Medical Marijuana

Are you experiencing consistent pain, migraines, or coping with troublesome symptoms from a chronic condition? Medical marijuana may be a helpful solution for you. Will Lambert, PMHNP, FNP, and the expert providers at Optimus Health and Wellness offer supportive medical marijuana treatments for adults. In-person and telehealth appointments are available in The Woodlands, Texas, and telehealth care is available to patients in Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Florida, Vermont, Maine, and Maryland. If you’re looking to relieve symptoms that interfere with your daily life, call the friendly staff today or book an appointment online.

What is medical marijuana?

Medical marijuana utilizes the cannabis plant to treat various symptoms. The plant contains more than 100 different chemicals — the best known are delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). THC is the main ingredient that makes you feel "high."

Medical marijuana is legal in 38 states, including locations where Optimus Health and Wellness offers care: Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Florida, Vermont, Maine, and Maryland. 

Texas’s Compassionate Use Program (CUP) allows certain physicians to prescribe low-THC cannabis for medical purposes. 

Medical marijuana products remain illegal under federal law.

What can medical marijuana treat?

Medical marijuana can treat conditions and symptoms such as: 

• Chronic pain
• Migraines
• Nausea and vomiting due to cancer treatment
• Epilepsy and seizures
• Multiple sclerosis 
• Alzheimer's disease
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
• HIV/AIDS
• Glaucoma
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Crohn's disease
• Anorexia
• Extreme weight loss and weakness (wasting syndrome)

Medical marijuana qualifying conditions vary by state law — you can discuss this with your provider. 

What are medical marijuana side effects?

Short-term side effects may include:

• Euphoria 
• Increased heart rate
• Panic attacks
• Dry mouth
• Confusion and disorientation 
• Dizziness
• Sleepiness 
• Impaired thinking and memory
• Slower reaction times
• Increased appetite
• Hallucinations (only at high doses) 
• Harmful interactions with other drugs

Potential marijuana long-term effects include:

• Adverse effects on attention, learning, and memory — for teens with high usage
• Harms linked to smoking
• An increased risk of schizophrenia (for those already at risk)
• Frequent, severe vomiting — for longtime users of high-dose THC
• Addiction 

You shouldn’t use marijuana if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, have heart disease, or if you have a history of psychosis. 

How do I use medical marijuana? 

Your Optimus Health and Wellness provider first assesses your condition and symptoms. If they determine that marijuana is an appropriate treatment and your condition qualifies in your state, they can provide you with a written recommendation.

Your state may require you to get a medical marijuana ID card — which you can use to buy marijuana at a dispensary. 

With medical marijuana, you can:

• Smoke it
• Vape it 
• Eat it (a soft candy or brownie)
• Take it as a pill
• Apply it to your skin using a lotion, oil, or cream
• Place drops of a liquid under your tongue
• Insert a suppository 

Your provider discusses the pros and cons of various methods with you.

To learn more about medical marijuana, call Optimus Health and Wellness today or schedule a consultation online.