As the medical establishment continues to extract valuable lessons in the aftermath of the opioid crisis, the medical use of cannabis has become legalized in many US states. But is it an appropriate substitute for opioids? With a lack of scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of cannabis compared to traditional over-the-counter pain relievers (like Motrin), do we fully understand the impact that elevated THC levels can have in patients long term? The push for medical marijuana parallels the opioid crisis, with both instances involving the broad application of treatments without sufficient consideration of potential harms — sound familiar?

“So you've created a whole new set of adverse effects that of course they didn't think of…it just got so broadly applied that now they've caught a giant mass of young people that are exposed to interventions that aren't appropriate or they're ignoring adverse effects”

In this bonus episode for premium subscribers, Carrie highlights concerns about the medicalization of ‘spiritual’ problems and the over reliance on medication as a solution.

“My job isn't to practice medicine based on what message you want to hear, it's based on diagnosing your problem and treating it.”

She also discusses her shift in focus towards gender-related issues, particularly after encountering cases of young individuals undergoing drastic medical interventions.

Watch our full length episode with Dr. Carrie Mendoza:

https://www.widerlenspod.com/p/episode-159

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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.widerlenspod.com