CannMed 2022: Medical Practicum Organizers Share Their Insight, Part II: Dr. Kevin Spelman
In this interview series, we speak to each of the organizers to learn more about them and what attendees can expect from the practicum. Here in Part II, Dr. Kevin Spelman shares his insights.
The upcoming CannMed conference—taking place May 3–5 in Pasadena, California—will feature an exciting full-day medical practicum organized by Bonni Goldstein, MD, (the practicum’s originator); Kevin Spelman, PhD, MCPP; Dustin Sulak, DO; and Eloise Theisen, NP, AGPCNP-BC. During this practicum, each of the presenters will share the latest research, their clinical experience, and practice guidelines related to cannabinoid therapeutics. This course is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing for 9.5 contact hours.**
In this interview series, we speak to each of the organizers to learn more about them and what attendees can expect from the practicum. Here in Part II, Dr. Kevin Spelman shares his insights.
What are some of the clinical applications for medical cannabis?
Kevin Spelman, PhD, MCPP: Anxiety, seizure disorders, pain, mood disorders, sleep issues, and autoimmune disorders.
How is medical cannabis dosed and what methods are being used by patients?
Kevin Spelman, PhD, MCPP: Dosing has a high interindividual variability. Best to start at very low doses and work up so the optimal "physiological" dose can be found (versus a "pharmacological" dose)
Can cannabis be used to get you off opioid addiction?
Kevin Spelman, PhD, MCPP: Yes, if used in conjunction with a proper protocol, cannabis has been used successfully for weaning people from an opioid addiction.
How does cannabis interact with other prescription medications?
Kevin Spelman, PhD, MCPP: While there are theoretical concerns of cannabis preparations negatively interacting with other drugs, the concern has not been a chief complaint (cc) in clinical situations.
How is cannabis used to treat acute and chronic pain?
Kevin Spelman, PhD, MCPP: For acute pain, tinctures or inhalation can have a quick effect. For more chronic pain, ingestibles make better sense for their longer duration in effect.
How is medical cannabis being used in pediatric patients? Is there clinical evidence for using cannabis to treat anxiety and ADHD?
Kevin Spelman, PhD, MCPP: There have been positive clinical studies on cannabis use (specifically CBD) in anxiety disorders since the 1980s, so anxiety is a well-known and successfully treated indication. As for ADHD, there are many case studies showing beneficial effects and recent clinical trial that was favorable for ADHD.
To find out more about CannMed’s medical practicum, please visit: https://cannmedevents.com/practicum/
**CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS: This course is provider-approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, provider number 16845, for 9.5 contact hours.
Ep 24, Part II: Data Transparency in Cannabis Testing with Yasha Khan
December 12th 2024Evan Friedmann and Yasha Kahn, co-founder of MCR Labs, discuss the discrepancies between current regulations and data on mycotoxins and pesticides in cannabis products. They highlight the need for updated regulations based on new data, emphasizing the importance of accurate testing and labeling. They also discuss the issue of result manipulation, particularly in THC content, and the need for public health officials to address this. Yasha suggests making testing data public to enhance oversight and suggests a national entity to manage this data for better consistency and public safety.
Ep 24, Part I: Data Transparency in Cannabis Testing with Yasha Khan
November 21st 2024Evan Friedmann interviews Yasha Khan, co-founder of MCR Labs, about his journey into the cannabis industry and his efforts to promote transparency and integrity in laboratory practices. Yasha discusses the origins of MCR Labs, which began in Massachusetts to meet the needs of the soon-to-be legal medical cannabis market. He explains the challenges faced, including result manipulation by labs and the impact on public health. Yasha's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) project aimed to gather testing data from 37 states, revealed significant discrepancies in potency and mold results. Despite some states' reluctance to share data, Yasha has made much of this data public, leading to collaborative research and publications on various aspects of cannabis testing.
