Medical Marijuana: Dr. Kogan's Evidence-Based Guide to the Health Benefits of Cannabis and CBD

An essential guide to understanding the health benefits of marijuana and CBD

Marijuana has been used for thousands of years as a medicine, but pot has been illegal in the United States for most of our lives. Almost all states have now legalized its medical use, and many consumers and physicians are exploring it as an alternative to conventional treatments. There’s substantial evidence that marijuana (cannabis) is a safe and effective treatment for chronic pain, chemo side effects, sleep and mood disorders, MS, and Parkinson’s disease, among others. But there’s also misinformation about marijuana on social media. And most physicians have limited knowledge on the subject, while dispensary staff (aka “budtenders”) lack medical training.
 
Mikhail Kogan, MD, a renowned expert on medical marijuana, has found that cannabinoids (THC, CBD, hemp, and other cannabis products) can often be more beneficial, have fewer side effects, and be safer than many conventional medications, including opioids and other painkillers. But different ailments require different strains, doses, and routes of delivery. Medical Marijuana demystifies marijuana and other forms of cannabis in a user-friendly guide that will help readers:
 

   • Understand how marijuana morphed from the days of “Reefer Madness” to being hailed as a wonder weed
   • Navigate the complex medical and legal world of marijuana
   • Understand the risks and benefits of THC, CBD, and other cannabis products
   • Evaluate the pros and cons of inhaled and other routes of delivery: edibles, topicals, and even suppositories
   • Find a doctor who can recommend medical cannabis
   • Choose a reliable dispensary
   • Learn how to evaluate labels on cannabis products
   • Discover cost-saving strategies since medical marijuana isn’t covered by health insurance 
With real-life patients’ stories woven throughout the book, simple explanatory graphics, and the most up-to-date information, this is the definitive guide to the wide-ranging benefits of medical marijuana and other forms of cannabis.

Mikhail Kogan, MD, is the medical director of the George Washington University Center for Integrative Medicine and Associate Professor of Medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine. Dr. Kogan has recommended medical marijuana to thousands of patients and is a frequent lecturer on medical cannabis to professional audiences across the nation.

Joan Liebmann-Smith, PhD, is a medical sociologist and an award-wining medical writer who specializes in health promotion and substance abuse prevention. She is the author of five medical self-help books, including Body Signs, which has been translated into twenty-eight languages.