The Clinical Cannabis Initiative

The Clinical Cannabis Initiative

We are surrounded by information about cannabis and cannabinoid products from anecdotes and studies without nearly enough time to sort through it all. Thankfully, The Board of Medicine is here to help! The Board of Medicine is a group of expert physician specialists, scientists, and subject matter experts who have evaluated all of the available peer-reviewed data to date on cannabinoids (such as CBD and THC) for medical purposes. We have compiled this knowledge into one of the first comprehensive evidence-based peer-reviewed clinical guidelines for the safe use of medical cannabis and cannabinoid products. The first of this series of manuscripts was published in 2023 describing the evidence-based treatment guidelines for minimizing harm when managing opioid dependence and chronic pain using cannabinoids entitled: An answered call for aid? Cannabinoid clinical framework for the opioid epidemic in Harm Reduction Journal.

Our Clinical Cannabis Initiative also provides peer-reviewed evidence-based guidelines, trainings, and certifications for the safest and highest quality cannabis products, cultivators, processors, dispensaries, and care providers.

These updated standardized guidelines are essential in public health. Not only has the importance of the endocannabinoid system been well recognized by the scientific community, but it may help to explain a number of chronic illnesses, such as chronic intractable pain, that are notoriously difficult to treat. In a 2018 JAMA article reviewed by Dr. Peter Grinspoon MD for Harvard Medical School, a longitudinal analysis of the number of opioid prescriptions filled under Medicare Part D, showed that when medical marijuana laws went into effect in a given state, opioid prescriptions fell by 2.21 million daily doses filled per year from an average of over 23 million daily doses per year. When medical marijuana dispensaries opened, prescriptions for opioids fell by 3.74 million daily doses per year. The reductions in opioid prescribing were particularly notable for hydrocodone (Vicodin) and morphine prescriptions, but these reductions also extended to benzodiazepines, stimulants, and many mental health medications that are known to be over-prescribed.

All of this being said, the use of cannabis and cannabinoid products is not without risk. Interestingly, most of the side effects from using cannabinoid products appear to arise from contaminated products, mislabeled products, and people not knowing what products are appropriate for their needs, or how to dose them correctly. With a focus on harm-reduction, The Board of Medicine has made it a priority to provide evidence-based guidelines, trainings, and certifications for the production and use of cannabinoids and other safe plant medicine products to minimize potential risks and maximize potential benefits.