Humble & Fred Radio Interview

Huge thanks to Humble and Fred Radio for inviting me back onto the show to chat about the difference between the medical and adult-use cannabis access streams and when it’s appropriate for people to seek out medical advice vs. just buying it at the dispensary.

***Spoiler alert***

 Any time you’re considering using cannabis to treat a medical condition, you’d be smart to work with an experienced cannabinoid medicine practitioner.

We also chatted about the sleep/mental health/pain connection and how taking an integrated approach to your health is the way forward.

To have a listen to the full recording, listen below:

Patient Testimonial - Mike | Osteoarthritis

“I can see this being one of the greater medications of the future...I really do.”

One in five Canadians is living with arthritis. My patient Mike is one of them.

Mike has been diagnosed with osteoarthritis and before beginning cannabinoid therapy, his pain was so severe that it was impacting his ability to walk and sleep through the night. Like so many others living with chronic pain, it was also impacting his mental well-being.

I’m grateful to Mike for sharing his story.

Patient Testimonial - Marsha | Chronic Pain & Sleep Disorder

In my practice, I see a number of patients with osteoarthritis. Staying active and maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for managing OA symptoms, but for many people, it’s a vicious cycle as their pain is preventing them from being as active as they would like to be. In these situations, cannabinoid therapy can be very effective, as it has both strong anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain relief) properties.

Here’s what my patient Marsha has experienced after beginning cannabinoid therapy. Marsha has been diagnosed with osteoarthritis and experienced severe pain in her shoulder and wrist. As a result of the pain, she has also developed a sleep disorder: 

“I have never felt better after beginning treatment for my pain using CBD oil. I have been able to manage my day without constant pain and feel less irritable and more focused. Thank you to Dr. Pearson and his team for helping my 62 year old body feel young again.”

New Warnings About Benzodiazepine Use and Dementia Risk

There have been several studies that have indicated that have linked benzodiazepine use to an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD).

This is one out of Finland is one of the largest. 

Lead author Vesa Tapiainen, MD, PhD, said: “These drugs are often used to treat sleep problems, but their efficacy for this indication diminishes over time, whereas the risks for adverse events remain.”

In addition to insomnia, benzodiazepines and other so-called "Z" drugs, such as zolpidem (multiple brands) and zopiclone (Lunesta, Sunovion), are used to treat other neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia, such as anxiety.

Commenting on the study’s findings, David S. Knopman, MD (Mayo Clinic, Alzheimer's Association Medical and Scientific Advisory Council), noted that many studies have suggested that patients who are exposed to certain psychoactive drugs, such as those with cholinomimetic properties, are at increased risk for dementia.

"I therefore find it plausible that benzodiazepines and related drugs could carry the same risks," he said. 

The "bottom line" for Knopman is that use of certain psychoactive drugs seems to increase the risk for dementia. However, it is unclear whether the drugs are temporarily worsening cognition or symptoms are being treated with these drugs, said Knopman.

"In other words, the direction of causality from drugs to dementia could go in either direction, and this study that used administrative data can't determine the direction of causality," he said.

Nevertheless, a take-home message is that benzodiazepines and related sleep medications should be avoided "if at all possible" in older individuals, said Knopman.

Similar to benzodiazepines and “Z” drugs, cannabinoid-based medicines have anxiolytic, anticonvulsive and relaxing effects. When dosed low and slow by an experienced healthcare practitioner, cannabinoids can be equally or more effective than these medications in managing symptoms, but with a far superior side-effect profile. 

Read the full study here.