In many states, the use of medical marijuana has become a hot-button topic, and Florida is no exception. To date, 23 states have legalized marijuana for medical purposes and in 2015, Florida Sen. Jeff Brandes filed The Florida Medical Marijuana Act, a bill that would allow licensed Florida physicians to prescribe medical marijuana to qualified patients who suffer from cancer, HIV, AIDS, epilepsy, ALS disease, multiple sclerosis and any medical condition that causes chronic wasting syndrome, pain or severe nausea.
If the bill passes, or if the issue is brought to a public vote in the near future, it could mean that Florida physicians will soon have the ability to prescribe medical marijuana for patients who they believe could benefit from this treatment. But are Florida physicians ready?
“In the western hemisphere, many physicians have no knowledge of how and when to use cannabis for their patients; they do not know how to prescribe it, when to have patients start or stop using it, and how long to treat patients with medical marijuana,” explained Dr. Yehuda Baruch, director of Research and Regulatory Affairs at One World Cannabis Ltd.An international authority on medical cannabis programs, Dr. Baruch served as Head of the Israeli Ministry of Health’s Medical Marijuana Program from 2003 through 2013, where he spearheaded the efforts on regulation, chaired the indication committee, secured Helsinki Approvals for medical research, and managed regulation of patient licensing and dosage. He has extensive experience in researching medical cannabis, most notably for its effect on PTSD.
“At One World Cannabis, our goals are two-fold: first, to pursue clinical trials on cannabis for medical use, so that we can provide doctors with the information they need to prescribe it properly,” said Dr. Baruch. “Our consulting division focuses on the regulation of the medical marijuana market in order to make it possible to manufacture medical cannabis in one country—or state—and move it to another country without too much bureaucracy.
“Right now, it is against the law to grow cannabis in one state and transport or use it in another, which is not beneficial to patients,” he added. “For example, you cannot transport cannabis that is grown in Colorado to Washington state; it has to be grown within the same state, which makes it more costly for patients.”
One of the biggest issues facing U.S. doctors is a simple lack of information about the different strains of medical cannabis, and what is the proper dosage for a patient. “Doctors don’t have enough knowledge, for example, about whether to use a high versus low THC content,” said Dr. Baruch. “This is one of the issues that we’re studying in our research.”
In Israel, medical cannabis is legal, and is currently being used to treat a range of chronic diseases including fibromyalgia, various children’s cancers, , skin cancer, Crohn’s disease and colitis, Tourette’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. The government is also looking at medical cannabis for having the potential to treat Huntingdon’s disease.
“In Israel, doctors are allowed to prescribe medical cannabis after requesting a permit for the patient from the Office of Medical Cannabis in the Ministry of Health,” explained Dr. Baruch. “Still, that license does not specify the type of cannabis, only the amount.”
To this end, One World has provided doctor training through a two-day course that teaches physicians and nurses about how to help patients treated with cannabis. “We discuss the human endocannabinoid system and the effects of various strains of medical cannabis in the treatment of medical symptoms, as well as dosing concerns like how to start, how long, how and when to stop,” said Dr. Baruch. “We also discuss how to treat side effects and different types of adverse reactions.”
While each treatment is individual to the patient, One World has established a guide to help physicians as they begin prescribing medical cannabis. “The average amount is one gram a day of medium potency THC,” said Dr. Baruch. “Patients should normally not be given more than three grams a day, except in special cases. The key is to start low, go slow, and wait to see the prescribed effect and any side effects.”
According to Dr. Baruch, an average length of treatment remains to be seen. “Doctors should stop treating with cannabis if a cancer goes into total remission, but patients who have chronic pain, such as from a lumbar fracture on a disk, may be on medical cannabis for life,” he explained.
As more is learned about medical cannabis, Dr. Baruch expects to see more physicians and patients taking advantage of this treatment option. “Within five to 10 years, doctors will become more comfortable prescribing medical cannabis as they learn how and when to use it,” he said.
After numerous delays and legislative bureaucracy, the Florida Department of Health determined the state finally would begin accepting license applications from June 17 – July 8 for the growth of non-euphoric marijuana, which could then be processed and marketed to certified individuals. To date, approximately 30 physicians have taken the required course to recommend CBD (cannabidiol) to patients.
In order to apply for the plant licensing, a Florida nursery must be in existence for more than 30 years and have 400,000 or more plants under cultivation. Licenses will be granted within specific geographic regions. The South Florida license will likely cover the largest portion of the state’s population.
Due to high start-up costs including a non-refundable application fee of $63,000, the number of nurseries to apply will be limited. The scorecard for the Low-THC Cannabis Dispensing Organization Selection contains the following categories: Cultivation, Processing, Dispensing, Medical Director, and Financials.
