New York State Compassionate Care Act was passed by NYS Assembly in July 2014. NY State physicians started certifying patients for medical marijuana in January 2016. Research since 1960 has shown the CBD and THC from the marijuana plant have medicinal properties.
Medical Marijuana Referring Physician
Request an Appointment with Dr. Lynda Varlotta call 631-689-2846
General Medical Marijuana Information
Medical marijuana (or medical cannabis) refers to the use of marijuana as a physician-prescribed therapy to reduce the pain or discomfort associated with some medical conditions or to lessen the side effects of some traditional medical treatments. Medical marijuana is used for a variety of ailments and conditions, including:
- Easing nausea and vomiting.
- Stimulating appetite in chemotherapy and/or AIDS patients.
- Reducing eye pressure in glaucoma patients.
- Chronic pain management
- Treating gastrointestinal illnesses.
- Recent research has also suggested that some of the compounds in marijuana may have beneficial qualities for patients suffering from a variety of other conditions, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer’s disease, breast cancer, brain cancer, Lou Gehrig’s Disease, insomnia, and even asthma.
- Medicinal compounds in marijuana
- Cannabis contains almost 500 compounds, of which about 80 are used for medicine and science. Five of these compounds are used frequently in medicine:
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the chemical in marijuana that produces its psychoactive effects. This chemical has been proven to also be a mild pain reliever and sleep inducer, as well as an antioxidant.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the primary compounds extracted from medical marijuana. CBD has been proven to relieve convulsion, inflammation, anxiety, cough, congestion, and nausea, and it inhibits cancer cell growth. When shopping for CBD, it is important to know if your CBD is from whole plant or seed”.
Cannabinol (CBN) is thought to inhibit the spread of cancer cells.
Caryophyllene is used to reduce inflammation.
Cannabinol relieves intraocular pressure of the eye, so it’s used in the treatment of glaucoma.
Terpenes are the pungent oils that color cannabis varieties. Terpenes are used as an anxiolytic, sedative, anesthetic, analgesic, anticonvulsant, anti-inflammatory, muscle relaxant, hypnotic, & bronchodilator.
To learn more about Medical Marijuana visit HealthNY.gov and check out In Touch with Your Health’s additional links to learn more about Medical Marijuana.
Request an Appointment with Dr. Lynda Varlotta call 631-689-2846
