminal by two physicians.
How do patients get a medical marijuana card?
People 18 or older must visit one of the more than 1800 doctors who are permitted by the Florida Department of Health to recommend medical marijuana. Those under 18 are required to see two doctors. If a physician agrees that the use of medical marijuana has more benefits than risks, the patient is entered into the registry and can apply for an Office of Medical Marijuana Use ID card. Once the initial certification is issued, patients must be reevaluated by their physician once every 30 weeks in order to be able to have their certification renewed.
Where is medical marijuana sold?
Registered patients in Fort Lauderdale Marijuana Doctors or anywhere else in Florida can take their doctor’s recommendation on one of the 29 licensed medical marijuana retail dispensaries to make purchases once approved by Fort Lauderdale Marijuana Doctors. Patients are allowed to purchase up to a 70-day supply at one time. Although federal law doesn’t allow marijuana to be sent through the mail, for patients who don’t live near a dispensary or can’t travel to one, most MMTCs deliver statewide.
How much does it cost?
An initial visit to a doctor to become certified generally costs around $300 with follow-up visits running at about $200. State ID cards from the Office of Medical Marijuana Use cost $75.
What forms of medical marijuana are available?
Patient’s can buy marijuana & many other areas in what’s commonly known as “flower” form. Also, medical marijuana is delivered through vaporizers, pills, creams, transdermal patches, suppositories, oral drops, edibles or nasal sprays. It’s illegal to smoke any form of marijuana—whether medical or recreational—in Florida.
Can people grow marijuana themselves?
With the exception of the state’s licensed MMTCs, growing marijuana is illegal in Florida. Even a registered medical marijuana patient will be charged with a felony and could serve jail time for possession of a cannabis plant.
Is marijuana a legitimate medicine?
Because the Food and Drug Administration has not approved the use of marijuana for any medical condition—landing it in the Schedule 1 category along with heroin and LSD—it is tightly controlled, and studies on its efficacy are limited.
Current science supports the use of marijuana and many other states as a painkiller, anti-emetic, neuroprotectant and appetite stimulant. Ongoing research includes studies focused on pinpointing how it may affect certain body systems and disorders.
How does medical marijuana work in the human body?
The human body’s endocannabinoid system naturally makes marijuana-like chemicals that bind to receptors embedded in cell membranes in the liver, brain, lungs, kidneys, nervous system and immune system. When a patient uses medical marijuana, the chemicals in the drug are delivered to the blood through the lungs (when inhaled), the digestive system (when consumed), or the skin (when applied topically). When those chemicals interact with key endocannabinoid receptors, they can suppress signals such as pain, nausea and depression, while boosting signals of appetite and euphoria.
Is marijuana still illegal at the federal level?
Yes. However, the federal government hasn’t pursued criminal charges against people who sell or use medical marijuana within state registries. Because of the disconnect between federal and state laws, health insurance companies can’t cover medical marijuana, and doctors can’t prescribe it—they can only recommend it. Additionally, banks can’t accept deposits from MMTCs, so patients must pay cash when they make purchases at dispensaries. Employers are allowed to fire workers who test positive for marijuana, even if they consume the drug as a part of the state’s registry.
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