Founded in 2016, DocMJ has more than 45 doctors in 29 locations throughout Florida. DocMJ is Florida’s largest and most experienced medical cannabis physician’s practice.
“We have proudly performed well over 175,000 patient visits,” says Jackie Rothman, Chief Operating Officer for the Florida-based practice. “At DocMJ, we strive to provide patients with compassionate care, direct access to medical cannabis recommendations and an all around complete health and wellness experience.”
 
DocMJ started as a small group of physicians who saw the need for patients to have compassionate, affordable, direct patient access to medical cannabis.
 
While there are other similar practices that offer patient evaluations for medical marijuana, DocMJ distinguishes itself by being the largest group of cannabis doctors, with a diverse variety of specialties. This allows them to address each individual patient’s conditions and needs.
 
“At DocMJ, we are proud to offer patients world-class care at an affordable price,” says Rothman. “We allow our patients to select from one of two payments options: paid in full or in easy monthly payments.”
 
Both payment plans include renewals every 70 days, up to the State maximum of 7 months, and are all-inclusive and have no hidden fees.
 
“We offer a money-back guarantee if the patient does not receive a recommendation, as well as discounts for veterans, first responders, industry workers and pediatric patients,” she says. “In addition, we have more locations and more doctors than any practice in the state, so we are able to offer convenient appointments, including same day, early morning, late night and weekend appointments at many locations. Our physicians are backed by a large and knowledgeable staff, available 6 days a week, to answer questions and provide support as our patients seek the medicinal benefits of medical cannabis.”
 
“Medical cannabis can help many patients with a variety of health conditions and associated symptoms,” says Rothman. “Pain, anxiety and difficulty sleeping are common conditions helped by MMJ. We believe there is an endless number of ways people can benefit from medical cannabis. And that this, is just the beginning of their health and wellness journey.”
 
“One of the biggest misconceptions about cannabis is that the sole purpose of using it is to get “high,” notes Rothman. “While THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis does produce psychoactive effects, many patients aren’t using it to get “high”—they’re using it to get healthy and improve their overall quality of life,” she explains. 
 
The company’s short term goal is to continue to expand its practice by providing compassionate, convenient, and affordable medical care to patients who seek the benefits of medical cannabis.
 
“Our long term goals are to continue to expand the services we offer to meet our patients individualized health care needs and contribute to their complete and total wellness,” says Rothman.
 
Most recently, to meet its patients needs, DocMJ has started offering online mental health counseling through “DocMJ-Cares.”
 
“We have expanded our services by adding convenient and affordable online mental health counseling,” adds Rothman. “Many of our patients suffer from anxiety, depression, PTSD, and related mental health conditions. DocMJ-Cares is a part of our growing effort to provide for our patient’s complete wellness.”

 

 


South University would like to congratulate Dr. Kezia Lilly, DNP, MBA HC, RN, interim dean of the College of Nursing and Public Health, for being named one of 21 Coldiron Senior Nurse Executive Fellowship recipients. This fellowship opportunity was created by the Marian K. Shaughnessy Nurse Leadership Academy in partnership with the American Nurses Association, The American Organization for Nursing Leadership and the Healthcare Financial Management Association to enhance and expand the development of senior nurse executive leaders.

Fellowship recipients will participate in a rigorous, year-long training program consisting of five parts, which focus on executive presence, financial acumen, care coordination, quality and safety competencies, wellness, public communication and understanding and leading change. “As a Case Western Reserve alumni, it is an incredible honor to be selected in the first cohort of the 21 fellows that exemplify extraordinary nursing leadership across the country,” says Dr. Lilly.
 
Join us in congratulating Dr. Lilly on her selection for this prestigious opportunity!
 
Here, at South University, West Palm Beach we offer a variety of nursing programs, such as pre-licensure BSN, RN to BSN, and the Family Nurse Practitioner. Explore flexible options and individualized attention to meet your goals, by visiting www.southuniversity.edu/westpalmbeach.
 
Take a minute to request information through a South University representative who can help guide you in the right direction to build skills and help to prepare you to pursue your professional goals.
 
If you are interested in pursuing a new career goal or continuing your education, explore our programs today! South University- the right direction for a brighter future.
 


 



Recreational Marijuana Legislation (RML) has raised many concerns about its positive or negative consequences. In a previous report, the author reviewed the effects of RML on the use and abuse of marijuana and other substances (Cannabis Law Report). The available evidence showed that the effects of RML were minimal if they existed at all. In a paper to be published in the Journal of Drug Abuse, the author now examined the effects of RML on students’ academic performance, crime and traffic accidents.

First, did RML affect the academic performance of pupils and students?
There are few studies and data available on this topic. Nevertheless, data from Colorado (legal since 2012) showed that school suspensions spiked between 2013 and 2014 but then declined significantly later on. After RML, expulsions decreased by 25 percent. The four-year graduation rate rose steadily while the dropout rate fell. SAT scores increased from 944 in 2016 to 1001 in 2019. In Oregon (legal 2015) the graduation rate rose steadily after RML. A comparison of 4 states with and without RML showed that the percentages of 8Th grade math proficiency, 8th grade reading proficiency, graduation and high AP scores did not differ significantly among these states. Similar results were obtained when examining the performance of college students. The undergraduate graduation rate in Washington (legal since 2012) in 2019 was about 38% for the first 4 years which is about the national average. Similarly, graduation rates in Oregon rose over the last years and were 76% in 2017 and 79% in 2018. The University of Colorado at Boulder reported that average cumulative GPA scores are slowly rising from 3.04 in 2010 to 3.15 in 2019. In conclusion, available evidence does not show a deleterious effect of RML on the academic performance of pupils or student.
 
Second, did RML increase crimes in general?
Available evidence is somewhat controversial. A 2015 report by the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program Property showed that in Denver violent crime increased 6.7 %, all crimes increased 6.2 %, crimes against persons increased 7.5 percent and crimes against property increased 6 % after RML However, the report finished by saying “This is not to infer that the data is due to the legalization of recreational marijuana”. A report in 2021 showed a crime-exacerbating effect as reflected by substantial increases in the rates of multiple types of serious crimes in Oregon following RML relative to non-legalized states. These included property and violent crimes overall, as well as other crimes such as burglary, motor vehicle theft, larceny and aggravated assault. In contrast, researchers from the universities in Washington and Utah compared monthly crime rates in Colorado and Washington to crime rates in 21 states that have not legalized the recreational use of marijuana. Crime rates came from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report in the years 1999 to 2016. The study found no statistically significant long-term effects of recreational cannabis laws on the initiation in violent crimes, auto theft or property crime rates in either Colorado or Washington, with the exception of a decline in burglary rates in Washington. A second report found that the violent crime rate had declined, and the overall crime rate had remained at a 40-year level in the State of Washington after RML except violent crime which had actually declined by 10% between 2011 and 2014 including a 13% decrease in the murder rate. A study combining county-level difference-in-differences found that RML caused a significant reduction in rapes and property crimes in Washington. A 2018 study using a complicated quasi-experimental, multi-group interrupted time-series design to determine crime rates in Colorado and Washington concluded that RML and marijuana sales had a minimal to no effect on major crimes in these states. A survey, interestingly coming from a University in Italy, found that legalization of recreational marijuana in Oregon and Washington did not increase overall crime rates but reduced rapes and thefts. In conclusion, it can be safely concluded that RML did not cause a significant increase in crime but actually might have shown no effect or a reduction.
 
Third, did RML increase the number of traffic accidents and fatalities?
This question is more difficult to answer because existing studies are quite controversial. A summary report of the Governors Highway Safety Association concluded that fatal crashes involving marijuana increased in both Colorado and Washington after RML. Marijuana-related traffic deaths increased 66% in the four-year average after RML as compared to the four-year average prior to legalization. During the same time period, all traffic deaths increased 16%. Analysts from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) found that the frequency of collision claims per insured vehicle/year rose a combined 6 % following the start of retail sales of recreational marijuana in Colorado, Nevada, Oregon and Washington, compared with the control states of Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming. A separate HLDI study examined police-reported crashes before and after retail sales began in Colorado, Oregon and Washington and found that the three states combined saw a 5.2 percent increase in the rate of crashes per million vehicle registrations compared with neighboring states that didn’t legalize marijuana sales. In contrast, a paper in 2019 compared Colorado, Washington and Oregon (all with RML) with nine neighboring jurisdictions without RML. There was a pooled step increase of 1.08 traffic fatalities per million residents followed by a trend reduction of −0.06 per month. However, these effects were similar in both RML and non-RML states. A 2017 study found that three years after recreational marijuana legalization, changes in motor vehicle crash fatality rates for Washington and Colorado were statistically not different from those states without RML The Colorado Departments of Public health and Safety released the following fatal accident figures of 359, 335, 388 and 335 from years 2014 to 2017.These data suggest that fatal accidents did not change significantly during the 4-year period following RML. In conclusion, it can perhaps be posited if there would have been a marked effect of RML on traffic accidents, studies would have been more consistent. Thus, it can be safely stated that RML might have a mild effect on traffic accidents and deaths if it had an effect at all.
 
Conclusion
This review dispels general concerns about the deleterious effects of RML on the academic performance of pupils and students, crime and traffic accidents in that RML did not cause any significant detrimental effects if it caused any effects at all.


Denise Hernandez-Figueroa, MSN, RN

Denise Hernandez-Figueroa, MSN, RN, is currently the Chief Nursing Officer at Coral Gables Hospital. Hernandez-Figueroa has more than 14 years of clinical and administrative experience in Nursing. In her role at Coral Gables Hospital, she is responsible for overseeing and coordinating the care and staffing of the hospital’s nursing units, their daily operations, along with implementing quality initiatives.
 
Shortly after starting at Coral Gables Hospital as CNO, Hernandez-Figueroa was tasked with leading her nursing team through the COVID-19 Global Pandemic. In addition, she has assisted with the launch of Tele-ER services for the Miami-Dade/Broward Tenet Hospital sites, increasing Emergency Care access to patients virtually.
 
Hernandez-Figueroa’s nursing leadership experience began at one of New York City’s top hospitals. Her experience in Florida includes being the Director of Emergency Services at Palmetto General Hospital as well as Coral Gables Hospital many years ago. In both positions, she was accountable for the overall direction of the Emergency Departments. She has been instrumental in the implementation of numerous nursing, quality and patient safety initiatives, which led to the overall improvement at her organizations. Her focus is on the patient experience, quality of care, culture of safety and employee engagement.
 
Jonathan Fraginals, BSN, RN
 
Jonathan Fraginals, BSN, RN, is currently the Director of Nursing for Critical Care Services and Nursing Administration. Fraginals is responsible for all Critical Care Areas, which include Emergency Services at the Main Hospital and Off-Campus Emergency Department, the Intensive Care Unit, and the Surgical Stepdown Area. In addition, he oversees Nursing Administration. Fraginals has over 12 years of nursing experience and over 8 years in Nursing Leadership. He started at Coral Gables Hospital in 2015 as a Nurse Manager, was promoted to Director the following year, He has since covered many different areas of the hospital and been an active participant in driving the quality of patient care. Fraginals earned his Bachelors of Science in Nursing from Barry University. He is also a member of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.