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Back Cover Story: First Annual American College of CBD & Cannabis Business

Cannabis Congress Designed to Enhance Physicians’ Knowledge Award Winner

Continued from Back Page Spring Congress for primary care physicians and allied health
disorders, spasticity, drug addiction and the like, instead of professionals. Keynote speakers will include Eugene Scharf,
ordering strong prescription medicines for the same symptoms, M.D., a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic Rochester and assistant
that’s a significant health benefit for their patients.” professor of neurology, and Peter Grinspoon, M.D., an internist
“Twenty years ago, Viagra came out, and was a blockbuster at Mass General Hospital and instructor at Harvard Medical
drug for Pfizer,” added ACCC Medical Consultant Jim Desnick, School, who also authored the book, Free Refills: A Doctor
M.D. “Now it’s a billion-and-a-half-dollar drug. CBD already Confronts His Addiction.
exceeds $1.5 billion in sales and is projected in the next five “Each day, there will be seven or eight sessions presented by
years to become a $22-25 billion industry. The need for physi- leading physicians and educators in the CBD/cannabis world,”
cians to be educated about CBD is extremely important.” said Jordan Desnick. “Topics will range from the biology of the
According to Jim Desnick, physicians are showing an endocannabinoid system, to medical indications for CBD, to
increased interest in recommending CBD products to their proper dosing and CBD’s interaction with other commonly pre-
patients. scribed medications like blood thinners.”
“In Florida, there are approximately 2,500 physicians “We will also have presentations by top attorneys who will
licensed to prescribe marijuana, but less than a couple hundred talk about CBD and medical cannabis from a legal perspective,”
are doing it. Many of them are not ready to go the medical added Jim Desnick. “While the legalities of medical cannabis
cannabis route, but are dipping their toes into the CBD arena,” are fairly black and white, CBD is still a gray area. Physicians
he explained. want to know if they can recommend it, or if they can dispense
“Think of the tens of thousands of primary care physicians it from their offices. There is also the state vs. federal aspect of
who are being asked about CBD by their patients, but have no the regulatory landscape, which complicates matters even
science-based knowledge,” added Jordan Desnick. more.”
“Establishing the ACCC was necessary to fill this void and to The event, which will be held at the Rosen Shingle Creek
create a professional medical society to not only provide CBD Resort in Orlando, FL, will also feature a number of vetted Publisher Charles Felix and Andrew
education, but credential physicians to show their knowledge exhibitors, showcasing third-party, lab-tested products. Tickets Felix, past Editor in Chief, accepting the
and legitimacy in this space.” to the event are available at www.ACCBD.com and participants award for Cannabis News Florida, 2019
On Saturday and Sunday, March 14-15, 2020, the ACCC is can earn up to 14 CME credits by attending. Group hotel rates Publication of the Year
hosting the first annual American College of CBD & Cannabis and early-bird discounts are available.

Cannabis News Florida cannabisnewsflorida.com November 2019 41