AS YOU MAY KNOW, for many years Israel has been at the very cutting edge of research using cannabis. Since I am finishing a 16-day trip to Israel escorting my son's 8th-grade class, I figured it would be nice to write about some of the exciting things they are doing...
by David Merger, M.D. Medical cannabis has been effectively used for pain relief for thousands of years. Today, one of the most common reasons people seek out medical cannabis is to relieve various pain syndromes. The active ingredients in medical cannabis (i.e.,...
Did you know almost 20% (40 million people) of the adult population in the United States suffer from anxiety each year? Even though the medical profession considers this is a very treatable disease, only about one-third of affected people seek treatment....
What are some factors you consider when using medical cannabis to treat seizures? Seizures are one of the most frequent medical conditions for which I have certified patients to be treated with medical cannabis. I now have many documented cases of such patients who...
As my knowledge grows about the incredible ways medical cannabis can be used, I have discovered that for some patients, less is more. Depending on the unique needs of my patients, I prescribe “microdosing” to some of them. This refers to taking very small doses, more...
I just finished the renewal certification course that Florida physicians are required to complete to be “qualified” to certify patients to use medical cannabis. The course and examination now cover only two (2) hours of material, reduced from the eight (8) hour course...
One of the most fascinating things I have observed since becoming certified in Florida as a cannabis physician is the relationship between cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). While they are both cannabinoids (the chemical category that provides most of...
One of the great tragedies of our time is the explosive opioid epidemic that continues to rage across America. Opioids are relatively inexpensive, widely available, and have a tremendous potential for getting a person “hooked.” This is especially the case when taken...
What are some differences between doses of CBD from medical marijuana compared to the CBD found in hemp products, which can be purchased without being certified by a doctor? To understand the difference between CBD used in medical marijuana compared to that which can...
Q: How do you determine whether a patient’s medical condition is of the “same kind or class” as the conditions that qualify for medical cannabis in Florida? The State of Florida has provided very little guidance on how the State’s new medical cannabis laws are to be...