Dr. Chad Johnson is joining us for another episode of Cannabis Grand Rounds today. In this episode, we talk a little bit more about some of the oral preps and get into the transmembrane and transdermal challenges that cannabinoids can present to prescribers.

Dr. Johnson received his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, focusing on medicinal chemistry and pharmacology. He is a faculty member in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Co-Director of the Master of Science in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics (MCST) program at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy--involved in all basic science courses within the program. His research focuses on designing novel, fast-acting antidepressants and opioid analgesics with reduced reinforcement.

Dr. Chad Johnson received his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, focusing on medicinal chemistry and pharmacology. He is a faculty member in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Co-Director of the Master of Science in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics (MCST) program at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy--involved in all basic science courses within the program. His research focuses on designing novel, fast-acting antidepressants and opioid analgesics with reduced reinforcement.

He's with us today to discuss the challenges of cannabis formulation that impact the use of medicinal cannabinoids. Traditional Western medicine prefers the oral root of administration. And oral preps, unfortunately, present significant challenges, when it comes to the cannabinoids because of their chemical structures and the fact that they, at least in the oral preps, are in an aqueous environment.

Today Dr. Johnson is going to help us understand those challenges, and review the pharmacokinetics and a few of the pharmacodynamics of the various cannabinoid formulations.

Human agriculture started about 10,000 years ago and hemp was most likely one of the first cultivated crops. It is an extremely versatile crop with multiple uses back then and even more uses today.

American farmers including our founding father George Washington grew hemp as a staple crop in the 1700s. But it only became legal in 2018 with the passing of that year's Farm Bill.

So why did it take so long for the US to harness the power of hemp?  In this encore episode from August 2022, we dive into the history of hemp and CBD.

You've probably heard about the dangers of K2, Spice, and other strains of synthetic cannabis. As well as the horror stories of zombie-like states and fatalities.

But you might be surprised to hear about its noble beginnings. That's according to Dr. Andrew Coop.

Dr. Coop received his Ph.D. from the University of Bristol in the area of chemistry of drugs of abuse, followed by a Fogerty post-doctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. He has been a faculty member in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Maryland since 1999, serving as chair of the department from 2007-2015. His NIH-funded research area focuses on the design and synthesis of new opioid analgesics with reduced tolerance, and the development of novel antidepressants.

He joins Dr. Hal Altman MD, MS in this encore episode from May 2022 to talk about his passion for this field, the early days of synthetic cannabis, and the higher efficacy and potency of these strains.


Be sure to also check out the other episodes in our series with Dr. Andrew Coop!

The endocannaba-what?! Many of us have heard of the numerous systems in our bodies that help us live our day-to-day lives.

But fewer have heard of the more recently discovered endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is critical for almost every aspect of our moment-to-moment functioning.

This episode from February 2022 will cover what the endocannabinoid system is, how it helps us, and where it fits in the world of cannabis.

Dustin Sulak, D.O. is a renowned integrative medicine physician based in Maine, whose practice balances the principles of osteopathy, mind-body medicine, and medical cannabis.

Regarded as an expert on medical cannabis nationally, Dr. Sulak educates medical providers and patients on its clinical use, while continuing to explore the therapeutic potential of this ancient yet emerging medicine.

He also runs the cannabis brand Healer, which offers a line of CBD & THC products and free dosage programs. He also wrote an essential handbook to have on any doctor's shelf, Handbook of Cannabis for Clinicians: Principles and Practice.

Dr. Sulak joins Dr. Leigh Vincour MD, MS, in this encore episode from June 2022 to talk about how he got into this field, cannabis activism, and fighting stigmas surrounding the substance.


Be sure to also check out the other episodes in our series with Dr. Dustin Sulak!

Cannabis is an interesting plant been around for thousands of years used by humans for food, fiber, and medicine. But the botany of it is really fascinating.

There is a sexuality to the cannabis plant, separate male and female cannabis plants. This is also referred to as dioecious.

We have all of our hosts on this encore episode from August 2022 to discuss the differences in these plants, why having different sexes is advantageous, and how each plant works on a biological level.

The Master of Science (MS) in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics program at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy is in its third class now. The Program provides students with the knowledge they need to support patients and the medical cannabis industry, add to existing research, and develop well-informed medical cannabis policy.

The two-year program based at the Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville, Md., blends online instruction with face-to-face experiences to prepare graduates to respond to the increasing demand for medical cannabis with an understanding of the basic science and clinical uses of the cannabis plant.

This is also the program all 3 of our hosts met in and graduated from! So in this encore episode from April 2022 Dr. Tiffany Buckley, PharmD, BCPS, BCPP who is an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Pharmacist working with the University program, joins Dr. Hal Altman MD, MS to talk about how it started and who its students are.


Be sure to also check out the other episodes in our series with Dr. Tiffany Buckley!

In this episode, we're going to delve into the history of cannabis. And we thought a good way to do this was by talking about the history of cannabis prior to the early, early 20th century.

There was a lot that transpired in the early and mid-20th century that impacts regulatory issues that we still face today.

In this encore episode from January 2022,  we'll cover the origins of Sativa and Indicus, William O'Shaughnessy's legacy, and standardization and precision dosing.


Be sure to also check out parts 2 & 3 of our Cannabis History series!

Like any medication, different doses and treatments affect each population in a variety of ways. So we're focusing on different populations and cannabis use. 

In this encore episode from April 2022, we talk about kids: how children react to an accidental cannabis overdose, and how these cases are handled in emergency rooms.

And we'll also look at the elderly: pain regulation, drug interactions, and avoiding increased fall risks.

Lastly, we touch on what we know about pregnancy, lactating, male fertility, and cannabis.

This episode is diving deep into some pharmacology again. We're talking about THCA.

So what is the "A" for? How is it different than THC, which we've heard about for decades? 

Break out the old organic chemistry textbooks, because we're getting deep into this important cannabinoid with Dr. Les Matthews & Dr. Leigh Vincour.

In the second episode of our discussion on seniors, today we are focusing on the special considerations the people in this population should take when deciding to incorporate cannabis into their treatment plans.

70% of older adults have 2 or more chronic conditions, and almost 40% of all seniors take 5 or more prescriptions! So polypharmacy is very important here. 

Dr. Les Matthews & Dr. Leigh Vincour are back in this episode to go over how to prescribe cannabis for this more complex population, and things you should keep in mind if you wnt to prescribe cannabis as well.

By 2030, it's estimated that 20% of the population will be over 65. And in the last 3 years, there has been a 75% increase in the number of seniors who are interested in medical cannabis.

In fact, the average age at Dr. Vincour's practice is about 79-80 years old. So why are all of these seniors all of a sudden interested in using cannabis, and why?

Dr. Les Matthews & Dr. Leigh Vincour are back in this episode to talk about why we are seeing this trend.

The war on drugs was a huge failure, disproportionately hurting communities of color and poorer areas.

Smaller possession charges have been ruining people's lives for decades now, and we are only getting to a point in our culture and justice system where people are realizing this is not the way to move forward with the legal cannabis industry 

In this episode, Dr. Les Matthews & Dr. Leigh Vincour discuss what transpired in the past, and what efforts are underway to rectify those injustices.

As acceptance of cannabis use grows in the United States, the law is trying to catch up.

And with all the buzzwords and news reports coming out about different states and their cannabis policies, it can be difficult to keep up with what's legal where.

In this episode, Dr. Les Matthews & Dr. Leigh Vincour break down the definitions and differences between legalization & decriminalization and what that means for medical cannabis users.

In the last part of our series with Dr. Bonni Goldstein, we focus on cannabis treatments for pediatric cancer patients.

Bonni Goldstein, M.D., is the owner and medical director of Canna-Centers Wellness and Education, a medical practice devoted to educating patients about the use of cannabis for serious and chronic medical conditions. She is also a medical advisor to Weedmaps.com, the first and largest global technology and media company in the cannabis space.

Unfortunately more research on cannabis & pediatric cancer can't be done until federal regulations change, but Dr. Goldstein and Dr. Leigh Vinocur use this episode to talk about Dr. Goldstein's cancer patients, a documentary that features her work called "Weed The People," and the need for more clinical research in humans.

Our conversation with Dr. Bonni Goldstein continues today, focusing on the specific ailments and patients who receive medical cannabis.

Bonni Goldstein, M.D., is the owner and medical director of Canna-Centers Wellness and Education, a medical practice devoted to educating patients about the use of cannabis for serious and chronic medical conditions. She is also a medical advisor to Weedmaps.com, the first and largest global technology and media company in the cannabis space.

Dr. Goldstein and Dr. Leigh Vinocur discuss autism, epilepsy, and how cannabis can help provide relief.

There is so much research out there about the dangers of THC and marijuana on the development of the pediatric brain. But our guest Dr. Bonni Goldstein specializes in working with pediatric patients and cannabis.

She says it is critical to remember that prescribing and using medical cannabis is much different than the stories we hear of teenagers using cannabis in problematic or recreational situations.

Bonni Goldstein, M.D., is the owner and medical director of Canna-Centers Wellness and Education, a medical practice devoted to educating patients about the use of cannabis for serious and chronic medical conditions. She is also a medical advisor to Weedmaps.com, the first and largest global technology and media company in the cannabis space.

She joins Dr. Leigh Vinocur again this episode to talk about the conditions where cannabis is used in pediatric medicine, the research into medical cannabis patients vs recreational users, and the unfortunate cases of accidental overdose.

Bonni Goldstein, M.D., is the owner and medical director of Canna-Centers Wellness and Education, a medical practice devoted to educating patients about the use of cannabis for serious and chronic medical conditions. She is also a medical advisor to Weedmaps.com, the first and largest global technology and media company in the cannabis space.

In 2008, Dr. Goldstein developed an interest in the science of medical cannabis after witnessing its beneficial effects on an ill friend. She has since helped thousands of adults and children with chronic and serious medical conditions achieve a better quality of life with the use of cannabis medicine.

She joins Dr. Leigh Vinocur to discuss her path to cannabis medicine, the power of cannabis in pediatrics, and the importance of considering cannabis and not just using it as a last resort.

Dr. Thomas Trincetto has been described by friends as a "thoughtful skeptic." In his college days, he was never a recreational cannabis user, saying it put him to sleep. So how did Dr. Trincetto end up in the medical cannabis field? 

He joins Hal & Les in this episode to talk more about what got him interested in this method of healing, the top conditions he uses cannabis to treat, and some trends he's seen in age and intake methods.

Dr. Thomas Trincetto attended Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore (with Hal & Les). He then became board-certified in Internal Medicine and Emergency Medicine and moved to Sarasota in 2001, where he has remained since then. Most of his clinical career was spent practicing Emergency Medicine, though there was also a 4 year period he spent practicing full-time inpatient Critical Care Medicine. In 2014 he transitioned to an administrative role as the Chief Medical Officer at Doctors Hospital of Sarasota and remained in that role until retiring in October 2019. For the past year, Dr. Trinchetto has worked part-time performing patient medical marijuana certifications.