A Humboldt doctor has been ordered to pay nearly $24,000 after prescribing cannabis to nearly 1,000 patients over six weeks in 2017 while working in Saskatoon.

Dr. Mishack Zwane admitted to charges of unprofessional conduct laid by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan. The college alleged Zwane did not comply with college bylaws around the prescription of cannabis nor did he appropriately bill the province’s medical plan for his assessments of patients.

An Ontario man wants to switch to medical cannabis from prescription opioids — he has been taking cannabis for pain management over the past two decades. But the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) will have nothing to do with it and has denied his application.

The man, known as Al, started consuming prescription opioids to manage pain caused by a serious workplace accident that left him disabled and in constant pain that refuses to go away even after eight surgeries.

Access and cost are two familiar pain points for medical cannabis clients. Even with a doctor’s authorization to use it, medical cannabis isn’t covered by many provincial drug benefit plans, disability benefits or private insurance, which can cost up to thousands of dollars per year. But come tax filing season, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) offers some reprieve: If you’re registered to buy medical cannabis from a licensed producer, you can claim the cost of your dried flower, oil, seeds or other products as a “medical expenses” credit on your annual income tax return.

A researcher at Dalhousie University in Halifax is looking at how cannabis use can affect brain function in young adults.

Dr. Philip Tibbo, a professor of psychiatry, is conducting the study with researchers at Western University in London, Ont. It involves 180 people in both provinces between 18-35 who use cannabis to varying degrees.

One group taking part in the study is affected by some form of psychosis, such as schizophrenia, while the other group is unaffected by an illness. 

Tibbo said daily cannabis use, or even in some cases occasional use, has been shown to negatively impact early gains made by people diagnosed with psychosis.

One recent survey reported that upwards of 66% of those who suffer from MS may use cannabis in their efforts to control the disease.   

Multiple sclerosis, also known as MS, is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS) — brain and spinal cord — by damaging the fatty myelin sheaths that surround our nerve cells. Those with multiple sclerosis may experience a wide array of symptoms, including a worsening lack of coordination, trouble walking or getting around, muscle spasms and pain, dizziness, and changes in mood or sleep. 

CBD can alleviate anxiety symptoms and help motivate users, suggesting a possible link to helping those with ADHD.

Dr Dani Gordon, double board-certified medical doctor speaks to Health Europa Quarterly about her journey in the medical cannabis industry and how it fits into integrative medicine.

A study of cannabis users found 82% of people partaking in exercise use cannabis before or after their workout, reporting it increases enjoyment, enhances recovery, and heightens motivation.

Is cannabis the new ‘runners high’? Eight out of 10 cannabis users (in states where it is legal) say they partake in the drug shortly before or after exercise. Most reported that it motivates them to work out, helps them enjoy exercise more and improves their recovery, according to University of Colorado Boulder research.

One thing is certain: The numbers are telling a very compelling story for following and perhaps investing in marijuana for years to come.

Researchers and financial analysts are forecasting unprecedented growth both in the United States and global markets; we’ve moved a long way from “reefer madness,” to legal dispensaries.

Many pundits and skeptics are asking how many more financial ceilings can marijuana break. The truth is, medical marijuana and CBD are forecasted to rise even more in the next ten years. How much more? Here are five remarkable numbers we found on marijuana’s staggering growth:

Cannabis is disrupting the way we look at medicines – but more people need to be educated about cannabis before it becomes commonly accepted as a medicine.

Patient access to medical cannabis prescriptions in the UK is not easy to obtain. Only a handful of patients are currently receiving cannabis through private prescriptions, and very few clinicians are actually able to contextualise the use of medical cannabis or CBD for their patients.