Updated Medical Marijuana Physician Information & Recommendation form

OPN has has updated our pamphlet for Ohio Doctors dealing with patients and medical marijuana.   We strongly advise patients to talk to their physician and get a recommendation especially those being treated fro pain in a pain clinic.  Having a recommendation provides you some legal protection.

We have heard a lot of patients say their doctors have to wait till they (the doctor) gets certified. That is not true, Doctor's can make a recommendation now!

Download and print our updated brochure on Ohio Doctors & medical marijuana show below and provide a copy to your physician.  If they have any question please encourage them to call us.

 Important Note This law specifies that there is a bona fide relationship between the doctor and patient. This was added to prevent doctors writing medical marijuana recommendations just for money.

Ohio Patients with one of those 20 conditions have some legal protection if they have a doctors recommendation.  Here is a link to a form for you to bring to your doctor that is fully compliant with HB523 Section 6. If your medical condition is one of the twenty condtions, OPN strongly suggests you tlak to your doctor, here are some suggestions to do so in a friendly non-confrontational manner.

Read more: Updated Medical Marijuana Physician Information & Recommendation form

New Mexico Medical Cannabis Program (MCP) and opioid prescription use

Albuquerque, NM: Chronic pain patients enrolled in a statewide medical cannabis access program are significantly more likely to either reduce or cease their use of opioids as compared to non-enrolled patients suffering from similar pain conditions, according to data published online in the journal PLOS One.

A team of investigators at the University of New Mexico assessed opioid prescription use patterns over a 21-month period in 37 pain patients enrolled in the state's medicinal cannabis program versus 29 non-enrolled patients.

Compared to non-users, medical cannabis enrollees "were more likely either to reduce daily opioid prescription dosages between the beginning and end of the sample period (83.8 percent versus 44.8 percent) or to cease filling opioid prescriptions altogether (40.5 percent versus 3.4 percent)." Enrollees were also more likely to report an improved quality of life.

Authors concluded, "The clinically and statistically significant evidence of an association between MCP (medical cannabis program) enrollment and opioid prescription cessation and reductions and improved quality of life warrants further investigations on cannabis as a potential alternative to prescription opioids for treating chronic pain."

Prior studies have similarly reported that patients enrolled in cannabis access programs are more likely to reduce their use of opioids and other prescription drugs. 

An Excerpt from the Reports Conclusions

The clinically and statistically significant evidence of an association between MCP enrollment and opioid prescription cessation and reductions and improved quality of life warrants further investigations on cannabis as a potential alternative to prescription opioids for treating chronic pain.

OPN Recent Presentation

Recently OPN had several presentations on MMJ and HB523 in Cleveland and New Philadelphia. Two of the presentation was to the Bar Association in New Philadelphia at Kent State University. The topics were Opioids and MMJ, patient’s rights under HB523 and MMJ and driving (one of the toughest topics).

A new series of presentations has been prepared and is targeted for medical professionals and physicians. Also we have been invited to give a presentation at a Hospital Grand Rounds in Cleveland and before a Doctors group in the Cincinnati area. If your interested in arranging an OPN presentation to your organization or group please contact us.

2018 should be a very interesting year. Dr. Welty an OPN board member just had a paper published on MMJ and Opioids and attended a conference on the same subject. OPN is fully committed to adding addiction to the list as a qualifying condition here in Ohio. We will also be working on migraines as well.

We really appreciate your interest in OPN efforts. At this time I have to remind OPN is a 501-C3 and that your donations are tax deductible. So with the end of the years coming up I hope and encourage you to make a donation to OPN via a check made out to Ohio Patient Network and sent to PO BOX 42042. Cincinnati, Ohio, 45242 or via PayPal http://www.ohiopatientsnetwork.org/donate/. I can assure you your support will be used frugally and effectively.

Sincerely,
Rob
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Robert Ryan
Executive Director
Ohio Patient Network
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Update & News on Seniors and Cannabis

At the 2017 Patient out of Time Conference there was an interesting presentation on cannabis and the positive effects on the elderly and aging. OPN in collaboration with Chris Conrad will be updating our informational pamphlet on Seniors and Cannabis.

Also there were several article on the effect of THC and the increase in brain functions. Below are several articles with an excerpt and link to the article from a study done in Israel and Germany.

Marijuana May Boost, Rather Than Dull, the Elderly Brain
Excerpt -"When the researchers examined the brains of the treated, elderly mice for an explanation, they noticed neurons in the hippocampus—a brain area critical for learning and memory—had sprouted more synaptic spines, the points of contact for communication between neurons." See full article at https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/marijuana-may-boost-rather-than-dull-the-elderly-brain/

Cannabis reverses aging processes in the brain
Excerpt - "To discover precisely what effect the THC treatment has in old mice, the researchers examined the brain tissue and gene activity of the treated mice. The findings were surprising: the molecular signature no longer corresponded to that of old animals, but was instead very similar to that of young animals. The number of links between the nerve cells in the brain also increased again, which is an important prerequisite for learning ability. “It looked as though the THC treatment turned back the molecular clock,” says Zimmer. See full article at https://www.uni-bonn.de/news/128-2017

Marijuana May Be A Weapon Against Brain Aging, Suggests New Study
Excerpt -"When they studied the brain tissue and gene activity of the mice after a low dose THC treatment, they found that the genetic signature no longer looked like that of old mice, but of very young mice. And they found increased nerve links in the brain tissue, which correlates with learning and thinking speed" See full article at https://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2017/05/30/marijuana-may-be-a-weapon-against-brain-aging-suggests-new-study/#7565762051ca