in focus
By Sarah Robinson
Greener Health How to navigate the world of CBD, medical marijuana cards and more
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hough recreational use of marijuana is not legal in Ohio, state legislators have carved out a medical marijuana program for people who suffer from at least one of 22 medical conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Potential patients have to receive a prescription medical card from a physician who’s certified through the program. They can then participate in a highlyregulated and emerging industry that consists of specialty medical marijuana stores, farmers and manufacturers. In addition, there’s a good chance you’ve come across cannabidiol, or CBD,
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products, which do not require a medical marijuana card for purchase. So, what’s all the fuss about? Why do you need a card for one thing but not the other? Pickerington Magazine spoke with Dr. Bridget Williams, administrator and faculty member of the Cleveland School of Cannabis and owner of Green Harvest Health right here in Pickerington to get the lowdown on the leaf that’s sweeping the nation. “Cannabis is a scientific term for what we consider marijuana and hemp; hemp being the form of cannabis that is very low in THC and tends to be much higher in
CBD,” says Williams. “When we think of compounds of cannabis that are medicinally effective, we think of CBD and THC, called cannabinoids. These are the two we know most about and are most abundant.” Though CBD and THC are the two cannabinoids that almost everyone’s heard about, there are actually more than 100 different cannabinoids that have been discovered and can be used in treating different conditions. “When (the cannabinoids) all work together, you get this synergistic effect, so it’s better than using just CBD or THC by itself,” Williams says. “When they’re working together, there’s a much better effect.” www.pickeringtonmagazine.com
