Is This What The Doctor Ordered? By Alonzo Orozco
While it’s common for cancer patients to use cannabis as a means of comforting nausea following chemotherapy and radiation treatments, there are few that comprehend the power of the versatile herb. The plant’s illegal status made researching its potential almost impossible. Fortunately, nowadays laboratories and academic institutions have more opportunities to investigate the healing potential of green medicine. Äsa Olsson
HER2+ breast cancer patient Äsa Olsson, a high profile community member who was recognized as Carpinterian of the Year in January 2018, was hesitant to try cannabis for her debilitating arthritis and the painful side effects after a year of chemotherapy. “I first tried hemp oil which tasted horrible to me, and when you already are trying so hard to fight your nausea ... I couldn’t even stand the smell,” recalls Olsson of her attempts to ease the pain.
Amy Orozco
Her daughter, Linnea Beedy, owner of KLONA nursery, recommended Ojai Greens dispensary to her mother as a good starting point for cannabis. In the fall of that same year, she decided to give CBD a chance. Olsson then made the commitment to try a week’s supply of capsules with a 30:1 (CBD:THC) ratio. Not experiencing any negative reactions, she next opted for a 30-day supply. Roughly six months after her CBD regimen, she once again was able to open doors with round doorknobs and felt strong enough to jog.
18 Cannabis by the Sea Fall 2020
But, cannabis isn’t just helpful in dealing with cancer, Santa Barbara County resident Shirley Strickler found that it helped with her autoimmune disorder and osteoarthritis. She suffers from Sjögren’s syndrome, also known as sicca syndrome, which is an immune system disorder that can cause dryness in the eyes, mouth and skin, along with profound fatigue, achy joints, and brain fog.
