This article was written by Amanda Reiman, PhD MSW, of New Frontier Data.

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the potential therapeutic benefits of cannabis, particularly in the treatment of mental health disorders like depression. While cannabis remains a controversial topic, with varying opinions on its use and efficacy, scientific research has begun to shed light on the complex relationship between cannabis and depression. This article aims to explore the current state of scientific knowledge regarding the use of cannabis in treating depression.

As a clinician, it’s important to understand the roles played in the cannabis industry and the ways in which this industry is different from the pharmacy system that we’re used to.  The differences do affect the experience our patients have getting their medicine and, often, their outcomes.  

A budtender is a sales person who works in a legal cannabis dispensary. They help customers select cannabis products to purchase.  It is very important to understand their job and what they can and cannot do.

This article was cowritten by Jordan Tishler MD, and Amanda Reiman, PhD MSW, of New Frontier Data.

Veterans of the armed services, in the United States and around the world, have been using cannabis for pain and PTSD symptoms since at least the Vietnam War.  They have accumulated lifetimes of experience with this medication and, as a group, demonstrate the best, and worst, of what cannabis can do.  

As a medical professional, do you feel like you know enough about cannabis to address it with your patients? If not, you’re not alone. Countless physicians share this common problem. Patients are asking questions but their physicians don't feel confident about answering them. In a 2021 study, 84% of healthcare providers have been asked about cannabis by patients (1). 

Cannabis by any other name would work just the same.  So why should we stick with calling it cannabis?

On September 26, 2023, the Association of Cannabinoid Specialists hosted our quarterly virtual Student Education Series.  ACS was proud to welcome Suzanne Mulvehill of the Female Orgasm Research Institute and Jordan Tishler MD, President of ACS, as its two speakers on the topic of Cannabis for Sexual Health.

Recently the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) posted a study entitled "Prevalence of Cannabis Use Disorder and Reasons for Use Among Adults in a US State Where Recreational Cannabis Use Is Legal".  The study looks at cannabis use disorder (CUD), questions what the frequency of CUD is with medical use and nonmedical use, and takes into account whether the state has legal recreational cannabis access.

Jordan Tishler MD, president of ACS, released a response to JAMA, in which he questions the instruments of the study, as well as examines whether patients received medical care from their doctor or simply received a medical card.  Read the full response below:

In Part 1, “Who Needs a Professional Association for Cannabis Clinicians?”, I wrote about the importance of creating Association of Cannabinoid Specialists (ACS) when I realized there was a big gap in patient care information for clinicians.  I talked about my own background as Harvard faculty, my epiphany that patients were not presenting to my emergency room for cannabis use, and my own research journey which led to understanding the benefits of cannabis as a medicine as well as founding my own cannabinoid medicine practice, inhaleMD. 

ACS is a membership organization.  Our volunteers bring their cannabis expertise to ACS leadership and to the creation of our educational content.  Our main goal is to educate clinicians and cannabis policymakers to improve the patient outcomes, and encourage mainstream clinicians to consider cannabinoid medicine for their patients’ benefit.  

Welcome to ACS' member spotlight, where we shine the light on one of our members as they share their story and what led them to become a member of ACS. 

This month, we shine the spotlight on Frederick A. Slezak, MD, MBA, FACS, FASCRS, FACG.

Recently ACS was asked to provide a response to the request for information from Congress with regard to regulation of CBD and derivatives.  The full response is available below.