CannabisA safe alternative

Overview● Who we are

● What is cannabis?

● History of cannabis

● How it affects cancer symptoms - ECS

● How to get medical cannabis?

● Which countries are leading the way?

● Panel Q&A

● Resources for further educationDrawing by Dioscoredes

What is cannabis?● An ancient plant that existed before humans - over 27M years old

● Dioecious, male & female, annual that produces flowers

● Indigenous to Central and South Asia

● Original strains referred to as “landraces”

● A pharmacological wonder that produces over 420 compounds such

as over 100 cannabinoids and 200 terpenes!

● Robert Clarke wrote the seminal book, Marijuana Botany, and the

follow up, Cannabis: Evolution and Ethnobotany

In the wild - early summer

A female plant in early flower

A male plant in early flower

Your bud. . .the trichome

Zooming in for a close up

A mysterious and playful character

Long and short history of cannabis● Long used as a medicinal and recreational plant - earliest evidence

goes back 10,000 years● Pre-prohibition, commonly prescribed by physicians and apothecaries● Passing of the Marihuana Tax Act in 1937 started the era of

prohibition in the US.● Medical legislation passes in WA in 1998 - I-692. ● SB 5073 passes in 2011 and gets partial veto - new wave of medical

dispensaries● I-502 passes in 2012 making way for state licensed recreational

system that ultimately subsumes medical in 2016

How does cannabis affect your body?● Cannabis lead to the discovery of the . . .

ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM

● A biological communication system throughout the body that promotes balance or homeostasis.

● Made up of receptors CB1 in the brain and CB2 throughout the body

● Endogenous cannabinoids - anandamide and 2AG - our inner cannabis

● Enzymes that create and break down the endogenous cannabinoids

The Endocannabinoid System - ECS

● Discovered by Raphael Mechoulam and team - foundational work.

● THC discovered in 1964 - how does it work?

● The first receptor not found until the late 1980s.

● Complex regulatory system found throughout the body

● Area of immense medical importance and research is gaining speed

● If the body is a symphony, the ECS is the “conductor” - incredible!

Phytocannabinoids - medical cannabis

● Most abundant in the trichomes of flowering female plants

● Mimics our body’s endocannabinoids and works with the ECS

● THC and CBD are the most known but just the beginning

● Many other compounds including terpenes - the smells

● Incredibly potent and safe

● Ethan Russo’s work pioneered the “entourage effect”, the sum is greater than the parts and promotes a whole plant approach

Nature’s pharmacy

Phytocannabinoids - broadly therapeutic

Conditions that cannabis can address

● Inflammation● Chronic pain● Insomnia● Anxiety● Depression● Nausea & vomiting - appetite stimulation● Glaucoma● Epilepsy● Broadly therapeutic

Routes of administration

● Topically - relieve joint and muscle pain - no high

● Sublingual - faster acting than edibles and avoids smoke

● Ingesting - slower acting with a longer duration

● Smoking - fast acting, shorter duration, and easy to take small doses

● Vaporizing - fast acting, discreet, and easy to take small doses

● Raw - juicing - positive health benefits and requires fresh plants

Questions and Answers

● What’s the difference between THC and CBD

● What is the quality control of products?

● What should a patient look for when seeking out a store?

● What are dosing guidelines? Drug interactions?

● Why should a patient get a doctor’s authorization / recommendation?

● What is the process for of becoming a patient? What to expect?

● What products are good for various symptoms?

● More? All questions are welcome.

Dosing guidelines - where to start

● Decide how you want to take cannabis● Find your ratio● Begin with a low dose● Use the same dose and ratio over several days● Don’t overdo it● Be aware of possible side effects● Gradually add THC as is comfortable● 1:1 ratios are found to be the most broadly therapeutic● Know the labels - dose - low and slow● Find stores with knowledgeable a knowledgeable staff

Dockside Cannabis - What it’s like in our stores

Resources

● Project CBD - Martin Lee - www.projectcbd.org ● Cannabis Pharmacy - Michael Backes● Dr. Ethan Russo via Shaping Fire with Shango Los - shapingfire.com● Green Flower Media - www.learngreenflower.com● Michelle Sexton - N.D. and expert in cannabinoid pharmacology● Center for Cannabis and Social Policy (CASP)● Dr. Sunil Aggarwal - MD, PhD - www.cannabinologist.com ● The staff at Dockside Cannabis - www.docksidecannabis.com● Cannabis Nurses Network - www.cannabisnursesnetwork.com ● Marijuana Botany - Robert C. Clarke

Thank You!

Time for questions?

Resources

● Project CBD - Martin Lee - www.projectcbd.org ● Cannabis Pharmacy - Michael Backes● Dr. Ethan Russo via Shaping Fire with Shango Los - shapingfire.com● Green Flower Media - www.learngreenflower.com● Michelle Sexton - N.D. and expert in cannabinoid pharmacology● Center for Cannabis and Social Policy (CASP)● Dr. Sunil Aggarwal - MD, PhD - www.cannabinologist.com ● The staff at Dockside Cannabis - www.docksidecannabis.com● Cannabis Nurses Network - www.cannabisnursesnetwork.com ● Marijuana Botany - Robert C. Clarke

Israel - an example we could follow? (3 min)

Israel - an example we could follow? (2 min)