Cannabis

Medical Doctor Take On The Benefits Of Cannabis

Published

1 year ago

October 5, 2023

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With over a decade of experience, Dr. June Chin has focused on interactive osteopathic medicine for individuals with epilepsy, cancer, and autism. Practicing medicine in California, Dr. Chin has utilized the state’s legalized medical cannabis access by empowering her patients with knowledge about CBD and marijuana’s benefits.

Dr. Chin recently shared an exclusive interview with The Fresh Toast on where cannabis is going and what health practitioners should know. When asked why she was such an advocate for cannabis, Dr. Chin shared that her personal pain journey led her to advocate not just for patients, but for doctors to get information firsthand. Here is her story.

“As a teenager, I was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), a progressive type of arthritis that affects the spine, pelvis, hips, and back and causes extreme stiffness and nerve pain.

“I spent my younger years trying conventional treatments — epidurals, narcotics, muscle relaxants, acupuncture, physical therapy — but the pain was unrelenting. By the time I got to medical school in San Francisco, I was having difficulty standing for long periods in the operating room. One of the attending physicians saw this and asked me about it. I told him I had AS but that I couldn’t take the meds I needed for relief while doing rounds or while attending a four-hour hip-replacement surgery because they made me drowsy and foggy.

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“Here I was in a hospital surrounded by great medical minds, but I was disheartened to find nothing could help my condition. The attending physician and my mentor Dr. Levine pulled me aside and handed me a bottle containing a tincture. ‘This is marijuana,’ he told me, ‘but it won’t make you high.’

“He didn’t call it CBD oil. He just said it was a different type of cannabis plant. I was mortified but desperate. As a medical student, training to be a doctor, my first thought was, “You are offering me pot? You want to make me a drug addict?” I grew up in the Bronx, where there was a huge social stigma around marijuana. Kids that smoked weed were either the dropouts or involved in gangs. I also grew up in a very traditional Chinese household. My parents believed in reefer madness — weed led to psychosis and schizophrenia!

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“The little brown dropper bottle Dr. Levine handed me smelled like a combination of alcohol, wet dog, and grass, and I didn’t know what to think. To my amazement, the tincture worked very well. The pain and inflammation of my arthritis decreased dramatically, my AS stopped progressing, and my health improved.

“Even though California legalized medical cannabis in 1996, I didn’t dare tell anyone I was using it. I was a young physician and didn’t want to jeopardize my career. But once I got my health back, I decided to learn more about cannabis and how it helps manage pain and improve people’s overall health and wellness.

“Having suffered in pain for so long, I know what it feels like to say to your doctor, ‘I’ve tried everything, and nothing has helped.’

“I have been helping patients integrate medical cannabis into their health and wellness for over a decade. Cannabis changed the trajectory of my life. I would not have been able to finish medical school and become a doctor had it not been for cannabis treatment. I had an educational advantage in doing my medical school training in California. California legalized medical cannabis in 1996. I was in the middle of a switch box and was able to engineer my circumstances to learn holistic, integrative cannabis medicine.”

Dr. Chin has seen firsthand just how much medical cannabis can benefit patients. A Bronx native, who moved back to New York several years ago, Dr. Chin is now registered with the New York State Medical Cannabis Program. She is currently treating both children and adults in New York and is with AskCMD.com, a personalized cannabis service.

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AARP

How Cannabis Can Help With Dysmenorrhea

Published

5 days ago

November 9, 2024

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Millions suffer, but relief could be here thanks to science and a simple plant. Here is how cannabis can help with dysmenorrhea.

It is an uncomfortable topic to discuss, but the painful truth is a majority of women will suffer it at some point and finding relief is invaluable. Around 80% of women experience period pain at some stage in their lifetime. Dysmenorrhea is the medical term for pain or discomfort during menstruation. It is a common gynecologic problem, but the pain can range from dull cramps to indescribable agony. Here is how cannabis can help with dysmenorrhea.

Medicinal cannabis has emerged as a potential treatment option for dysmenorrhea, offering hope for the tens of millions of women who suffer from menstrual pain. Current medical management options primarily consisting of over-the-counter pain relievers and hormonal contraceptives. The effectiveness of these treatments vary greatly.

The endocannabinoid system plays a role in uterine function and pain perception. Cannabinoid receptors CB1R and CB2R, as well as TRPV receptors, have been identified in human myometrial tissue. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a primary component of cannabis, can act as a cannabinoid agonist, potentially triggering myometrial relaxation and easing menstrual pain.

The potential benefits of cannabis for dysmenorrhea includes pain relief, improved sleep quality, and reduced reliance on pharmaceutical pain relievers. While research specifically on cannabis for dysmenorrhea is growing, studies on chronic pain provide some insights:

A systematic review of 18 randomized controlled trials found that synthetic cannabis products with high THC-to-CBD ratios may offer moderate improvement in pain severity.
A meta-analysis of 32 trials showed that medical cannabis or cannabinoids resulted in small to very small improvements in pain relief, physical functioning, and sleep quality among chronic pain patients.

There is significant interest in using cannabis for gynecologic pain management:

A survey found that 61.2% of women who had never used cannabis and 90.0% of those who had were willing to try it for gynecologic pain.
After cannabis legalization in Canada, current cannabis use increased from 13.3% to 21.5% among women with self-reported moderate-to-severe pelvic pain.

With th American Medical Association, American College of Physicians and even AARP recognizing the medical benefits of cannabis, it is critical more research is funded. Millions of women may be in pain needlessly due to untreated dysmenorrhea.

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Cannabinoids

Staying Trim During The Holidays With Marijuana THCV

Published

5 days ago

November 9, 2024

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The holidays are fun and full of family, activities, and food. But does marijuana have a natural secret weapon to help you at least not gain weight this season?

The holidays are here – turkeys, pie, and family favorites. Along with Christmas cookies, holiday cocktails, everything adds up and starts to make a difference in how clothes fit. On average, people gain between 1-2 pounds in November and December. Some studies suggest people gain more, with an average of 2–5 pounds. But is marijuana’s THCV your natural holiday weight loss plan. While Ozempic has been the wonder drug of weight loss, cannabis a natural plant used for thousands of years in medicine. Why not use to look good also? Here is some information and also advice on how much to take and how it works.

The most famous cannabinoids are THC or CBD. Legal to over 50% of the country and used by millions across the country. While they are the most commonly used cannabinoids, the cannabis plant contains many other medically beneficial cannabinoids including THCV. Although THCV (Tetrahydrocannabivarin) is similar to THC, it contains its own unique benefits.

Research points to THCV’s ability to block the body’s rewarding sensations while eating different foods. If you’re looking to keep your food cravings at bay or prevent the munchies, check out strains high in THCV, which will suppress your appetite, especially during the holidays.

It has also been found that THCV in its purest form can calm the unreasonable urge to overeat while also reducing hunger cravings. Thus, consumption of THCV can be beneficial for those who struggle with weight gain and/or food craving. Since THCV can help curb one’s appetite, researchers believe there’s a potential for THCV helping people fight obesity and other related health issues.

It is important to manage the dosage. Start with a low dose of 5-7.5mg of THCV for appetite suppression effects. Options for taking THCV include gummies, tinctures, vapes, or THCV-rich cannabis strains Take THCV in the morning to help with focus and energy. Start on teh weekend so you can make sure it works in a way which is comfortable. Consume it with food to increase absorption.

Gummies and tincture/oils are the easiest ways to consume to manage the dosage. Start with half a gummy or 1 full gummy (typically 10mg) and adjust based on your response. You can increase to 2 gummies per day if needed. For tinctures, start with half a dropper or less and adjust as needed. Take THCV about an hour before you normally start feeling hungry

THCV should be part of a healthy routine including exercise and proper rest. Research on cannabis continues, to using THCV is not a long term solution, consider it for the holidays. As usual, take to your health professional to make sure it doesn’t interact poorly with any prescribed medications. Start low and grow so you can pay attention how your body and mind reacts.

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alcohol

Science Says Cannabis Can Be Making Us Healthier

Published

5 days ago

November 8, 2024

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As it it becomes available to more people, there is a positive health change going on according to data.

Cannabis is becoming more mainstream and and the side effects are doing even better than expected. It seems the availability of legal marijuana is helping with the health of the general population. Studies in California, Canada and the now New Zealand have shown the upside of legalization. While cannabis has been used for health benefits for millions of years, reduction in more harmful intoxication products is another important wellness trend.

Alcohol consumption is associated with significant health risks, including liver damage, cardiovascular issues, and certain cancers. In contrast, marijuana has not been linked to the same level of severe physical health consequences. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that over 36,000 annual U.S. deaths are attributed to chronic alcohol use, while there is no comparable category for marijuana-related deaths. Alcohol is also much more addictive than marijuana, causing long term physical and mental issues.

A study from New Zealand has found some interesting trends regarding the relationship between marijuana legalization and the consumption of alcohol and opioids.

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Following the legalization of marijuana in New Zealand, researchers observed a notable decline in alcohol consumption:

There was a 6-9% decrease in the frequency of binge drinking among adults aged 21 and older.
The study found no significant impact on underage drinking rates among those aged 12-20.

This suggests for adults, marijuana may be serving as a substitute for alcohol in some cases, particularly when it comes to heavy drinking episodes.

The relationship between marijuana legalization and opioid use appears more complex:

There was no clear evidence of marijuana legalization directly reducing opioid use or abuse.
However, some research indicates that people who use cannabis are more likely to initiate opioid use, with an odds ratio of 2.76 compared to non-cannabis users.
The likelihood of transitioning from opioid use to opioid use disorders among cannabis users was found to be 2.52 times higher than non-cannabis users.

The study also revealed some additional findings regarding substance use patterns:

Marijuana use increased by 16% among adults aged 21 and older following legalization.
There was a 5-6% increase in marijuana use initiation among adolescents and young adults aged 12-20. This would be go with the greater North American trend of California sober and Gen Z drifting away from alcohol and more into marijuana.
No significant changes were observed in the use of hard drugs like cocaine or heroin in any age group.

These findings suggest while marijuana legalization may lead to decreased alcohol consumption among adults, it does not necessarily translate to reduced use of other substances, particularly opioids. The relationship between cannabis use and other substance use behaviors is complex and multifaceted. Time and more research should yield more benefits.

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