Cannabis has been used as a medicinal substance for more than 5,000 years. And, for good reason. Cannabinoids, the active compounds found inside cannabis, offer potential solutions and symptom relief for a wide range of ailments including chronic pain, neuropathy, muscle spasms, and anxiety. Until the 19thcentury, cannabis was part of the United States Pharmacopoeia and widely used by doctors. But, in 1942 the U.S prohibited the substance and all forms of use.Today, cannabis is still a Schedule 1 Substance, which is defined as a drug having a high potential for abuse and no accepted medicinal use. And yet, acceptance and attitudes toward cannabis are rapidly evolving.

In the U.S., 37 states have approved medical cannabis and more than 3.2 million people report using the substance for wide range of conditions. As acceptance of cannabis grows and demand increases, more health care providers are seeking guidance on prescribing methods. Our guest today is Rebecca Abraham, a critical care nurse, medical cannabis expert, and founder of Acute on Chronic – a medical cannabis clinic working to help patients navigate the safe and effective use of cannabis for hard-to-treat medical conditions.

In this episode, Rebecca discusses how nurses are leading the charge in prescribing medical cannabis. She describes how nurses assess patients for cannabis use. Dr. Victoria Maizes and Dr. Andrew Weil ask important questions about dosing recommendations and ingestion methods for safe and effective treatment, and the challenges cannabis faces within our healthcare system. Rebecca describes common conditions and symptoms that respond well to cannabis and also shares common drug interactions to look out for.