Cannabis Nurse Truths

Did you know that you can use CANNABIS to treat nicotine addiction? How about that! Research is helping us understand how some non-impairing cannabinoids, such as CBD, can be utilized to treat many chronic conditions, yet one of the most surprising outcomes of research indicates that non-impairing compounds like CBD can be used to treat not only nicotine addiction, but also the withdrawal symptoms associated with tobacco cessation as nicotine clears the body. 
In this episode of CNT, we review the most current research that leads to the knowledge that cannabis can be used to support individuals who are desperate to stop smoking.  Watch out, Big Tobacco, CBD is coming for you!  

What do Cheech & Chong, Willie Nelson, and Martha Stewart all have in common? They are among the number of Americans age 65 and older who use cannabis.  Use of cannabis by the older adult population has nearly tripled over a decade, and past-year prevalence of cannabis use among those 50 years or older significantly increased by over 71%. Now, over 53% of Americans between the ages of 65-74 age group support adult-use cannabis, and they are using cannabis for many age-related conditions. 
Cannabis is not just recreational; research has indicated that cannabinoids can be used to replace pharmaceuticals and relieve chronic conditions associated with growing old, and on this episode of CNT, we discuss how Boomers are no longer saying NO to cannabis. 

Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol, commonly known as THC, has been the bad boy of cannabis since prohibition began in the 1930s. We already know that smoking cannabis delivers high doses of THC, and smoking anything is never a good idea for heart health. However, there are over 150 cannabinoids found in the plant, and several of them are considered heart healthy for their effects on circulation, nervous stimulation, prevention of inflammation, and mental stress. 
While the results of research remain mixed, there are numerous studies that suggest use of selected cannabinoids - like CBD, CBG, and CBN - may positively affect heart conditions such as high blood pressure, heart failure, and stroke, as well as reverse inflammatory conditions such as cardiomyopathy.  In this episode of CNT, we review the research that indicates cannabis is good for the heart (as long as you are not smoking THC!). 

Did you know that when cannabis is sold legally, the sale of over-the-counter sleep aids drops 250%? Cue the sad music, because when cannabis comes to town, it brings a natural, holistic approach to help people get a great night's sleep!  One of the most widely-reported beneficial uses of cannabis is for sleep, and around 70% of young adults that casually use cannabis report that they do so to help them sleep. Among people who use cannabis for medical reasons, such as pain relief, as many as 85% say it improves their sleep. And for those who are unable to (or don't want to!) use THC, there are several other cannabinoids - CBD, CBG, and CBN - that are beneficial for sleep. 
In this episode of CNT, we highlight the use of cannabis for sleep, and why pharmaceuticals products for sleep don't stand a chance when cannabis is sold legally. 

This episode is sure to catch the attention of many people, especially those who suffer with autism or know someone who does.  In the past several years, researchers have identified numerous cannabinoids that are NOT THC that will improve socialization and reduce agitation in autism spectrum disorders.  Not only do these non-impairing cannabinoids reduce these behavioral symptoms of autism, several will help to repair the damage done to the central nervous system by toxins and inflammation, the usual suspects associated with an ASD diagnosis.
In this episode of CNT, we highlight the ongoing research - include a critical Department of Defense ASD study - that indicates cannabis has the potential to reverse autism disorders and repair the damage caused by external and internal factors. 

Our Veteran population is over 17 million strong, and 72% of Veterans live in a state where medical marijuana is legal. Yet there are numerous hurdles and barriers a Veteran must overcome in order to access cannabis. Additionally, Veterans use cannabis for a variety of reasons, both psychosocial and physical. Yet the Veteran's Administration currently does not allow their healthcare practitioners to recommend cannabis to their Veteran population, which sets up a myriad of health and safety concerns for this vulnerable population. As Veterans begin their journey toward wellness, they are looking for evidence-based answers to health concerns that extend way beyond the VA. 
So if their VA doctor cannot recommend cannabis, and the evidence that they use does not consider dosages, treatments, and potential risks versus benefits, who can the Veteran turn to for cannabis recommendations? Our Veterans are looking to Cannabis Nurses to support their safe use of cannabis to treat their health conditions, and on this episode of Cannabis Nurse Truths, we will share the truth about cannabis as both helpful, and potentially harmful in our Veteran population. We also have a Call to Action to our legislators and healthcare providers who work within the VA system. Welcome to Cannabis Nurse Truths, where we are not afraid to share the truth about cannabis as medicine. 

As the United States legalizes adult-use cannabis, we are very concerned about how it is impacting safety - safety in access, safety in products and dosages, safety while driving and at work. But one of the most vulnerable populations related to safety and cannabis is the adolescent and child population. These populations must be considered from the safety approach of harm reduction and prevention. We definitely want to keep the kids safe in Cannabis Land.
These are among the concerns about cannabis legalization that need to be addressed immediately. But if the proper education, public awareness, and regulations are implemented regarding cannabis access and education, it seems that the kids will be alright in Cannabis Land. Welcome to Cannabis Nurse Truths, where we're not afraid to share the truth about cannabis as medicine. 

The continuing War on Drugs, and in this case, cannabis, has unduly biased substance use research for as long as we can remember. Substance use researchers and clinicians are among the first to recognize that this War on Drugs has failed but yet research has seemed to not fully noticed how the propaganda has influenced how we conduct our jobs and the research we produce. Not only does the War on Drugs bias research, it also biases our approach to healthcare, hospitals, doctors, nurses, patients, insurance companies - everything that touches healthcare is also biased, and so are industries that we rely on regarding trucking, workplace safety, and even marketing and advertising.
So how is the War on Drugs treating you? In this episode of Cannabis Nurse Truths, we're gonna tease out some of these other unintended consequences of the prohibition War on Drugs and why this can no longer be sustained. 

It was in September 6, 1988, that DEA Chief Administrative Law Judge Francis Young ruled that cannabis should be reclassified under federal law. He stated that, "Marijuana, in it's natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man. By any measure of rational analysis, marijuana can be used safely in supervised medical care. It would be unreasonable, arbitrary, and capricious for the DEA to continue to stand between those sufferers and the benefits of this substance in light of the evidence in this record." This was 1988. 
Fast forward to 20224, and we are still fighting prohibition. But that's why you're listening to Cannabis Nurse Truths, isn't it? 

The problem with nature is that it's smart. Take, for instance, bacteria and viruses. They enter our body, they set up shop, they have a great time, and then they cause multiple levels of problems including the newest virus known as COVID-19. And your body only has so many resources to fight that off. And what do we usually turn to when we want to enhance those resources? We turn to drugs - the pHARMaceutical drugs which may or may not work. And we have multiple drugs to treat multiple infections, but still we have patients dying of sepsis in the hospital. And with COVID-19, we also know as a virus, that it's very tricky to treat a viral infection versus a bacterial infection.
So what's the answer? The answer is more drugs. However, because these 'little guys,' the viruses and bacteria are so smart, they adapt. And they adapt in ways that become more dangerous to now we have drug-resistant bacteria and mutants of the viruses, including COVID-19. So what is the answer? Is the answer more drugs? Why yes - the answer is more drugs, and those drugs would be coming from cannabis. In this episode of Cannabis Nurse Truths, we're going to be talking about cannabis and COVID-19. Is this the remedy that we've been looking for?