Medical Cannabis Guide
What is Medical Cannabis?
Medical cannabis (also called medical marijuana) is cannabis prescribed to relieve the symptoms of a medical condition.
The cannabis plant contains compounds called cannabinoids, and the two most researched cannabinoids are:
- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
- cannabidiol (CBD)
There’s a difference between medicinal and non-medicinal cannabis. Non-medicinal cannabis is the form that people use to get ‘high’. Depending on the patient and medical condition, a product containing only CBD, or CBD and THC, may be suitable for the intended clinical benefit.
In Australia, the most common medical cannabis prescriptions are for chronic pain, anxiety and sleep disorder. It is important to acknowledge that referring to cannabis as though it were one type of medicine is misleading as there are various forms that medicinal cannabis can take as well as a range of strengths and varieties.
Cannabis products that are legally acquired through a GP are highly regulated and adhere to strict pharmaceutical standards for safety and quality, unlike cannabis acquired through the black market.
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What is CBD Oil?
Simply speaking, CBD oil contains either CBD, or CBD & THC, to provide medicinal benefit. THC and CBD are the two most researched compounds in the naturally found cannabis plant.
THC
is typically the most abundant compound in the cannabis plant. THC has similar therapeutic benefits to CBD and can cause psychoactive effects in large enough quantities.
CBD
is non-intoxicating and less potent than THC with very low toxicity and medicinal benefits.
Importantly, CBD & THC products prescribed by a GP do not make you ‘high’ but can have medicinal benefits depending on the patient and condition.
How does cannabis work in the body?
The CBD and THC in Medical Cannabis oils interact with the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in your body.
The ECS is primarily responsible for maintaining homeostasis, a balance in internal environment and energy input and output in the body.
It has three major components:
- Cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2)
- Cannabinoids naturally produced in the body, known as Endocannabinoids (that’s right – you have cannabinoids naturally produced in your own body)
- Enzymes which break down the endocannabinoids
Because of the legal classification of cannabis over the last 30 years, as well as the ECS only being discovered in 1992, the research isn’t yet clear on the exact mechanisms by which medical cannabis interacts with the ECS system.
It is thought that it inhibits the enzyme responsible for breaking down the body’s naturally produced endocannabinoids [1], which influences many physiological processes, including [2]:
- Homeostasis (the state of balance in your body)
- Pain sensation
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Nervous functions
- Feeding behaviour/appetite
- Emotional behaviour
- Neurogenesis
- Neuroprotection
- Reward
- Cognition
- Learning and memory
- Pre-and post-natal development
How do you acquire medical cannabis medicines?
The only way to legally acquire CBD oil in Australia is through a GP.
Cannabis products that are legally acquired through a GP are highly regulated and adhere to strict pharmaceutical standards for safety and quality, unlike cannabis acquired through the black market.
If you are interested in learning more about CBD oil, and whether it might help with your condition, you can book a consult with a Easyking practitioner.
Easykind’s specialist doctors are experts in medical cannabis prescription, taking the stress and uncertainty out of plant-based medicines for every day Australians, just like you.
References
- Bisogno, T. et al., ‘Molecular targets for cannabidiol and its synthetic analogues: effect on vanilloid VR1 receptors and on the cellular uptake and enzymatic hydrolysis of anandamide’, British Journal of Pharmacology, 134/4 (2001), 845-852
- Lowe, H.; Toyang, N.; Steele, B.; Bryant, J.; Ngwa, W. The Endocannabinoid System: A Potential Target for the Treatment of Various Diseases. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22, 9472. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22179472
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More Resources
The TGA has a range of resources acting as guidance for patients, doctors and pharmacies
seeking information on the use and access of plant-based treatment.
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FAQs
We recognise that dealing with a chronic condition is hard enough, so why add price to the issues. Easykind (formerly Cannabate) is committed to making affordable medicines easily accessible to Australians, helping them focus on their health and wellbeing without added financial stress.
We don’t operate like a normal pharmaceutical company or clinic, because we’re not. We’re a small team, who put patients first. That’s our promise.
The most common uses for plant-based treatment in Australia are chronic pain, insomnia and mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. If you have a medical condition that has not responded well to traditional treatments, you may want to discuss plant-based treatment with our doctor.
A one month check-in is required by the TGA, but after this the frequency of consultations is determined by you and your doctor.
Costing of plant-based treatment plans can only be discussed with patients after they have received their script.
Where possible, we also collect your ‘Medical Health Summary*’, and any other relevant documentation which you can provide to evidence current medications, allergies and adverse reactions.
*Your one-page medical summary outlines your diagnosed medical condition and current prescriptions. You can access your shared health summary through 'My Health Record' in your MyGov account, or by simply calling your GP clinic.
We provide our consults via telehealth or phone, so you can access our services from the comfort of your own home. If a prescription is recommended, the medication will be delivered to your door within 2-5 business days, so you won't need to leave your home for any part of your plant-based treatment journey.
Our convenient and accessible service aims to make your experience as easy and stress-free as possible.