Cannabis is now legal for some medical purposes in the majority of states in the U.S. and millions of patients now take it on a daily basis for various health problems. The Therapeutic Order, from naturopathic practice, describes a clinical strategy which relies first on supporting the normal determinants of health and life, such as diet, activity, rest, and on quality or air, then on stimulating or supporting normal physiological processes with natural methods, or correcting physical lesions with bodywork or manipulation. Such methods may be curative, and may remove the cause of a condition. Lower on the therapeutic order is intervention with strong pharmacological agents; lower because these are never curative, and they produce side effects or distortions of normal physiological function.

The use of medical Cannabis may be necessary or desirable on a short or long term for some patients, but it is never curative for the conditions it is used to treat, and chronic daily use is associated with acute and chronic side effects, including increased tolerance, decreased effectiveness over time, and a withdrawal syndrome in habituated chronic users. Accumulating evidence indicates that subtle deficits in cognition and executive function are nearly universal in chronic users. Other side effects, such as the Cannabis emesis syndrome, or disruption of male or female reproductive function, are common in daily users yet are usually not recognized by practitioners as side effects. This presentation reviews some of the approved uses of medical Cannabis, with suggestions for alternative or supporting approaches. The presentation is based on a science review and results and statistics from a case series of 40 heavy daily Cannabis users.

Pharmaceuticals and pharmacology of botanicals covered include Cannabis, and Vitex agnus-castus.

In this presentation a panel of experts explores and review clinical rationale for use of CBD. Discussion includes the role of CBD relative to mood, sleep, energy, pain and daily performance. The innate CBD functions with the body and the significance and location of CBD receptors and what their presence teaches us as clinicians. Clinical cases are shared along with the potential role of HEMP derived bioactives as a whole plant extract as it relates to supporting healthful aging

This presentation covers the highly dynamic status of state and federal law as it relates to cannabis and naturopathic doctors as well as acupuncturists.

“Marijuana” is a federally controlled substance, listed on Schedule I of the federal Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”). As of April, 2017, marijuana has been descheduled entirely from the Oregon State Controlled Substances Act (cf. SB 302 and 303). Still, given the status of federal law and Supreme Court jurisprudence on the topic, federal law enforcement authorities retain the right to enforce the federal CSA even in states where cannabis is legal, such as Oregon.

The federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) issues licenses to physicians to prescribe controlled substances. These licenses do not include the authorization to prescribe Schedule I drugs. Still, courts have held that doctors are protected by the First Amendment free speech rights, which includes the right to discuss (but not prescribe) particular health care options with patients, including cannabis.

Cannabis is an ancient medicine, marginalized due its prohibition as a “narcotic”. Cannabinoids are now being embraced widely as a cancer medicine, with little to no human evidence of safety or efficacy.

This presentation clarifies the endocannabinoids we all possess, and how the cannabinoids from the cannabis plant interact with this innate regulatory system and its receptors. It outlines how medical marijuana is derived, and how it can be administered as edibles, by vaping, and as highly concentrated oil extracts by mouth or suppositories. The role of cannabis in symptom palliation will be explained, such as for nausea and in chemotherapy. The potential for tumour reduction, even cure, is also addressed, with case histories. The dark side of cannabis overdose, dependence, addiction, psychosis, tumour lysis syndrome and contraindications and drug interactions are also presented. Further resources in print, websites and published science are provided.