Medical Marijuana Specialist
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Living Waters Regenerative Medicine Center
Deborah D Viglione, MD
Integrative and Internal Medicine Physician & Anti-Aging & Regenerative Medicine located in Gulf Breeze, FL
If you’re a resident of Florida and have a condition that may improve with the use of medical marijuana, you could be entitled to a prescription. Deborah Viglione, MD, of Living Waters Regenerative Medicine Center, is an experienced integrative and internal medicine physician who prescribes medical marijuana to eligible patients when they would benefit from its use. To find out more, call the Gulf Breeze, Florida, office today.
Medical Marijuana Q & A
What is medical marijuana?
Medical marijuana is a medication extracted from the marijuana or cannabis plant. You can take medical marijuana as a pill or oil, or you can smoke it.
There’s growing evidence that medical marijuana is useful for treating a range of medical conditions and may be helpful for patients who don’t respond to more conventional therapies.
There are two FDA-approved medications that use synthetic versions of substances found in marijuana: dronabinol (Marinol, Syndros) and nabilone (Cesamet). These drugs are helpful for patients undergoing chemotherapy when other treatments don’t ease side effects like nausea and vomiting. Dronabinol is also approved for use in patients who have anorexia due to AIDS.
When can doctors prescribe medical marijuana?
Despite federal law maintaining the illegal status of marijuana, many states in the U.S. enacted their own regulations that allow medical professionals to prescribe marijuana.
Florida is one of those states. Under permitted use, Dr. Viglione can prescribe marijuana for patients who are state residents. Anyone receiving a prescription for medical marijuana must have a medical need that’s within the list of permitted conditions, which includes:
- PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
- ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s disease)
- Chronic non-malignant pain
- Anxiety
- Cancer
- HIV/AIDS
- Crohn's disease
- Parkinson's disease
- Epilepsy or seizures
- Glaucoma
- Multiple sclerosis
- Severe muscle spasms
- Side effects of cancer treatment
- Terminal illnesses
- Tourette syndrome
If you’re a resident of Florida and you have one of the conditions on the list, Dr. Viglione is happy to discuss with you whether medical marijuana is likely to help relieve your symptoms.
To receive medical marijuana, you must sign the written consent form Dr. Viglione gives you so she can enter your order into the Florida State Medical Marijuana Use Registry.
You must also apply for a Medical Marijuana Use Registry Identification Card. When you receive your card, you can collect your prescription from a state-approved medical marijuana dispensary.
Is medical marijuana safe?
Like any medication, there are certain risk factors to take into account before starting on a course of medical marijuana. These risk factors include:
- Possible addiction
- Breathing problems from smoking marijuana
- Dizziness
- Impaired concentration and memory
- Increased heart rate
- Increased risk of heart attack or stroke
- Emotional problems and mental illness
- Negative drug interactions
- Slower reaction times
- Withdrawal symptoms
There’s an increasing body of evidence to support the safety of using medical marijuana, but not enough to be sure of the extent of any negative effects.
To find out more about medical marijuana or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Viglione, call Living Waters Regenerative Medicine Center today.