A Survey on the Impact of Ohio’s Medical Cannabis Program and Recertifying Patients
I know few people that actually like taking medications. Most worry about the taste, the timing, the idea of putting a little pill in your body and not quite sure what it may or may not do. To be compliant, you have to stay on a schedule with your medications and of course most worry about the SIDE EFFECTS!
Whether it is somnolence or flatulence, the unpredictable nature of medications can be unnerving. According to the National Institutes of Health, ⅓ of Americans seek alternative forms of medical treatment. This includes anything from fish oil, chiropractors, melatonin to cannabis. Is the goal to abandon pharmaceutical medications all together? For some yes. For others they simply want options. I have never seen patients more angry when another doctor has told them they will be on certain medications for the rest of their lives.
Options and alternatives do exist in some cases. Fish oil is the most common natural product taken by children and adults. 7.8% used it in 2012 that is up from 4.8% in 2007. Many do so to avoid cholesterol medications. In a study conducted by Brightfield Group and HelloMD, 42% of CBD users said they stopped using traditional medications like Tylenol pain relievers or prescription drugs like Vicodin and had switched to cannabis instead. These are only two examples of how consumers are switching to alternative treatments. I hear it every day in my family medicine and cannabis offices. But doing it safely is key.
When choosing to switch from pharmaceutical medications to alternative options there are a few things to consider:
1- Stopping medications to an alternative option still means you have to engage in that alternative option regularly. Many patients are disappointed when they choose cannabis over traditional medications and they think they can use the cannabis as needed. If you are choosing an alternative treatment it has to be a regular part of your daily schedule just like a pharmaceutical drug. Irregular or haphazard treatment of your condition can not only be irresponsible, but dangerous.
2- When stopping a pharmaceutical and starting an alternative treatment, reduce medications gradually. It takes time for CBD or cannabis to get a therapeutic level that you can depend on. Do not stop your traditional medicine cold turkey. As you reach your therapeutic goal with CBD, slowly wean off your prescribed medications under the guidance of your physician.
3- All medicines are a tool to help you reach your goals, utilize multiple tools to be successful. CBD or cannabis is a tool, not a cure. With any treatment you should engage other healthy tools to find balance. Consider healthy eating, exercise, reiki, massage or restorative practices like yoga. One of these is great but together they work synergistically to help you soar!
4- Most importantly, stopping medications can be dangerous. Only change your medication regimen under the guidance of a physician. Explain your goals and dedication to a healthier and more natural lifestyle. Not all medications can be replaced with alternative options, so keep an open mind to the right treatment that keeps you safe and alive, no matter what the source may be.
Have questions or would like to suggest a subject for my next column? Please email me at DrBridget@greenharvest.health
Dr. Williams is a Board-certified family physician, cannabinoid physician and life coach. She is the owner of Green Harvest Health Clinics and GHH CBD Medicinals. Learn more at www.greenharvest.health.
My desire to be a physician is rooted in wanting to help patients feel empowered in their healthcare. Seeing my father suffer with cancer in my youth, I saw him being treated as a disease, not a person with a disease. I wanted him and all patients to feel human. This intention is also what is needed in our society. Black Americans want to be given the simple respect of being treated as equal humans with purpose and worth. In light of the recent events with George Floyd, and all the meaningless loss of life of Black Americans always returns to being viewed as inhuman and disposable. Nothing will ever change until racism and inequality are embraced not as a Black problem but as an American tragedy that we all need to voice as intolerable, unacceptable and un-American.
No matter where African Americans grow up in the United States, there comes a time where the happy, unstoppable and charismatic kid realizes that the world thinks less of them because of the color of their skin. It does not matter what our diverse cultural backgrounds may be, socio-economics, education, or opportunities. That child will learn many times
I remember very clearly one of the many times it happened to me. I was 9 years old growing up in Detroit, Michigan. A white friend invited me to her community pool. Before walking in she whispered, “When someone asks, tell them that you are anything but black, they might not let you in.” She was embarrassed by our friendship and I feared what might happen if I said “I. Am. Black.” I remember being stunned, frozen. I went home that day embarrassed of who I was and unwilling to share this incident with my family. I never told anyone. Despite having many opportunities as an adult physician, I have avoided some experiences, although I had earned the right to be there, the fear of whether I would be accepted never left. There are numerous impactful, overt and microaggressive experiences throughout my life I could share. Every black person has a mental catalog of them. Change can only happen if we all speak out, if we share our stories and diversify our friend groups. Change happens if you are willing to have uncomfortable conversations and become a genuine friend. Not just an ally but an “adversity partner”. Are you willing to take the journey during difficult times? We need White Americans to see us beyond color and culture but at the same time never dismissing it or ignoring it. I am sure that sounds daunting for many, but I have some amazing “adversity partners” that never dismiss my blackness and always see me for me. They are just as willing to have the hard conversations as they are willing to laugh and be silly and share. My story is not unique but my request for change does take heart.
Talking about racism and adversity is difficult for me. The emotions are never far away. I funnel my passion into helping my patients and also giving back to the community. Last year I founded a civic organization called ‘Cannabis Can!’. Our purpose is to bring the cannabis industry and supporting businesses together to support the communities that support us. Last year we collected a half ton of food across Ohio and donated them to Greater Cleveland Food Bank, Mid-Ohio Foodbank and Freestore Food Bank of Cincinnati. Currently we have a virtual monetary campaign for the same food banks to fund 12,000 meals across Ohio during the COVID-19 pandemic. Please learn more at CannabisCanOhio.org to learn how to support and donate to Ohio families.