Medical marijuana is not to be confused with recreational marijuana that is often purchased on the street. In the U.S., use of both forms of marijuana are prohibited under the federal law, however some regions of the country have permitted the use and consumption of marijuana for medicinal purposes. As a derivative of the Cannabis sativa plant, medical marijuana has been shown to provide users with effective relief of chronic and serious symptoms that are the result of certain diseases and illnesses. Some users experience relief from symptoms such as pain and nausea that can be caused by the illness itself or from the treatment of the disease. For example, chemotherapy is commonly used to treat cancer but can cause extreme nausea in patients. Patients may find that using medical marijuana under the direction and supervision of their doctor can actually help alleviate the nausea. While medical marijuana use is becoming more common and more states are allowing it to be used for medicinal purposes, more research needs to be done on its long-term effects.

Medical marijuana has been derived from the Cannabis sativa plant, which produces 2 different chemicals that can be used for medicinal purposes. The first one is delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol, more commonly known as THC. THC is the chemical that provides the “high” that people refer to when talking about the effects of marijuana. This chemical is illegal under federal U.S. law but can be used in select states for supervised medical purposes. The other chemical found in the Cannabis sativa plant is cannabidiol, or CBD. CBD contains on small, trace amounts of THC, meaning it won’t cause the “high” feeling that is often associated with the street version of marijuana. CBD that contains only small amounts of THC is allowed to be consumed under U.S. federal law when sold through an approved and licensed business establishment. In order to buy medical marijuana, many states and businesses require consumers to be in possession of a medical marijuana card that provides proof of needing marijuana for medical purposes.

While research and patient trials are ongoing on the effectiveness and long-term effects of medical marijuana use, doctors in some states have been prescribing it for treatment of some conditions. In these cases, it is being used where any long-term negative effects from the use of medical marijuana outweigh the side effects of not using it. One of the most common uses is to treat nausea, pain and vomiting in patients undergoing chemotherapy for cancer treatment. It has also shown to be effective in providing relief of muscle pain and stiffness brough on by multiple sclerosis. Research is ongoing for several other ailments to determine how viable medical marijuana use is as a treatment option. These conditions include Crohn’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, ALS, glaucoma, HIV and AIDS, epilepsy, severe and chronic pain and many others. If you are curious about medical marijuana as a treatment for any of your current medical conditions or chronic issues, talk to our team of healthcare professionals about the risks and benefits associated with the treatment.

Franklin Primary Care offers a variety of alternative pain management treatments including the use of medical marijuana where appropriate based on an individual’s unique medical situation. Our team of doctors and medical professionals are trained in the safe and effective prescriptive use of medical marijuana to treat several different conditions. We are located in West Hempstead, NY, and service patients from West Hempstead and surrounding areas for their primary care and urgent care needs. You can book an appointment with one of our highly skilled medical professionals online or by calling our office to find out how we can help you with your medical needs. For more information, please contact us or schedule an appointment online. We are located at 225 Nassau Boulevard, West Hempstead, New York 11552. We serve patients from West Hempstead NY, Franklin Square NY, Garden City NY, New Hyde Park NY, Uniondale NY, Mineola NY, and North Valley Stream NY.