News + Research
Is virtual medical care here to stay? YES. I sure hope so.
Not only is virtual care more convenient for patients, it gives practitioners unique insights into their daily life and factors that may be contributing to how they’re feeling. Virtual care and cannabinoid medicine are particularly well-suited as most of the diagnoses don’t require a physical assessment.
New data released by the CDC has revealed that drug overdose deaths rose by close to 30% in the United States in 2020 – hitting the highest number ever recorded. As in recent years, inappropriate use of opioids was behind most of the deaths. Overdoses from opioids have been steadily worsening in the US for decades. Congress has blamed the FDA for approving new synthetic opioids and some drug-makers have been prosecuted for their role in marketing them. Doctors have also been blamed for overprescribing opioids and addicting people to them in the first place.
When are we going to stop talking about “what needs to be done” and actually introduce some bold changes here!? Sure, the FDA could introduce more oversight in prescribing – but you can’t take something away without empowering doctors with a safe and effective alternative. I won’t claim that cannabinoid-based medicine will solve this complex problem – but the fact that new doctors are graduating med school with zero knowledge about this much safer class of medicine and the majority of veteran doctors are still dismissive, is unacceptable and untenable given the evidence—especially when it comes to managing pain.
In the fight against opioid addiction we need to equip medical professionals with knowledge regarding safer alternatives AND improve patient access by providing more robust cost coverage.
This is fantastic to hear and couldn’t be more timely with opioid-related deaths surging in Ontario. I hope that the government will think outside the box in how they deploy this budget. As the former Primary Care Lead, Opioid Reduction Strategy, Addictions and Mental Health for the Erie St. Clair LHIN, we made the bold decision to train physicians in cannabinoid-based medicines as an opioid alternative.
The initial outcomes were very promising; however, the biggest barrier was COST. The more harmful drug we were trying to get people off of is covered and the alternative, safer, and equally effective drug, is not. Approximately 75% of heroin users report being introduced to opioids through prescription medications. We desperately need coverage for cannabinoid-based medicines & leaders who will make bold decisions to address this crisis.
Chronic inflammation in our bodies is the cause of all kinds of health problems, and over time, can lead to arthritis, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, and cancer. A complete overhaul of your diet is challenging, so experts advise making smaller changes over time. Trying a series of simple swaps may add up to better health in the long term.
Here are five simple substitutions you can use to help reduce the number of inflammation-promoting foods in your diet.
Meet Diana.
She has been suffering from 8-9 migraine headaches a month since she was a young child. She has tried a variety of medications over the years, but nothing worked. Cannabinoid therapy has been a gamechanger for her and many of my patients.
Please share this on your social channels and with your local policymakers if you agree that we need more coverage for cannabinoid therapy.
We are currently in the midst of a chronic disease epidemic, with conditions like obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, depression and type two diabetes at an all time high. Rather than prescribing a pill for every symptom, multimodal therapies like exercise, nutrition and cannabinoid-based medicines can be very helpful in these scenarios and significantly help to reduce polypharmacy.
Without a doubt, this approach should also be focused on more in med school, so that our new doctors have more patient-centred tools to tackle the modern chronic disease epidemic.
According to a recent Statistics Canada survey, 20% of Canadians now report using non-medical cannabis, up from 14% before COVID-19. The report also found that the top reasons included increased stress (65%), boredom (58%) and loneliness/isolation (39%). Worsening of health or pain was also cited in 21% of respondents. The rise in people self-medicating with cannabis during the pandemic is not surprising, but it is concerning. If you’re struggling with any of these issues, we can help ensure you’re getting the right treatment and support.
Huge thanks to Devon Peacock for having me on The Morning Show to discuss. Full interview available here: https://bit.ly/3vcwcCL.
Meet Sharon. She’s been struggling with IBS, insomnia and chronic pain for far too long. Medical Cannabis has been a game-changer for her quality of life, but like so many seniors on a fixed income, the cost is a strain. Please share & tag your local MP/MPPs if you support more coverage for medical cannabis. We can’t get this done without you!
Meet Sharon. She’s been struggling with IBS, insomnia and chronic pain for far too long. Medical Cannabis has been a game-changer for her quality of life, but like so many seniors on a fixed income, the cost is a strain. Please share & tag your local MP/MPPs if you support more coverage for medical cannabis. We can’t get this done without you!
Very excited about this announcement of the first randomized controlled clinical trial in the U.S. to investigate cannabis as a treatment option for migraine headaches. Clinically, I have seen numerous patients benefit from cannabinoid-based medicines when other migraine treatments have failed, so this is a huge step forward in advancing our understanding.
