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28 cannabis patient care | vol. 3 no. 1 cannapatientcare.com research focus context of utilizing cannabinoid-based therapeutics to reduce opioid use. From his research, he has seen a pattern or "map" emerge when patients utilize cannabis to manage withdraw- al symptoms. He explained that as patients inhale the con- centrated tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), within a minute or so you can see the effects on the withdrawal symptoms. "This makes a big dent in what otherwise would trigger a relapse into using heroin or opioids because of the cannabis concen- trate's capacity to mitigate the withdrawal symptoms," he said. "However, the idea here is not to replace one substance with another and overly rely on a THC concentrate to mitigate withdrawal symptoms." He explained that the goal is instead to eventually reduce cannabis reliance and use, potentially with the help of addi- tional therapeutics and lifestyle changes. "Ultimately we want to find the internal resources that you need in order to deal with the stress or the pain, no matter if it was physical, men- tal, or emotional, that led you on the path of seeking the care of a strong opioid in the first place," he said. "The resolution of the underlying components of the maintaining cause is al- ways part and parcel of a patient reaching for not just treat- ment, but actually for a cure." Dr. Blesching describes the therapeutic cannabis experi- ence as an essential part of the mindfulness or mind-body medicine domain. "Number one, it will induce a deep sense of relaxation, not just in the body's physiology, but also in the mind. Secondly, it will produce a sense of homeostasis, or bal- ance," he explained. "That is true for every single organ sys- tem because cannabis functions systemically. It's not just one organ system that's affected by it, but it's all 11 of them. Next, the therapeutic cannabis experience will give you a gentle up- lift in your mood." Dr. Blesching likened this experience to other cognitive therapies such as yoga and tai chi, stating that cannabis can be a significant par t of the healing process. Additional- ly, cannabis can also give you a sense of flow. "Flow is a term that's been utilized a lot to describe when you are in the zone, which is especially impor tant when treating mood dis- orders because the therapeutic cannabis experience allows you to be in the presence of otherwise intolerable emotional experiences," he added. Creating Open Communication Between Doctors and Patients Despite the vast amounts of studies conducted, according to Dr. Blesching, depending on who you are talking to, research and data about cannabis as a treatment may or may not be immediately accepted. However, Dr. Blesching explained, though some doctors may be hesitant to recommend cannabis for a patient, the more patients bring their questions and anecdotes, the more a responsible doctor may be inclined to investigate the research. Considering that, he suggested that doctors "suspend the negative impact of the narrative on the on war of drugs long enough to let it be possible that you have at your fingertips a potential remedy that, given responsibly, can make a night and day difference in the very patient that you're dealing with." Dr. Blesching suggested that for doctors and patients to be in communication with each other about all treatment op- tions, it helps to be on the same page, literally. "You utilize the same book, utilize the same online research. If there's one study that you found that speaks to you, share that study with your physician. Or if the physician has a particular set of data that they may make their informed decisions on, share them with your patient," he said. He noted that resources like The Cannabis Health Index and CannaKeys are helpful as shared information sources in this regard. For patients who are hesitant to share their canna- bis use with their doctor for stigma reasons, Dr. Blesching en- couraged them to try to find a cannabis educated physician. "I wouldn't necessarily stop seeing the physician that you're seeing now, especially if they have other treatments for you that are working," he said. "But consider a supplement, add- ing a physician to your advisory board who is educated about cannabis and take his considerations into account in your de- cision-making process." Looking Forward To help rethink cannabis use and remove the stigma, Dr. Blesching's best advice to the medical community and public is to read the research. "There are literally tens of thousands of studies, including clinical trials that clearly indicate that cannabis can work for a great number of different patient populations. Let the data speak for itself and let the scientific method inform the decision process, rather than the biased and uninformed narrative from the war on drugs," he said. In looking toward the future to overcoming barriers to ac- cessing medical cannabis, he believes that ultimately the solu- tion is at the federal level. "I think the shift is coming. I think it's perhaps closer than we think," Dr. Blesching concluded. References (1) U. Blesching, The Cannabis Health Index: Combining the Science of Medical Marijuana with Mindfulness Techniques to Treat Over 200 Chronic Diseases (Logos Publishing, Berkeley, California, 2022). (2) https://cannakeys.com/.