The Economics Tutor

While the March 2019 lift in the Florida medical marijuana smoking ban came as a relief for many, for lots of others, the idea of smoking — anything — was a non-starter.  Many people have never smoked anything in their lives and while they may be sick, or suffering, enough to qualify for Florida’s medical marijuana card, they don’t have any desire to start smoking.  Widely known as a “universal medicine,” in Florida medical marijuana use is intended to treat many illnesses and to provide relief from the suffering caused by many other ailments.  Because of its status as a universal medicine, many patients are left — even by their doctors — to determine dosage levels, select the types and strains they want, and leave the administration of this medicine entirely to themselves.   Many then also assume that medical marijuana needs to be smoked. While for lots of patients this presents no problem, but for many others, it’s not the preferred method. It’s almost ins...

Opioids are regularly prescribed for patients to help them manage pain after surgeries and for those who suffer from chronic pain. However, the side effects and the addictive qualities of these pain killers have led patients, and some doctors as well, to seek alternative forms of treatment for pain. Marijuana has been known to have painkilling properties and could possibly be the alternative pain reliever to help move society away from the usage of opioids. So why are so many hesitant to give marijuana a try?   Opioids and pain Opioids, also referred to as narcotics, are a class of drugs that can be obtained by prescription from a doctor or illegally “off the street.” Opioids are found naturally in the poppy plant, opium. Opium has numerous effects on the body and brain, one such effect is the blockage of pain signals between the brain and the body. Hence, opioids are typically prescribed for the effectiveness in treating moderate to severe pain. However, the less appealing qua...

Some 300,000 residents of Florida already have a Marijuana Card, and thus, legal access to medical marijuana. If you’d like to qualify, it pays to do some research beforehand, or at least to work with someone willing to explain the procedure in detail.    These are the ten essential things to consider as you begin the process. It’s a relatively complicated process. So, it pays to have expert advice right from the beginning. Marijuana Doctor works to educate people from all health backgrounds about the legal process of obtaining specialized treatment, and can advise you along the way with specifics derived from your own case and medical history. Medical marijuana might also be able to help with relieving pain, reducing anxiety, helping with depression, and more.  Not everyone qualifies. That’s a pretty blunt realization for some patients who are in fact suffering from other serious disorders or illnesses. Still, while the law spells out specific qualifying condition...

Some 300,000 Floridian already have a Marijuana Card, and thus, legal access to medical marijuana. If you’d like to qualify, it pays to do some research beforehand, or at least to work with someone willing to explain the procedure in detail.  These are the ten essential things to consider as you begin the process. It’s a relatively complicated process. So, it pays to have expert advice right from the beginning. Marijuana Doctor works to educate people from all health backgrounds about the legal process of obtaining specialized treatment, and can advise you along the way with specifics derived from your own case and medical history. Medical marijuana might also be able to help with relieving pain, reducing anxiety, helping with depression, and more.  Not everyone qualifies. That’s a pretty blunt realization for some patients who are in fact suffering from other serious disorders or illnesses. Still, while the law spells out specific qualifying conditions, it also allows f...

In a tribute in the Herald-Tribune earlier this year , Floridians learned about one of the many heroes in the long struggle for medical marijuana in Florida, a brave woman named Cathy Jordan. Jordan spent 22 years leading the fight to bring medical marijuana to the people suffering from long-term and chronic conditions in the Sunshine State. It was a personal fight for her as well, as, during that entire time, she was also suffering herself. Diagnosed some 24 years ago with ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, she found that medical cannabis was one of the only things that helped to treat her symptoms. According to the Herald-Tribune, Jordan always knew that victory would be tight, but that it would always come. “I always knew we were going to win,” she said in an interview. Medical Marijuana in Florida ALS can be devastating, but it’s only one of the illnesses for which Florida residents can now receive approval to begin medical marijuana treatment. In Florida, and here at Marijuana Doc...

Medical marijuana has been a life-saving treatment for hundreds-of-thousands of residents all across Florida and millions of people all across the United States. And with 1.5 million veterans in the state, Florida’s Department of Veteran Affairs has a track record of meeting, and even exceeding the needs of some of its worthiest citizens. This has been especially true in cutting Florida’s levels of veteran homeless by nearly 50 percent in just the past ten years. Unfortunately, because so many veterans suffer from significant physical and mental conditions associated with PTSD, there’s still a long way to go toward making sure that all veterans receive the care and treatment to which they’re entitled — especially with medical marijuana. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is the result of any number of traumatic events that can occur during a normal tour with a branch of the military. Combat, life-threatening experiences and accidents all take their tolls on veterans’ mental health and we...

A new study out suggests that Baby Boomers use of medical cannabis has steadily grown over the past few years, although patients do report having trouble accessing treatment. According to a recent article in MarketWatch , the Boomer generation, perhaps more than most want more education when it comes to medical marijuana, and they also hope to see a little more openness from their doctors about the topic. The qualitative study which researched older adults in Colorado found that even though the Baby Boomers were more open to using medical marijuana to treat a whole host of conditions, the group had considerable trouble finding doctors who were open to using the drug as a part of their treatment regimen. “We identified 16 codes from which five main themes emerged,” read the results of the study titled “Qualitative Analysis of Cannabis Use Among Older Adults in Colorado,” which was published in the journal Drugs and Aging. “These themes included: a lack of education and research about...

Nowhere in the United States is medical cannabis more accessible than right here in Florida, according to several recent reports from major outlets from across the country. The Miami New Times writes that even though the state legislature has done everything in its power to push back on the program, Florida’s medical cannabis market is the fastest-growing in the country. By the numbers, there are already more than 200,000 people enrolled in the program, with an estimated 10,000 new patients signing up every month. That’s a lot of people finding relief from medical cannabis! According to the Miami New Times, however, the story isn’t the same everywhere. In other states with a medical cannabis program, places like New York and Arizona, the numbers are not quite as high, even though, at least in New York, they have just as many doctors who will recommend the treatment. David Kotler, a South Florida attorney who founded the Medical Marijuana Business Lawyers, LLC told the Miami New Tim...

Last month Rep. Alex Mooney of West Virginia filed a bill in Congress which, if passed, would allow medical cannabis patients to own firearms legally. It would be a big step forward for patients in the medical cannabis community, as current federal law disqualifies patients if they’re  “an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance.” In other words, since cannabis is still considered to be illegal at the federal level, the government bans medical cannabis users from owning guns, even though the state of Florida has legalized the drug. According to a recent report in Marijuana Moment , Mooney’s new bill would carve out exceptions for medical marijuana patients, in essence giving them back the full and lawful rights that they deserve. The bill’s language states that illegal drug users cannot purchase firearms, “except that an individual shall not be treated as an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance based on the individual using marihuana for a med...

According to a survey by the Washington Post, as reported by the D.C.-based National Council for Aging Care , when asked about the benefits of medical cannabis, 90 percent of respondents reported positive results, with more than 2,300 of those being senior citizens. With a total of 7500 people questioned, seniors made up the largest group in the study by far. Moreover, as the Council for Aging Care reported, senior cannabis use rose by 250 percent between 2006 to 2013. Those numbers are, quite frankly, astounding. In fact, poll after poll supports the data that more and more senior citizens are exploring their options when it comes to medical cannabis. For example, over the past 15 years, older Americans approval ratings of the plant have jumped over 15 points, from 29 percent in 2005 to 45 percent today. Anecdotally, seniors who use medical cannabis are found to be less apprehensive over the treatment, once they begin to realize all of its actual benefits. As noted in our FAQ sect...

It’s been almost two years since Florida passed Constitutional Amendment 2 , allowing patients with certain debilitating diseases and other ailments the right to seek treatment with medical cannabis (with a physician’s recommendation, of course). And in that time, hundreds of thousands of people have found relief under the law — 136,000 new patients signed up to receive treatment with medical cannabis in the first nine months of 2018 alone. When first enacted, however, the law, while giving a somewhat strict definition of which conditions qualified a patient to receive medical cannabis treatment, did leave some leeway for doctors to make their own decisions, based on a defined set of criteria. Well, here at Marijuana Doctor, patients are our top priority. We’re always looking for new and better ways to offer treatment to as many people as possible, based on the scientific method and top patient outcomes. With that in mind, we’re pleased to announce that after a rigorous review of t...

Medical marijuana patients in Florida have more reason to celebrate this spring, as the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services has finally finished putting together its list of rules for growers to obtain a license to sell edible products. The news comes on the heels of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ announcement earlier this year that smokeable cannabis would now be accessible to medical marijuana patients as well. Progress has been swift and steady for people seeking medical cannabis treatments in the Sunshine State this year as legislators continue to open up more and more options for patients (and for new patients looking to learn more, the consultation process at Marijuana Doctor has never been easier). According to reports from various news outlets in the state, the edibles regulations would have come sooner, but officials still had concerns over food poisoning and allergen contagion. “That’s our concern because a lot of times the people taking the medical marijuana have compro...

Currently, health insurance plans in Florida do not cover any kind of medical marijuana treatments whatsoever (although here at Marijuana Doctor we do offer a payment plan to assist our patients with the consultation fees). There is a possibility that things may soon be changing for some residents here in the Sunshine State. According to a report in the Tallahassee Democrat , lawmakers in Florida are moving forward with efforts to allow for the coverage of medical marijuana treatments by health insurance companies. “Our constitution recognizes that marijuana is medicine, and if it is in our constitution then companies that provide health insurance to Florida patients should be covering it,” Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried told the Democrat in a recent interview. Right now about 212,000 people are on the state’s medical marijuana registry, which is enough to populate a small city. However, because of federal regulations — including rules and laws put forth by the IRS and the FD...

Marijuana Doctor hit the streets of Miami this weekend to help celebrate and be a part of the Miami Pride Fest. The week-long event brings together groups of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, and their friends, supporters, and allies in a unique gathering that highlights the spirit and culture of the community. It all culminates in the annual Pride Parade and Festival, the ultimate opportunity for South Florida LGBTQ families to stand tall in front of the city — and the world — at one of the hottest parties Miami has ever seen. This year the team at Marijuana Doctor took to the festival to not only join in the fun but to spread the word about Florida’s leading medical marijuana evaluation clinic. After all, Miami Pride fest is not only one of South Florida’s biggest parties of the year, but also an educational and cultural experience for all who attend. It’s the perfect venue to share and exchange ideas and to talk about medical cannabis with the public. Of course, the ...

Although patients can now smoke medical cannabis in Florida, they shouldn’t expect the floodgates to open with vast amounts of potent products, at least if some Republicans in the state legislature have their say. According to a recent report in the Orlando Sentinal , representatives are looking to monitor just how high patients can go, with proposals to limit THC levels being bandied about the halls of the State Capital. In an interview with The News Service of Florida, Rep. Ray Rodrigues (R-Estero) told reporters that he would like to see THC levels cap out at 10 percent. Although no official bill has been put to paper as of yet, it’s something Republicans in the State House are keeping top-of-mind. “But it’s something we still think is important,” Rodrigues said, according to the Orlando Sentinal. “We think there should be caps on THC.” The Benefits of THC These days, more and more states are beginning to recognize the benefits of THC, along with its non-psychoactive cousin, C...

Legislators in the Florida House passed a bill recently giving patients access to smokeable forms of medical marijuana. Senate Bill 182 allows medical cannabis patients access to up to 2.5 ounces of flower within a 45-day period, based on a doctor’s recommendation. Patients can possess up to four ounces. Gov. Ron DeSantis, who had pushed for the bill, imposed a deadline of March 15 on legislators, hoping to resolve an issue that had been festering for far too long in the state. “The Florida Legislature has taken a significant step this week to uphold the will of the voters and support the patients who will gain relief as a result of this legislation,” DeSantis said in a statement via email which praised politicians in both the House and Senate. “President Bill Galvano, Speaker Jose Oliva, Senator Jeff Brandes, and Representative Ray Rodrigues have done a tremendous job working hard to ensure the voices of Floridians are heard. I commend them for their diligence on this issue,” he c...

Marijuana is commonly associated with weight gain, not weight loss. While it is true that THC can increase appetite and give you the “munchies,” CBD is actually believed to have the opposite effect. If weight loss is a goal of yours, check out these 3 Ways CBD Can Help You Lose Weight! What is CBD? Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the most popular cannabinoids found in the marijuana plant. Unlike THC, which is the cannabinoid that will get you “high,” CBD does not produce psychoactive effects. With that being said, it is still capable of a vast array of medicinal benefits. One of these potential benefits is helping you lose some excess weight! Ways CBD Can Help You Lose Weight Increases Metabolism Primary studies have found that CBD may play a role in speeding up your metabolism, thus increasing your rate of weight loss . Your metabolism is the process responsible for converting food to energy. The faster it is, the more calories you burn, and the more weight you can lose. Improve...