by RUSS BATTIATA As the world navigates a “new normal” due to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, people are seeking relief and have lots of questions about what the future holds. Will there be therapeutic options that adequately prevent or treat COVID-related...
Medical Cannabis, Autism, and the Transformation of Medicine
In 1987, during my freshman year at Lehigh University, our first English assignment was to write a letter to an elected official advocating for a controversial issue of our choosing. I decided to write my United States Congressman to express why I believed marijuana...
Smokable Cannabis Availability in Florida and How it Impacts You
This past week, both the Florida Senate and House passed a new medical cannabis statute (SB 182: Medical Use of Marijuana). The full bill can be read here. The primary goal for this bill is to allow for flowers/buds sold by state authorized dispensaries, that patients...
Cannabis Curing Cancer? Here’s What We Know
It is widely known that people who undergo traditional cancer therapies such as radiation and chemotherapy, can benefit from medical cannabis. Not only does cannabis reduce the side effects of these powerful treatments, but it can also address the anxiety and...
Using Medical Cannabis to Treat Multiple Sclerosis, Autoimmune Disease, and Similar Conditions
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the medical conditions listed explicitly in Florida’s medical cannabis statute. It is an autoimmune disease that produces symptoms including muscle, joint, and nerve pain; fatigue; muscle spasms and twitches; bladder, bowel, and...
A Ray of Hope Interview with Author Holley Moseley on Treating Epilepsy with High CBD
Dr. David Berger interviews mom and author, Holley Moseley, RN, BSN. Holley's book, A Ray of Hope shares her daughter, RayAnn's story of using high CBD oil to treat epilepsy and cerebral palsy.
Where Are The Gummies and Other Edibles?
One of the most frequent questions we hear in my clinic these days is when will qualified Floridians be able to get gummies and other edibles? As many of you know, oral ingestion of CBD and THC is one of the most common ways to administer medical cannabis. Florida...
What Are Some of the Known Side Effects of Cannabis?
In recent years I have been fortunate to work with a wide range of patients who have benefited greatly from medical cannabis. One of the primary purposes of this blog series is to educate our community, so I decided to use this post to address some of the concerns...
How the Endocannabinoid System is Like Bowling
I have recently been delving more deeply into the cellular function of our body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). Named after the plant that led to its discovery (cannabis), the ECS is an essential physiological system for establishing and maintaining human health....
Has Florida Gone “Up In Smoke?”
I have written medical cannabis blogs for more than a year without referencing Cheech and Chong, the stereotypical pot smokers from the late 70’s and early 80’s movies. Now that the courts have ruled it unconstitutional for the State of Florida to prohibit qualified...