#CannabisRisksandBenefits

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Recreational Cannabis to Treat Insomnia in Colorado

New Research Studies Effects of Availability on the OTC Sleep Aid Market – LPC

New research out of Colorado seems to indicate that many people are using recreational cannabis to treat insomnia. The research methods the researchers used are unique – and perhaps ingenious. Scientists from the University of New Mexico and California State Polytechnic University reviewed sales of over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aids. They compared those numbers to recreational cannabis use in the area. In short, the better access the population has to recreational cannabis to treat insomnia, the less they buy other OTC sleep aids. Due to the nature of the study, the investigators couldn’t say why this was happening. They believe though that there are two possible reasons.  Either people are actively seeking out recreational cannabis to treat insomnia or their cannabis use means they no longer need OTC medicine. It could also be both. “Our prior research supports the existence of both mechanisms,” said Sarah Stith, one of the study’s co-authors. Many will say that this research does not prove that using recreational cannabis to treat insomnia is effective. They would be right. However, the fact that such a significant number of people consistently stop using sleep aids when using recreational cannabis is meaningful. It’s also important because cannabis research is so hard to do. Cannabis research is limited everywhere in the world; scientists have called cannabis research restrictions a danger to public health. In the US, cannabis is still a Schedule I drug. All cannabis researchers there must get permission from the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

Study Indirectly Shows Using Recreational Cannabis to Treat Insomnia an Option – LPC

The fact that patients may be self-medicating is part of the point, too. Jacob Vigil, another researcher on the team, said that at least these findings give medical professionals some evidence. Doctors tend not to give cannabis prescriptions for any ailment due to lack of knowledge. “It is important for the medical community to recognize that the lack of medical guidance does not necessarily lead to a lack of medical use,” Vigil said. “Studies like ours enable us to monitor clinically significant behaviors that would be difficult to identify by providers.” However, the research doesn’t prove that people should use recreational cannabis to treat insomnia, Stith said. “The possible widespread use of cannabis for less severe medical conditions both highlights its therapeutic potential and raises concerns regarding the risk-benefit tradeoffs.” The point is, in a world where there isn’t enough research about cannabis risks and benefits, any information is good information. The study, entitled “Using Recreational Cannabis to Treat Insomnia: Evidence from Over-The-Counter Sleep Aid Sales in Colorado” was published in November 2019. This editorial content from the LPC News Team provides analysis, insight, and perspective on current news articles. To read the source article this commentary is based upon, please click on the link below. Click here to view full story at www.labmanager.com Read the full article

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Shoppers’ Online Medical Cannabis Consultations Changes the Game

Shoppers Drug Mart Expands Program Across Canada – LPC

Shoppers Drug Mart expanded its online medical cannabis consultations to most provinces and territories to favourable response. Dr. Paul Daeninck, an oncologist in Manitoba who sits on Shoppers’ advisory board, said the service will guide patients. "Often patients are coming in to see me with their product,” said Dr. Daeninck. “They’re saying to me, ‘What is this, how do I use it, my cousin, my grandson, my neighbour told me about using this, what am I supposed to do with it?’ They have no guidance." Shoppers’ online medical cannabis consultations offer that guidance. "For years, I’ve talked about using pharmacists as a good ally when you’re talking about medical cannabis," he said. "They haven’t been allowed to do very much about it... I think this is something that will be a benefit to all." Online medical cannabis consultations could be a game changer. Patients currently don’t have access to good information because their doctors have concerns about cannabis risks and benefits. That makes getting a cannabis prescription more difficult. Even CBD remedies are slow to gain acceptance. It’s a catch-22: doctors want more research to make information decisions, but restrictions are hampering cannabis research.

Online Medical Cannabis Consultations Help Patients Make Informed Decisions – LPC

Although doctors’ hesitance about prescribing cannabis is understandable, patients need a source of reliable, evidence-based information. Shoppers’ telemedicine services connect patients with health providers,explain the different cannabis options, and get their medical document. At the very least, patients can avoid the hit-or-miss self-medication game. "When you go into one of those (recreational) stores, you have a budtender, and it’s kind of like going to a bartender,” Dr. Daeninck said. “They don’t have the experience; they don’t know what they’re talking about in terms of medical cannabis." The telemedicine option is also great for those living in rural and remote communities. According to the Shoppers Drug Mart website, online medical cannabis consultations are free. Currently, telemedicine consultation services are not available in Quebec, Alberta, or the Yukon, but registration services are. Shoppers states on its website that it is "working hard to be able to support all Canadian patients soon." The site also lists nearby cannabis clinics, searchable by city and postal code for all regions of Canada. This editorial content from the LPC News Team provides analysis, insight, and perspective on current news articles. To read the source article this commentary is based upon, please click on the link below. Click here to view full story at www.winnipegfreepress.com Read the full article