Medical Marijuana Usage In Seniors (Part 1) -
A Summary Of Our eBook
Recently released on Amazon and available on Kindle at no charge, our
medically-reviewed eBook titled "Understanding The State Of Marijuana
Usage In Seniors" continues to receive accolades from both medical
professionals and caregivers.
Co-authored by Cindy Rogers, Cathy Garland, and MaryWells Smith,
MSN, FNP-C, the eBook is written for seniors and caregivers of seniors
to facilitate discussion with medical oversight, this eBook covers the
barriers preventing seniors from discussing marijuana usage with
medical oversight, a comprehensive summary of marijuana, its derivatives,
and uses in the senior population.
It is written in five sections for readability and shareability.
Part One: The Marijuana Trend & Its Barriers
This section covers the usage trend as well as the barriers to discussions with medical oversight.
No matter where one falls on the debate, everyone agrees on this: It’s important to consult a medical professional about how much, when, and how often to use marijuana/cannabis. However, this may be harder than it sounds.
According to a recent study referenced in the eBook, there are five key barriers preventing seniors from using marijuana with a doctor’s oversight.
These are:
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A lack of research and education about cannabis
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A lack of health provider communication about cannabis
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A lack of access to medical cannabis
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A lack of outcome information about cannabis use
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A reluctance to discuss cannabis use
Conclusions For Caregivers & Medical Professionals:
The removal of these barriers will take time and training. The authors of the University of Colorado study suggests increasing studies on cannabis as a medical treatment, risks, benefits, and challenges of marijuana use in older adults, medication interactions, and more. Once that research has been completed the evidence can be brought to practice and health care providers will be more comfortable having discussions about medical cannabis.
In the meantime, patients considering using marijuana in any form should be clear that there are no reasons to avoid talking with medical care providers about marijuana use—in the past, present, or future. There are also no legal ramifications since a patient’s health record is confidential and providers have no legal obligations to report illegal activity unless a patient has expressed real and imminent intention to cause substantial harm to themselves or others.
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Published April 2020
