27 min
#11 - Medical Cannabis, Drugs and Lifestyle Health with Pharmacist: Lexi O'Dea The Health Network Podcast
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- Health & Fitness
Dr. Marcus Matear talks to Lexi O’Dea, a pharmacist. In this episode, they discuss her expertise as a pharmacist, how the pandemic affected her field, and the benefits of medical cannabis in pain medication and lifestyle diseases.
[00:23] Introducing Lexi and How She Got into Pharmacy
[02:37] Community Pharmacy
[04:17] Common Mistakes in Taking Medication
[06:56] The Effect of the Pandemic
[09:27] How Pharmacists Integrated with other Health Professionals
[11:26] Changes in the Impact of Drug Companies
[12:36] What is Medical Cannabis?
[16:46] Medical Cannabis in Pain Medication
[19:02] Methods of Administering
[20:46] Approaches to Lifestyle Diseases
[24:52] Cardiovascular Diseases and Dental Health
Medical cannabis has been legalized in a few jurisdictions in Australia a few years ago and it allows patients to access prescription cannabis for therapeutic purposes. It is different from straight cannabis because the products have been processed in a way where you have a great deal of certainty around their content. Prescribing is not easy in Australia compared to the US and Canada, which has their own medical framework since 2016. Through this, patients can access cannabis products on prescription from their doctor. However, there’s still some regulatory red tape and doctors need to seek permission from the Therapeutic Goods Administration to provide prescriptions, on top of state health approvals. There are two main components: THC and CBD. CBD has effects such as anti-inflammatory, anti-convulsive, and may have an effect at reducing anxiety.
The most common format of medicinal cannabis is an oil for oral use through a syringe. Patients can either swallow it or put it under the tongue before swallowing. The oils have a gradual onset and a longer duration of effect and start to work between 30 minutes to two hours which lasts for 6-8 hours. There are also flowers which are cannabis buds in a jar and vapor is produced through a vaporizer, grinding device, and scales. It is gently heated until it starts to produce vapor which is then inhaled. The benefit of inhaling cannabis is that it has a rapid onset and can start to work within 30 seconds and a shorter duration of action. This is beneficial for acute symptoms like breakthrough pain or insomnia where you need something to work quickly. The fact that it’s vaporized is important because smoking combustion can be harmful and produce a lot of harmful by-products into the lungs similar with nicotine in cigarettes. Whereas through a vaporizer, it’s a lower heat and it doesn’t burn the product but only gently heats it until vapor begins to form.
Don’t forget to follow the Health Network Podcast on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates. If you liked this episode, do leave us a review and share it with your friends!
Dr. Marcus Matear talks to Lexi O’Dea, a pharmacist. In this episode, they discuss her expertise as a pharmacist, how the pandemic affected her field, and the benefits of medical cannabis in pain medication and lifestyle diseases.
[00:23] Introducing Lexi and How She Got into Pharmacy
[02:37] Community Pharmacy
[04:17] Common Mistakes in Taking Medication
[06:56] The Effect of the Pandemic
[09:27] How Pharmacists Integrated with other Health Professionals
[11:26] Changes in the Impact of Drug Companies
[12:36] What is Medical Cannabis?
[16:46] Medical Cannabis in Pain Medication
[19:02] Methods of Administering
[20:46] Approaches to Lifestyle Diseases
[24:52] Cardiovascular Diseases and Dental Health
Medical cannabis has been legalized in a few jurisdictions in Australia a few years ago and it allows patients to access prescription cannabis for therapeutic purposes. It is different from straight cannabis because the products have been processed in a way where you have a great deal of certainty around their content. Prescribing is not easy in Australia compared to the US and Canada, which has their own medical framework since 2016. Through this, patients can access cannabis products on prescription from their doctor. However, there’s still some regulatory red tape and doctors need to seek permission from the Therapeutic Goods Administration to provide prescriptions, on top of state health approvals. There are two main components: THC and CBD. CBD has effects such as anti-inflammatory, anti-convulsive, and may have an effect at reducing anxiety.
The most common format of medicinal cannabis is an oil for oral use through a syringe. Patients can either swallow it or put it under the tongue before swallowing. The oils have a gradual onset and a longer duration of effect and start to work between 30 minutes to two hours which lasts for 6-8 hours. There are also flowers which are cannabis buds in a jar and vapor is produced through a vaporizer, grinding device, and scales. It is gently heated until it starts to produce vapor which is then inhaled. The benefit of inhaling cannabis is that it has a rapid onset and can start to work within 30 seconds and a shorter duration of action. This is beneficial for acute symptoms like breakthrough pain or insomnia where you need something to work quickly. The fact that it’s vaporized is important because smoking combustion can be harmful and produce a lot of harmful by-products into the lungs similar with nicotine in cigarettes. Whereas through a vaporizer, it’s a lower heat and it doesn’t burn the product but only gently heats it until vapor begins to form.
Don’t forget to follow the Health Network Podcast on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates. If you liked this episode, do leave us a review and share it with your friends!
27 min