Getting to Know Cannabis
There’s a wealth of information that exists around the benefits of cannabis of which consumers may find fascinating, exciting and confusing all at once. However, despite mixed feelings, consumers are beginning to embrace cannabis. Some are even turning to home cultivation and countertop infused products. But no matter what side of the spectrum you may be on, a common denominator that exists between all thoughts on the matter is that we all have some form of minimal knowledge on the operations of cannabis. However, where cannabis has been controversially argued as having no medicinal benefit and viewed as a hard drug, we are now living in an increasingly acceptable truth, that our own lack of knowledge and understanding towards cannabis is the root of our dilemma. Therefore, and with that being said, who should we turn to for understanding? A common answer for many is our doctors. However, you’d be surprised to know that most doctors are not as educated on the medicinal benefits of cannabis as you’d think.
A Doctor’s Take on Cannabis
For many of us, our medical physicians and practitioners have been the trusted resource for all matters of health and related medical issues. However, when considering cannabis, this resource is not always the easiest to rely upon. In fact, you’d be quite baffled when asking many medical professionals about their formal training on the endocannabinoid system and the use of cannabis in natural and therapeutic care. Dr. David Allen conducted a survey in 2013 that discovered only 13% of medical schools even mentioned the endocannabinoid system. And even though the system’s functioning to act as a biological regulator is critical to our body’s maintenance, this truth is it’s not discussed in the majority of the medical programs around the country.
Integrative Cannabinoid Medicine
Despite this little-known truth, there are some doctors that are aware of the medicinal benefits that cannabis has to offer and practice it through Integrative Cannabinoid Medicine. Integrative cannabinoid medicine is the modern definition of the use of cannabis to cure ailments and disease.
Dr. Janice Knox sits on the board of Doctors For Cannabis Regulation and is one of few medical doctors in the United States that pursues integrative cannabinoid medicine as a medical practice. Dr. Knox shares her experience stating,
“I had the mindset that most people had at the time ― ‘marijuana is a terrible drug, it’s just a drug. I knew nothing about this medicine... I felt so embarrassed as a physician that that’s where I was. So I really made it a point to learn everything that I could about it’”
Her husband, Dr. David Knox, and daughter, Dr. Rachel Knox, are peers amongst her practice and have mentioned that patients seek the benefits of cannabis, CBD, and THC, without the associated euphoric effects. Dr. Janice Knox and family are recognized for being both familiar and attentive to patients’ medical needs while utilizing the many delivery methods of cannabis in which one can experience relief. These types of interactions are therefore realities, exchanged with mothers, fathers, lawyers, engineers, and a multitude of diverse patients seeking natural relief from many common illnesses and health issues. Dr. Rachel Knox states, “patients should feel comfortable that the doctor they’re talking about cannabis with is knowledgeable about this medicine” and therefore encourages more doctors to do their research. For more information on how the Knox Family is changing the perception of cannabis, visit The Huff Post’s feature by Amanda Duberman. You can also explore their vision of integrative cannabinoid medicine with the American Cannabinoid Clinics here.
Despite the progression of awareness, the status of cannabis as a Schedule I drug has still stifled relevant, widespread research on the comprehensive physiological effects of cannabinoids on the human body. Adversely, the US government has obtained U.S. Patent #6630507 on the said Schedule I drug, documenting the use of the non-psychoactive cannabinoids to protect the brain from damage caused by various diseases. Therefore, the very existence of the patent on cannabis itself is indeed proof, by the U.S. government and the Department of Health and Human Services, that cannabis is indeed beneficial. Regarding such, lawyer Sam Mendez states,
“Naturally, it shows that there is a certain amount of hypocrisy that there is ‘no accepted medical use’ for cannabis according to federal law. And yet here you have the very same government owning a patent for, ostensibly a medical use for marijuana.”
In an effort to overcome such hypocrisy and even with the hindrances Patent #6630507 may produce, we at JamesHenrySF continue to pioneer: continuing support of research, advocacy, learning, and faith in cannabis treatments.