Cannabis and women's health, with Dr. Melanie Bone

02/03/22 • 37 min

By now, we’ve all heard of the concept of using cannabis to treat ailments like cancer, ALS, Parkinson’s, seizures, HIV, AIDS, Crohn’s, and terminal illnesses, but fortunately, those aren’t necessarily what physicians are most commonly confronted with. What then, can be done about things like anxiety, pain, insomnia, fibromyalgia, endometriosis, and other women’s health issues?

Today we are joined by Dr. Melanie Bone, a physician in Florida practicing cannabis-based medicine. Dr. Bone has an impressive medical background from working as an OBGYN and delivering thousands (literally thousands!) of babies, to doing robotic surgery, and now, helping geriatric patients navigate cannabis medicine. In this episode, we hone in on one particular sphere of interest, and that is the way that Dr. Bone has integrated her OBGYN expertise with her medicinal cannabis practice. We hear about how her son’s run-in with cannabis set her forth on her research and ignited her passion, and how Dr. Bone integrates cannabis to alleviate women’s health issues. She lists the various women’s health issues that can be treated with cannabis, from debilitating menstrual cramps to sexual function, and breaks down the endocannabinoid system and the effects of vaginal suppositories. We find out how women and other estrogen-predominant people react differently to cannabis than men and those with more testosterone, and why microdosing is far more effective for the former. As it turns out, edibles also affect women differently, and Dr. Bone explains the ‘start low and go slow’ method that they should be approached with.

We move on to dissect Florida's current cannabis market and prescribing model, speculating on the dangers of over-regulation going forward. Dr. Bone fills us in on why she doesn’t believe the THC limit model to be of much use, and why she is such a fan of ratio products! Tune in for this informative episode on cannabis and women’s health, straight from the source of someone who truly has seen it all!

Key points from this episode:

The cannabis laws in Florida, where Dr. Melanie Bone is based.
Dr. Bone’s medical background and how she came to merge cannabis with her OBGYN expertise.
The science behind why women react differently to cannabis than men, taking the trans population into consideration.
How Dr. Bone integrates cannabis to help with women’s health.
The various women’s health issues that can be treated with cannabis!
Dr. Bone breaks down the endocannabinoid system and the effects of vaginal suppositories.
Why Dr. Bone takes the “start low and go slow” approach to treatment.
The effectiveness of microdosing for women, and the symptoms it can resolve.
Why women respond differently to edibles than men and how they should approach them.
Dr. Bone dissects Florida's current cannabis market and prescribing model.
The government's concerns about diversion in terms of cannabis recreational legalization.
The dangers of over-regulation.
The medicinal benefits of CBD to THC ratio products.
Heather Despres briefly joins us to discuss the work Americans for Safe Access is doing to advance cannabis therapeutics for use and research.

Links mentioned in today’s episode:

Cannigma
Dr. Melanie Bone
Dr. Melanie Bone on LinkedIn
Dr. Melanie Bone on Twitter
Dr. Melanie Bone on Instagram
Parallel

Key points from this episode:

The cannabis laws in Florida, where Dr. Melanie Bone is based.
Dr. Bone’s medical background and how she came to merge cannabis with her OBGYN expertise.
The science behind why women react differently to cannabis than men, taking the trans population into consideration.
How Dr. Bone integrates cannabis to help with women’s health.
The various women’s health issues that can be treated with cannabis!
Dr. Bone breaks down the endocannabinoid system and the effects of vaginal suppositories.
Why Dr. Bone takes the “start low and go slow” approach to treatment.
The effectiveness of microdosing for women, and the symptoms it can resolve.
Why women respond differently to edibles than men and how they should approach them.
Dr. Bone dissects Florida's current cannabis market and prescribing model.
The government's concerns about diversion in terms of cannabis recreational legalization.
The dangers of over-regulation.
The medicinal benefits of CBD to THC ratio products.
Heather Despres briefly joins us to discuss the work Americans for Safe Access is doing to advance cannabis therapeutics for use and research.

Links mentioned in today’s episode:

Cannigma
Dr. Melanie Bone
Dr. Melanie Bone on LinkedIn
Dr. Melanie Bone on Twitter
Dr. Melanie Bone on Instagram
Parallel

Previous Episode

Cannabis and traumatic brain injury, with Nikki Lawley

The decades-long War on Drugs campaign in America has been incredibly successful at spreading harmful rhetoric and shaping people’s perception of cannabis use. The resulting prejudice can often discourage folks from seeking out medical cannabis as an option, and can even affect state legislature, forcing patients to overcome unnecessary and prohibitive obstacles in order to receive the treatment they need.

Today on the show we welcome Nikki Lawley, a Traumatic Brain Injury Survivor, and founder of NIKKI and the Plant, an advocacy group for medical marijuana use, with a special focus on helping women who have suffered a TBI. We talk with Nikki about her life-altering TBI, her previous prejudices around cannabis use, and how her journey led her to the founding of NIKKI and the Plant. After being prescribed over 60 medications and seeing dozens of healthcare professionals, Nikki finally found relief and a reason to be optimistic when she tried medical cannabis. In our conversation, Nikki shares how difficult it was transitioning from her role as a nurse, and health care provider, to being a patient. She explains how the state legislature in New York prevented her from accessing the medication she needed, as well as how difficult it was navigating the world of medical cannabis and finding a product that reliably worked for her.

We delve into Nikki’s advocacy work, her approach to addressing people’s prejudices, and why she is dedicated to changing the narrative around medical cannabis use. Nikki’s story is deeply inspirational, and we are honored to have had her on the show. It’s an imported reminder of the real-world impact that medical marijuana and advocacy can have on the lives of everyday individuals!

Key points from this episode:

An introduction to cannabis use for traumatic brain injuries (TBI).
Some of the early evidence on the positive effects that cannabis could have for TBIs.
An introduction to Nikki, how she received a TBI, and her difficult journey from nurse to patient.
How Nikki found medical cannabis and how it transformed her recovery.
Nikki’s previous opinion of cannabis and how her worldview was shaped by the "War on Drugs" rhetoric.
Nikki’s first dispensary experience and why the initial results were so frustrating.
Why Nikki’s unique digestive system affects her ability to absorb fat-soluble products effectively.
Why this hampered the efficacy of the cannabinoid products she was using at the time.
How Nikki’s friends in Canada, and her support network, helped her persevere in her journey with medical cannabis.
The founding of NIKKI and the plant as an advocacy and awareness initiative.
How their mission focuses on helping women with TBIs.
Why Nikki remains motivated in helping and empowering patients to institute change in the medical industry.
How Nikki approaches naysayers and people’s prejudice against cannabis use.
The Americans for Safe Access segment: the compliance, certification, and training side of ASA’s offerings to the industry.

Links mentioned in today’s episode:

NIKKI and the plantNikki Lawley on LinkedInNikki Lawley on InstagramNikki Lawley on FacebookHeather Despres on LinkedInCannigma

Next Episode

Minorities in cannabis, with Steven Philpott Jr.

In light of Black History Month, we feel it is important and relevant to talk about how minorities in the United States and around the world have been disproportionately affected by drug policy and the war on drugs. Part of our conversation today centers on how we can break down barriers and find ways to build cannabis companies that are minority-owned and uplift them.

Joining us for this discussion is Steven Philpott Jr., one of our science reviewers at The Cannigma and a cannabis trichome expert who is getting his master's in Plant Sciences. Steve is also one of the co-founders of the Illinois Minority Growers Association and is heavily involved in social equity and minority issues within the cannabis space.

As part of his master’s degree, Steve is currently using electron microscopes to take super close-up pictures of trichomes, tiny protrusions on cannabis plants. Tuning in, you’ll hear more about what these trichomes are and why they’re important. Steve sheds light on his experience in the military and how losing friends to opioid use led him to become interested in cannabis. We also discuss the disparity between what is taught at medical school and what science actually shows us.

To hear more about Steven’s research, what he hopes it will lead to, his predictions for the future of cannabis, how he is helping those most harmed by the war on drugs, and how you can help too, tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

Some background into how minorities have been disproportionately affected by drug policy and the war on drugs.

The upcoming webinar that showcases Black-owned and social equity-focused brands.
An introduction to Steven Philpott Jr and his involvement in social equity and minority issues within the cannabis space.
Insight into the catalog of trichomes that Steven is currently working on.
What trichomes are and why they’re important.
How Steve’s experience with the military led him to become interested in cannabis.
How his experience as a strength conditioning coach for athletes increased his interest in cannabis.
Insight into the research he is currently doing.
The disparity between what is taught at medical school and what science actually shows us.
What Steve hopes his research may lead to.
The problems with a system driven by THC research and how Steve is doing things differently.
The Minority Growers Association and Steve’s role in it.
The importance of recruiting the people who were most harmed by the war on drugs.
What Steve predicts for the future of cannabis.
The connection between hemp and fungal networks and some of the other subjects that Steve is interested in.
Hear about cannabinoid testing in the Americans for Safe Access segment with Heather Despres.