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AROUND THE REGION
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Back Cover Story: Update on Cannabis Care at MorseLife Health System

Continued from page 40 sion, thanks to the diligent efforts of the report using fewer opiates, anti-depres- challenging, especially because the mari-
There were obstacles to enrolling Kessler team, a law was passed permitting sants, anti-anxiety drugs, and sleep med- juana that must be utilized for them is
patients in the program. Probably the most a caregiver in a facility such as MorseLife ications when using cannabis. We see at obtained from the federal government and
common obstacle was the lack of either a to take care of multiple patients. This is least a 70% positive outcome. On the it is inferior quality and arrives in smok-
valid driver’s license with a current critical to enable a successful program at a Memory Care Unit, we have had spouses able form. Additionally, cannabis medicine
address, or a Florida state photo identifica- nursing home facility. The plan was to and children calling to say that they see a is unique. Every patient may need a differ-
tion card. Since many of the residents no assign a set of patients to a caregiver. change in their loved one’s behavior and ent form factor, dose, and strength, and
longer drive, they have no reason to renew Unfortunately, we found that there is no some are now asking about adding THC to these can vary from day to day. At a recent
their license or update their address. pathway to implementing this law. The the regimen. This is not to say that every meeting of Florida’s Medical Marijuana
Without an active license or a photo ID Registry does not allow for a person to be patient has benefitted. About 30% take a Physicians, the consensus among the lead-
from the state, there is no way to apply for more than one person’s caregiver. break or stop using cannabis. The most ing doctors in the state was to utilize
a medical marijuana card. No exceptions. Not surprisingly, the cohort we have cited reasons are because they do not feel observational data to inform best prac-
A second obstacle relates to a law that gathered at MorseLife is primarily made it is working, it is too expensive, or other tices.
permits every patient in the Registry to up of residents in the Independent Living medications work better for them. Some As we move forward, we plan to reach
have a caregiver. That designated caregiver setting and those on the Memory Care have reverted to cannabis. out to a larger population of seniors who
is allowed to go to a dispensary and pur- Unit. The former, because they are able to My team has been asked to produce pro- are housed in the community and are part
chase product for the patient and then get their own cannabis and are able to fol- tocols and algorithms for dosing around a of MorseLife outreach. Through grass
deliver it and administer it. The Office of low up with office visits as needed. The variety of ailments and diagnoses. We use roots adoption, we hope to engender inter-
Medical Marijuana Use has a course for latter because we use non-THC containing a planned introduction to cannabinoids est in cannabis medicine for all who can
prospective caregivers. Once they pass the regimens to help with agitation and anxi- and a stepwise increase in both dose and benefit. Hopefully, we can use the knowl-
test and pay the fee, they are sent a card ety. Both of these groups are doing well. A strength of cannabis. Additionally, we have edge and expertise garnered at MorseLife
similar to the medical card sent to the few significant observations have come investigated doing a traditional random- to guide utilization at senior care facilities
patient. During the 2019 legislative ses- out of the work at MorseLife. Residents ized controlled trial (RCT). These trials are and communities across the country.

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