Blog Archive

Ketamine Continues to Make Headlines as Treatment for Depression Jun 1st, 2021

A recent opinion piece in the New York Times recounts the story of Zoe Boyer, a patient who received ketamine infusions that greatly helped with her debilitating depression. While the previous reputation of ketamine is as a "party" drug, it was originally developed for anesthetic purposes and, when properly used,...

Terpene of the Week: Terpinolene Mar 23rd, 2021

Terpinolene has a floral aroma and can be found in apples, lilacs, and nutmeg; it is commonly used in soaps and perfumes and is known to be sedating. It also has antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer properties.

Terpene of the Week: Sabinene Mar 16th, 2021

Sabinene has aromas of pine, orange, and spice. Sabinene occurs in many plants, including spruce, black pepper, and basil. Sabinene may have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Terpene of the Week: Pulegone Mar 8th, 2021

Pulegone is one of the lesser terpenes in cannabis. It has a peppermint aroma and can be found in rosemary. Pulegone has sedative and fever-reducing properties and may help with memory.

Terpene of the Week: Phellandrene Mar 2nd, 2021

Phellandrene has a peppermint like aroma and can be found in eucalyptus as well as a number of herbs and spices, including cinnamon, garlic, dill, ginger, and parsley. Phellandrene is also used as a food flavoring and in perfumes. It can be used to treat digestive disorders and has antifungal...

Terpene of the Week: Ocimene Feb 23rd, 2021

Ocimene can be found in mint, parsley, basil, and orchids and has a sweet aroma. Potential therapeutic benefits of ocimene include antiviral, antifungal, antiseptic, decongestant, and antibacterial properties; thus, it is a good terpene to use if you are sick.

Terpene of the Week: Myrcene Feb 16th, 2021

Myrcene can be found in mangos, lemongrass, and hops, as well as cannabis. Its aroma has been described as earthy, fruity, and clove like. The main properties of myrcene are sedation and muscle relaxation. It also has anti-inflammatory properties.

Terpene of the Week: Linalool Feb 9th, 2021

Linalool is found in lavender and therefore has a lavender like scent. It can also be found in birch and other plants. It can cause sedation and thus is thought to be good for stress. Linalool also has analgesic and anticonvulsant properties.

Terpene of the Week: Limonene Feb 2nd, 2021

Limonene is common in citrus fruits and thus gives off a citrus scent. It can also be found in peppermint and rosemary, as well as cannabis. Limonene has a variety of effects on the body, including fighting cancer, acting as an antidepressant or antianxiety agent, has antibacterial properties, and may...

Terpene of the Week: Humulene Jan 26th, 2021

Humulene is found in hops as well as cannabis and is responsible for the aroma and taste of hoppy beers. The scent has been described as earthy, woody, spicy, and herbal. It has antitumor and anti-inflammatory properties and can also suppress appetite.

Terpene of the Week: Camphene Jan 19th, 2021

Camphene has a woodsy, musky, and pungent odor. It occurs naturally in many places, including rosemary, fir, lavender, sage, nutmeg, and ginger. It can be found in several essential oils such as turpentine, camphor oil, citronella oil, and ginger oil. Camphene is used as a flavoring for foods,in fragrances, and...

Terpene of the Week: Beta-Caryophyllene Jan 12th, 2021

Beta-caryophyllene is found in black pepper and has a peppery scent. It is also found in oregano, cloves, and green leafy vegetables. Betacaryophyllene is cannabinoidlike because it has a strong affinity for the CB2 receptors. Beta-caryophyllene is anti-inflammatory and may also help with nerve pain and protect the stomach.

Terpene of the Week- Alpha-Pinene Jan 4th, 2021

Alpha-Pinene is the most common terpene found in nature. It is found in pine trees and gives a pinelike scent to some strains of cannabis. It is also found in other plants such as rosemary and basil. It has been used as a bronchodilator to treat asthma, has antibacterial properties,...

Sickle Cell Patients Find Pain Relief in Medical Cannabis Sep 15th, 2020

Those with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) may have found a new method of pain relief in medical marijuana. A study of 50 patients with sickle cell disease at the Adult Sickle Cell Program at Yale New Haven Hospital found that "patients with medical marijuana showed a reduction in median six-month...

CBD Oil and Exercise: Relief and Relaxation Jul 28th, 2020

Not only is CBD Oil a great solution to exercise-related joint issues and inflammation, but it can help calm the sometimes pesky anxiety that comes with exercise (like pre-race jitters). Colleen Travers of Spartan asked me about use of CBD in her article, which features  three things you need to...

Telehealth: The Advantages of Telemedicine May 26th, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered dramatic changes throughout everyday life — and in the medical community as well. Not only are providers across the country postponing elective procedures, but many are also encouraging people to avoid in-office appointments to reduce their risk of exposure to this highly contagious coronavirus. But...

The Budtender Will See You Now Dec 7th, 2019

I was very happy to help with this excellent piece in Politico called "The Budtender Will See You Now."  Journalist Rachel Roubein points out the complexity of getting recommendations regarding exactly what to take when it comes to medical cannabis.  For the 33 states and the District of Columbia that...

CBG Aug 28th, 2019

Please to be featured in an article on Real Simple regarding CBG.  Just like CBD, CBG is a cannabinoid found in both marijuana and hemp that has non-psychoactive properties: it won't make you "high" and won't make you sleepy.  CBG is usually in very low amounts of the plants, making it one...

CBD Can Be Useful, But Be Careful Where You Purchase Mar 11th, 2019

CBD is becoming a popular treatment for a variety of different conditions.   Marijuana can be used to treat a variety of health conditions.  The marijuana plant has over 100 ingredients in it that can have some health benefits.  Two of the main ingredients are CBD and THC.  THC is the...

Medical Marijuana Lowers Opioid Prescriptions. Jul 24th, 2018

A recent article from Forbes reports on a study that showed a 30% lower rate of prescriptions for opioids in states where medical marijuana is legal. This is consistent findings with other studies that looked at this issue.  Another recent study published in JAMA Internal Medicine showed around a 20% decrease in daily doses...

Learning About Medical Cannabis Can Be Hard- Even for Doctors Jul 16th, 2018

Learning about medical cannabis can be challening for patients.  It's even harder for physicians, who traditionally rely on medical studies and sources that often can not be accessed by the public.  However, because there is limited data on medical marijuana due to its current legal status and lack of funding...