Qualifying Conditions
for Medical Marijuana
ANXIETY DISORDERS
Anxiety comes in many different forms including social, phobic, generalized and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Symptoms for each anxiety disorder differ but usually include: apprehensive thoughts, worry about future events, difficulty concentrating, feeling on edge, trembling, inability to relax, tension headaches, restless fidgeting, lightheadedness, tachypnea, tachycardia, sweating, dizziness and/or dry mouth. Anxiety is the most common mental disorder and affects over 40 million adults (>18%) of the population every year.
TREATMENT FOR ANXIETY DISORDERS
Medical treatment for anxiety, when effective, can help control the mental and physical symptoms, but can come with side effects such as weight gain, drowsiness, nausea, sexual dysfunction and some can even be addictive. Withdrawal symptoms can occur when some of these medications are stopped.
Medical marijuana can help control anxiety disorder symptoms without any of the typical side effects from medication.
The endocannabinoid system in the brain is involved with behavioral and emotional reactions and plays a key role in anxiety disorders. Deficiencies in the natural endocannabinoids also increase the risk for the development of PTSD and depression.
CBD can cause an improvement in up to 79% of anxiety symptoms and medical marijuana in general has been shown to decrease up to 75% of fear in people with PTSD.
To properly treat anxiety disorders, it is important to use a medical marijuana strain that has a CBD > THC ratio. This can easily be obtained at any dispensary.
CHRONIC PAIN
Contrary to acute pain which warns us of disease or injury, chronic or persistent pain serves no purpose since it persists past normal tissue healing. Every year 10% of the population are newly diagnosed with chronic pain making it one of the top contributors to years lived with disability. It is also one of the leading conditions for which medical marijuana is used.
TREATMENT FOR CHRONIC PAIN
Mild chronic pain is usually treated with over the counter medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and/or acetaminophen. More severe chronic pain is often treated with opiates. But although effective, they are highly addictive and have many side effects including decreasing effectiveness requiring higher and higher doses, increased risk of heart disease, overdose risk and liver damage. This is why medical marijuana is offered as an alternative. Not only is it effective, but it is also far safer for chronic pain than opiates.
The endocannabinoid system plays a direct role in the regulation of pain. At the site of injury, endocannabinoids decrease the sensitizers and activators from the injured tissue which decreases pain.
Current evidence for medical marijuana decreasing chronic pain is strong with the summaries of many scientific studies concluding that “use of marijuana for chronic pain, neuropathic pain ... is supported by high-quality evidence”.
Indica strains are generally recommended for the management of pain because of their high CBD content, which decreases inflammation and inflammatory related pain. They also help in promoting sleep.
Complete List of
Qualifying Conditions
Permitted in PA
Anxiety Disorders
Crohn's Disease
Intractable Spasticity
Multiple Sclerosis
Dyskinetic & Spastic Movement Disorders
Huntington's Disease
Chronic Pain
Epilepsy
Intractable Seizures
Terminal Illness
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Parkinson's Disease
Cancer
Autism
Glaucoma
Sickle Cell Anemia
Neurodegenerative Diseases
Opioid Use Disorder
Ulcerative Colitis
HIV/AIDS
Neuropathies
Tourette Syndrome
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)