May 2020 - Volume 2, Issue 1
Volume 2, Issue 1
Apgar describes a case of 2 postoperative opioid weans with and without medical cannabis. Lucas shares data from the largest national longitudinal study of Canadian medical cannabis patients, which shows a significant decrease in opioid use and other prescription medications at 6 months.
In this Issue
Cannabis in the News
As medical cannabis policy in the United States continues to rapidly evolve, medical education struggles to catch up to legislation. To address these disparities, 2 universities are leading the way in developing graduate-level programs on medical cannabis.
Original Research
We present a case report of a patient who was guided through 2 postsurgical opioid wean programs. The opioid wean after the first surgery did not include medical cannabis whereas the opioid wean after the second surgery did; the difference in symptoms is striking.
Cannabis Policy
The U. S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health held its first legislative cannabis hearing on January 15, 2020.
Driving while impaired by cannabis (DWIC) is not a new issue. As health care providers increasingly care for patients who may be using medical cannabis, it is important to understand the legal and medical considerations surrounding DWIC.
Clinical Distillation
In light of recent policy changes, a Canadian researcher discusses findings from her study: Capler R, et al. Are dispensaries indispensable? Patient experiences of access to cannabis from medical cannabis dispensaries in Canada. Int J Drug Policy. 2017;47:1-8.
Pain researcher discusses findings from his latest study: Boehnke KF, et al. Pills to Pot: Observational Analyses of Cannabis Substitution Among Medical Cannabis Users With Chronic Pain. J Pain. 2019;20(7):830-841.
As the silver tsunami approaches and palliative care experts prepare for the rise in older patients, cannabis is poised to play a larger role in end-of-life care. With a growing number of states recently enacting medical marijuana and adult-use cannabis legislation, many patients entering palliative care may already be using cannabis or may request use of cannabis for symptom management.
A commentary on Gruber SA, et al. The grass might be greener: medical marijuana patients exhibit altered brain activity and improved executive function after 3 months of treatment. Front Pharmacol. 2018;8:983.
A commentary on Sinclair et al. Cannabis use, a self-management strategy among Australian women with endometriosis: Results from a national online survey. J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2019; Nov 7 [Epub ahead of print].
Practice Spotlight
Q&A
