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CANNAMD: CANNABIS
CannaMD SPOTLIGHT:
Triples in Size Jose Belen
Founder, President

page 36 Florida Mission
Zero Inc
page 37

Dr. Michelle Weiner's Job – 'Much More Satisfying'

BY LOIS THOMSON on a lot of medications, it measures, such as anxiety, depression, and it's important to educate people
gives them another option sleep, quality of life, and physical func- about that. "The part that makes you
Dr. Michelle Weiner, to help them wean off the tion. high is called THC. The stigma has been
an interventional pain medications." "We see how they're able to decrease created because people have grown a
management doctor at Dr. Weiner's initial idea their pharmaceuticals, and also how the high THC strain over time and sold this
Spine and Wellness was to look at cannabis other outcome measures are improving as recreational marijuana. But there are
Center of America, mainly from a pain man- as they're using cannabis for the entire ways to use marijuana and not be high,
says that because she agement perspective, but body, not just to treat a specific area. and I think people need to realize that
has been able to study from her reading, she What ends up happening is that we're the stigma should be changed.
more and learn about began to learn more about using it for one thing – for pain – and "For instance, I would use marijuana
the benefits of using the other benefits that then they're saying, 'you know what, I'm to help an opioid addict get off of opi-
cannabis to treat her Cannabidiol (CBD) and actually sleeping much better or my oids, because first of all, it will take away
patients, her job "has Tetrahydrocannabinol mood has improved or I used to have the withdrawal symptoms. It's a healthier
become so much more Dr. Michelle Weiner (THC) could offer – bene- irritable bowel syndrome, or migraines, option, instead of going to a rehab facili-
satisfying." Referring fits dealing with wellness, and that went away also.' So they are ty where you'll get benzodiazepine,
to herself as being very anxiety, and insomnia, often getting benefits they didn't initially which is an anxiety medication that is
athletic and health conscious, Dr. Weiner along with the pain management. "I saw come to me for, and a lot of them are also addictive. So you're just substituting
said she also majored in nutritional sci- how well my patients were feeling as I decreasing their medication, which is one for another."
ences, "So I've always been more into the was substituting the cannabis for a lot of great." She concluded, "Because of this, my
holistic mindset. I'm more focused on their pharmaceuticals, and then people Dr. Weiner pointed out that sometimes job has become so much more satisfying.
function and quality of life, and specifi- would come to me to say, 'I want to get when you start decreasing a medication, Most of my patients are so thankful
cally on decreasing pain." off my anti-depressant, or my sleep aid, another is needed to counteract the side either because they have another option,
Because of that, when cannabis and I hear this is another option.'" effects. "Some of my patients are very, or because they just feel better. It's a
became legal two years ago, she began to Taking her work one step further, Dr. very sick. I have some with brain cancer whole different way of practicing medi-
read a lot about it and the endocannabi- Weiner said she began to do some with metastasis, I have others who have cine. It takes a lot of education, I sit with
noid system, and thought it could pro- research with a friend, Purnima Parkinson's, or chronic pain, I have eld- them, there are the different routes of
vide a way to take patients off of opioids Madhivanan, Ph.D., M.D., who is an epi- erly with dementia; but then I also have administration. So I really get to know
and decrease pain medications. "It either demiologist at Florida International someone like the 45-year-old who has my patients, and that's what I love about
gives patients a more natural alternative University. They are conducting a study anxiety and says 'I'm on Lexapro and I medicine."
earlier on in the algorithm of pain man- with their patients who use cannabis for want to get off of it.' So I have a little bit
agement; or, for the ones who are in chronic pain – if they agree, the two of everything." For more information, call
chronic pain and have already tried physicians will track them every three Dr. Weiner said the cannabis plant (305) 974-5533 or visit
physical therapy and injections and are months and look at different outcome actually has more than 100 components, www.spinewellnessamerica.com.

Zoning Laws, Smokable Status Just Two Issues

Facing Implementation of Amendment 2

BY VANESSA ORR ly disavowed and failed to Karen Gievers recently ruled that qualify- Sen. Farmer believes that there may be
adhere to the will of the 72 ing patients have the right to use smokable other factors behind the smoking ban. “It’s
While the constitu- percent of Florida voters medical marijuana in private places, things just sour grapes,” he said. “Conservatives
tional amendment allow - who approved the use of may soon change. did not want the constitutional amend-
ing the use of medical medical marijuana. According to the senator, there are no ment to pass because they are against
marijuana passed the “The language on the valid reasons to deny users of medical legalizing medical marijuana in any shape
Florida Legislature in ballot clearly indicates and cannabis the ability to choose their deliv- or form, and use ‘health’ as a justification.
2016, there are still some implies the passage of a ery method. “The reason given is that it is The truth is, they just don’t want it avail-
kinks to be worked out, constitutional amendment a health concern, but that is not supported able at all, and this is one way to limit its
according to Sen. Gary that includes smoking by the science out there—there is little or efficacy.”
Farmer, a Democrat who medical marijuana in pri- very weak scientific evidence that smoking Though Sen. Farmer is currently in a
represents Florida’s Dis - vate places, specifically medical marijuana may cause lung cancer fight to retain his senate seat, if he wins, he
trict 34. because it bans smoking in or other disease states,” he said. plans to refile the bill soon after taking
“Obviously, the imple- public places,” he added. “Even if it did, we’re not banning ciga- office. In the meantime, he is setting his
mentation of the legisla- Last year, Sen. Farmer rettes, cigars or tobacco products,” he con- sights on other issues concerning imple-
tion we passed is pretty Sen. Gary Farmer filed a bill to provide for tinued. “People should be able to choose mentation of the new law, including zon-
flawed, especially with smoking medical marijua- the delivery method that works best for ing laws that are causing dispensaries
regard to the lack of a na, but the bill never them, and many get more benefit from problems.
provision for smoking marijuana,” he received a committee hearing. However, smoking medical marijuana than from “On the local level, municipalities and
explained. “The Legislature has complete- since Leon County Circuit Court Judge using cannabis oils or edibles.” Continued on page 36