Today was a little different than usual. Yes, I got up early, exercised, drank a lot of coffee and went to work, but I also went to a half day conference on Marijuana in the afternoon.

Now, Mary Jane, pot, mellow yellow and all the other names it goes by is currently a huge topic on Facebook and in politics. 

I have people asking me every day what my thoughts are and most people are genuinely curious, not knowing what to believe themselves.

To those people, I tell them what we know, which truly isn’t a lot. 

There is a handful of good studies out there and they know some of the pathways via which the different parts are thought to work. We know some people find it effective while others can’t tolerate it or don’t feel any improvement. 

But that isn’t what people are seeing and hearing around them right now.

They’re seeing reports about how it cures everything from cancer to dandruff and it’s all ‘natural’. 

It’s the new vitamin D and advertisers are out in full force for different medical companies. 

I’m sure when and if it becomes legalized the number of producers will explode. Today I heard that there are over 500 ready and waiting for approval and my jaw hit the floor. 

Five hundred people who are ready to provide a product that isn’t even legal yet. 

Business and ethics aside, that’s a lot of very brave people!

The last talk of the conference was wonderful. The speaker was witty and wise, very accomplished and uses cbd oil mainly for treating chronic pain. 

While the evidence is still spotty, it does appear to be at least as effective as narcotics, which are not nearly as effective as they’ve been made out to be. 

In fact, I was surprised to hear that narcotics can actually decrease pain tolerance, which I found shocking.

They also do not recommend treating anyone with addictions, anxiety or depression with it, particularly not with thc alone. And not in people under age 25, as it works on neural pathways and cause the developing brain to lose some of its functioning, permanently. 

And oh yeah, apparently it can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke in the hour following inhaling it. That was a huge surprise!

I came away from the lectures with mixed emotions. 

On one hand, I feel more likely to use it for pain, but even less likely to recommend it for anything else. 

I’m so curious to see what happens in terms of science and evidence 

if and when Canada chooses to legalize it. 

Only then will we truly know the full effects of long term use for specific indications.  

It’s a brave new world, Mary Jane.