Our thanks to Dr. Steven Reichbach and Lolita Reichbach of the Gulf Coast Ketamine Center for providing an update on Medical Marijuana.

INTERESTING BACKGROUND AND INFORMATION ABOUT MEDICAL MARIJUANA

A BRIEF HISTORY OF CANNABIS
–  Has been used for over 4000 years
–  Used by many cultures and religions for medicinal purposes
–  In the US in 1940’s called “Reefer Madness” and classified as Schedule 1
–  Schedule 1 meant no medicinal value and highly addictive
–  Difficult to conduct studies and research
–  First medicinal use 1976 for treatment of Glaucoma
–  January 2016, Amendment 2 passed in Florida allowing for treatment of illnesses

ISSUES/OBSTACLES TO CANNABIS USE
–  Federally, Cannabis is still considered Schedule 1 despite many attempts to change it to Schedule 2
–  Cannot travel outside of issuing State with it
–  No reciprocity between States that allow for cannabis use
–  Employment regulations still an issue regarding job site testing
–  Pain practices who refuse to continue to treat patients using cannabis
–  Not covered by any insurance
–  Due to history, still taboo in public opinion
–  Can be cost prohibitive to clients on fixed incomes
–  Lack of information about benefits among the medical community

BENEFITS OF USING MEDICAL CANNABIS
–  Can be very effective in treating a wide variety of conditions
–  Natural alternative to many pharmaceutical medications
–  Works with body’s own endocannabinoid system
–  Less overall side effects
–  Many different routes of administration
–  Can be used daytime and nighttime in different forms to treat conditions and maintain alertness
–  Allows for possibility of decreasing use of more harmful or addictive medications
–  Has shown high success in treating insomnia and chronic pain
–  Average age of patients is about 60 years old

WHO QUALIFIES FOR MEDICAL CANNABIS?
Conditions:  Cancer, Crohn’s Disease, Glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, MS, Epilepsy, PTSD, ALS, Parkinson’s Disease, Chronic nonmalignant Pain arising from one of above conditions, Any terminal condition with greater than 1 year survival, Any condition of similar type or class of conditions above

Additional Conditions:  When deemed by the Qualifying physician and documented by relevant supporting studies, many of the following conditions also can be treated:  Anxiety, Depression, Insomnia, Arthritic Pain, Chronic Post Surgical Pain, IBS, OCD, Back Pain, Migraines, Fibromyalgia, Autism, Ehler’s Danlos Syndrome, Auto Immune Diseases, Neuropathy, Alzheimer’s and many others

CARD APPLICATION
–  Must be State resident or reside in State for more than 31 consecutive days
–  Proof of Residency includes Driver’s License, or Utility Bill (water, gas , electric within last 60 days)
–  Passport sized photo if not state resident
–  Fee ($75 plus $2.75 fee) payable to the State by credit card
–  Must have qualifying physician do initial evaluation with verifiable medical records stating condition

WHAT COMES NEXT?
–  Once a patient has been deemed qualified to obtain a Medical cannabis card, a recommendation is placed by the qualifying physician into the State database
–  Once the application has been approved by the State, patients are directed to a dispensary to purchase their cannabis products
–  There are 13 different dispensary companies throughout the State operating 34 dispensaries

Click Here for Printable Flyer.

Click Here for more information about the Gulf Coast Ketamine Center.