Online, On-Demand CCT Certification

Cannabis Care Team brings their successful in-person training to you online

April Hatch is a cannabis nurse.  She’s also a mom, a daughter, a wife, and a career-minded professional.  When one of her own children was the victim of a traumatic brain injury, April became determined to bring together all of the many roles she fills each day into a career that “traditional” clinicians would have scoffed at just five short years ago.

It was then that April and her mom, Heidi, decided there was a great need for cannabis education – for EVERYONE.  Cannabis patients in medical markets, cannabis consumers in all markets, regardless of legality, and cannabis industry professionals are all clamoring for more education about the potential of a plant that has been around for centuries, but found itself the target of a continuing struggle with prohibition and stigma for most of the 20th century.  Thus the need for and the creation of the Cannabis Care Team (CCT).  

Since 2019, the Cannabis Care Team has devoted themselves to educating everyone from patients to families, operators to budtenders, alternative medical professionals to the most reserved clinicians.  In just 2 short years, CCT has conducted over 350 private patient consultations and trained over 250 industry professionals.  Our in-person training has been lauded as the most comprehensive training available for budtenders and our dedication to interactive training and content and styles that appeal to adult learners has proven to be rewarding and has furthered our mission exponentially.  

With the onset of the pandemic in 2020 and the continuation of safety concerns still present today, coupled with the frequent turnover in the industry and the growing number of licenses operators scaling up across the nation, it became our loftiest goal yet – take our engaging content and make it available online!

With that in mind, we’ve spent the past year developing eLearning content that can provide evidence-based education for the cannabis industry regardless of geography.  We’re pleased to announce that our new online training will be hosted by upLVL, Inc.  We chose upLVL because their mission is to elevate the cannabis industry and inspire confidence in its workers. upLVL’s learners gain a better understanding of the marijuana industry and become more confident as certified retail employees. upLVL works with the highest quality course publishers and assures we work together to deliver engaging and relevant content that is valuable for continuing education in this market that continues to change swiftly.  

Ready to learn more about CCT’s online learning? 

CLICK HERE TO SCHEDULE A CALL

Hemp for Victory

As the granddaughter, daughter, niece, cousin, and friend of veterans I have seen first-hand the sacrifices made to fulfill an internal patriotic duty and unfortunately the consequences too.

However, what I have seen pales in comparison to the tragedy a group of veterans I recently spent time with have experienced. This group of veterans, so determined to make cannabis accessible for vets, that they decided to start the conversation in Texas. Arguably, the most difficult state to become qualified for medical cannabis in, with only two dispensaries serving a state that took my family and I twelve hours to drive across. 

West Point graduates, a Major General, Army, Navy, military physicians and nurses. All there for one cause, cannabis. As they began to share their stories, they spoke of opiate addiction,  the VA’s ineffective treatment of PTSD, and the all too many vets they’ve known who have taken their own lives. 

Much different than the industry meetings and scientific conferences I frequent, you could feel the suffering. They weren’t there to talk about sales projections or results of studies, they were there to talk about how cannabis could have healed their friends. Although the losses were vast the energy the group had was greater. These were folks who were not going to stop until cannabis was an option for every soldier. These are the leaders that will make a difference. 

The next event will be held in Kansas City, MO on April 19, 2022 so stay tuned to our social media pages for updates. 

Much love,

April

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Nurse April Featured in Women and Weed

Pick up the latest issue of Women and Weed to read April’s thoughts on cannabis consumption methods.

She, along, with several other healthcare professionals discuss the pros and cons of the different consumption methods and in the article she states, “the bottom line is that the ‘healthiest’ way to consume cannabis is whatever way people can consume it comfortably and confidently.” 

This issue also features a review of state laws, how Martha Stewart is using CBD, and the ABC’s of Marijuana. 

Magazine is available at all major retail outlets. 

Nurses Say Education Should Take Priority

Recently April Hatch and Dedee Culley spoke with Brandon Dunn about the importance of education in the cannabis industry. To read the full article check out the link below. 

“Patient and community education are two pillars that the rest of the cannabis industry is built.

Educating patients in medical states and creating intelligent consumers in adult-use markets are imperative to the long-term success and growth of the industry. At the same time, community education helps to quell resistance and opposition.

Most people who are opposed to cannabis hold those opinions based on rhetoric and ignorance. Rarely is someone educated on the medicinal benefits of cannabis still adamant in their opposition, at least for a medical market. Adult-use, however, still faces significant opposition at times – and while education may not always lead someone to support adult-use, it does empower others as it removes bias and destigmatizes perception. As with tobacco, alcohol, fast food, or a litany of other products, adult-use cannabis will always face scrutiny and opposition, but destigmatizing cannabis and its use is an integral part of moving forward.

With that in mind, Greenway recently spoke to two members of the medical marijuana industry in Missouri about the importance of patient education.” (Greenway Magazine)

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

Nurses Say Education Should Take Priority

Brandon Dunn, of Greenway magazine, recently met with April Hatch and Dedee Culley to talk about priorities in a medical market and they agree the priority is education. 

“Most of the dispensaries are offering a private area to complete patient consultations in, have printed education, education online, but most of the education takes place when the patient is at the counter determining what products to select,” Hatch explained. “Some are also hosting patient educational events, which is a great opportunity to bring new patients to the dispensary. Some of these are more cannabis-community-focused, and some are more geared to the medical patients,” Hatch said.

For her part, Culley says that while many operators are going above and beyond, there are more who could do better. “Sadly, I see many operations meeting only minimal state requirements,” Culley said. “From a financial aspect, they tend to see the cost of having a healthcare professional available to patients as an expense only, so they don’t hire or partner with these individuals. The truth is that these professionals not only serve the patients but, so far, the statistics that we have shown that these patients tend to return time and time to that facility and spend more money over time.”

To read the full article, click below!

PATIENT EDUCATION TAKES PRIORITY

What’s the Difference between Hemp CBD & Cannabis CBD?

Infusion Services - Cannabis Education - Kansas City, MO

Hemp and Marijuana (Cannabis) plants both belong to the Cannabaceae family, Cannabis Sativa L species, but have vastly different uses. Hemp grows extremely fast and is used industrially to make paper, rope, textiles, and is even being used to make building blocks called hempcrete. Back in 1941, Henry Ford actually made a car from Hemp that ran off Hemp Ethanol!

Hemp CBD has to have a THC content of 0.3% or less to be legal. Marijuana, which I prefer to call Cannabis, is used for medicinal purposes and so-called “recreational” use. I like to consider that “adult use,”; i.e., adults who prefer to use Cannabis for relaxation, creativity, stress reduction, etc.

While both are called CBD (Cannabidiol), there is a difference between CBD products made from Hemp and those made from Cannabis.  Both plants have terpenes, flavonoids, and other cannabinoids, but some hemp has a lower quantity of them. Cannabis CBD is cultivated to have high CBD content and THC below the 0.3% legal threshold. Because of its’ higher terpene, flavonoid, and other cannabinoids content, CBD-rich Cannabis is a much better choice for those who want a non-impairing medicinal benefit.

There are three types of CBD: Full Spectrum, Broad-Spectrum, and Isolate:

Full-Spectrum is extracted from flower and trim and contains the full array of cannabinoids & terpenes present in the hemp/cannabis flower, including THC. Science suggests this form of CBD is best for people who have no known issues with minuscule amounts of THC.

Broad-spectrum CBD products have NO THC present in the final product as the extract is processed to remove all THC. It’s suitable for people with a high sensitivity to THC. It also contains compounds and other cannabinoids from the Cannabis plant like CBC, CBN, and terpenes.

Isolate CBD is 99% pure and contains ONLY CBD. Isolates don’t include additional cannabinoids or other compounds, like terpenes, flavonoids, and other cannabinoids found in the Cannabis plant. The research indicates it’s not as effective as Full and Broad-Spectrum CBD due to their absence. However, for some people, this is a better choice.

Warning! Buying online from unknown companies can be risky due to the FDA’s lack of regulation and oversight! Recent study results on 240 CBD products purchased online, at gas stations, and grocery stores showed 70% were highly contaminated and contained exceedingly high lead levels. Some had other drugs added, i.e., cough syrup, synthetic cannabinoids, melatonin, etc. In 50% of the CBD tested, the dosage stated on the bottle didn’t match the contents; some contained NO CBD at all!

Taru Fisher, Healer Certified Medical Cannabis Wellness Advisor, NLP Health Practitioner & Coach

Copyright 2021 Jean Taru Fisher

Posted with permission

If you are looking for a reputable CBD company, please don’t hesitate to give us a call! 

 

How Do I Take Medical Cannabis?

Each method of consuming cannabis medicine has its own effect, even when using the same strain of cannabis. Why? Well, different methods involve different physiological pathways.

There’s no best delivery method as each has its usefulness, drawbacks, and therapeutic effects in certain situations. Here are the most common methods for consuming cannabis medicine.

Inhalation: Onset 1-5 minutes; Duration 1-6 hours

  • Smoking it OR preferably, inhaling vaporized flower

Positives: fast onset creates ease in consuming your correct dosage and it’s convenient. It’s also ideal for people with nausea, vomiting or other conditions that make swallowing difficult.

One drawback is that inhaled cannabis is more likely to cause cardiovascular side effects, has a shorter duration, and a higher abuse potential.

Herbal vaporizers using cannabis flower are considered a healthier way to consume cannabis because it greatly reduces the number of harmful substances created compared to smoking. The vapor produced is warm and non-irritating, with little to no smell.

Ingestion by Mouth: Onset within 1-2 hours; Duration 4-12 hours

  • Edibles – Cannabis added to food or drink
  • Capsules
  • These are absorbed through your GI tract and then metabolized by your liver
  • Ingestion changes cannabinoids into a form with longer duration of action

Be very cautious when consuming edibles; start with an extremely small amount like 1 -2 milligrams. To avoid unpleasant after-effects, wait at least 2 hours before ingesting a second dose. If this small initial dose does what you want it to do, stick with it and don’t add another dose. If the effect isn’t strong enough, the next time you consume it, up the dose slightly by only 1 – 2 milligrams and continue to do so until you get a therapeutic effect. People new to cannabis should start SLOWLY with edibles.

Liquid Cannabis Extracts: Onset 10-45 minutes; Duration 2-8 hours

  • Taking liquid extracts; tinctures or oils absorbed through the mouth or swallowed
  • Measure carefully using the metered dropper provided with the bottle and place it in your mouth under your tongue; wait 60-90 seconds before swallowing

One of most versatile methods, this method works well for most people

  • Convenient, discreet and easy to dose correctly

Topicals (External; on skin):  Onset and Duration Variable

  • Applying cannabis lotions, salves or patches to the skin
  • Many can be made at home to alleviate pain, muscle spasms, inflammation, itching and various skin conditions
  • Topicals do not typically produce psychoactive effects
  • “Transdermals” – are a medicated patch you place on the painful body part, have better absorption and will have full body effect. However, they can cost more than other methods.

Raw Cannabis (THCA): Onset 2-45 minutes; Duration 2-8 hours

  • It does NOT produce psychoactive effects; it’s the raw (Acidic) plant material
  • It has a higher terpene content and a broad range of  therapeutic benefits for conditions such as arthritis, epilepsy, chronic pain, digestive disorders
  • Typically taken by mouth in a tincture or spray
  • Fresh raw cannabis flowers can be eaten directly, prepared into an oil, made into “canna cubes” or brewed into a tea

Rectal (Cannabis Suppositories): Variable Onset & Duration

  • These can be useful for treating pain in pelvis and low back
  • They can also be used for people unable or prefer not to inhale or swallow cannabis
  • Limited research shows a wide variability in absorption

Be sure to consult with a qualified Medical Cannabis healthcare provider as well as your personal healthcare provider for more information and assistance.

 

Taru Fisher, Certified NLP Health Practitioner & NLP Coach
Healer Certified Medical Cannabis Wellness Advisor

 

 

Copyright 2021 Jean Taru Fisher

Used with permission

 

Elders & Cannabis

I use the term instead Elder rather than “Senior” or “Boomer” because for me, the title of Elder represents the wise Elder of our human Tribe. Indigenous peoples revere their elders for their knowledge, common sense, and their wisdom gathered over the years. “Senior” is overused and undervalued, and Boomer has become a term of derision on social media. I am very proud to be considered an “Elder” in our society!

Now that I’ve cleared that up, let’s move on to cannabis use and Elders.

Why would an Elder want or need to use cannabis? Perhaps a family member or friend has mentioned their success using it, or they read the recent AARP statement declaring their support of medical cannabis.  If you are an Elder, chances are you’ve heard of cannabis (marijuana) and may have even tried it when you were younger. You may even be using it now.

A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association1 shows a significant increase in the numbers of people 65 and over who use cannabis; in the United States cannabis use increased sharply from 0.4% in 2006 and 2007 to 2.9% in 2015 and 2016.

Adults with a chronic disease, diabetes, had a 180% relative increase in use in 2015. People with 1 or less chronic diseases also had a very significant increase of 95.8% in cannabis use.

They also found an increase in cannabis use by alcohol-using older adults, a trend that bears watching and education about the harm that can arise from using these two substances together.

While the stigma around marijuana that was deliberately created in the early 1900’s still remains but is lessening, multiple cases of anecdotal evidence exist showing it is helpful for relieving insomnia, chronic pain, neuropathy, anxiety, and reducing the overuse of opioid medications and other painkillers, among many others.

There are impairment risks associated with cannabis use in older adults which are dependent on dosing, which cannabis products are being consumed, and how you take them. Some of these are dizziness, lightheadedness and thinking or perception disorders. These can be avoided or relieved with education about dosages, methods of ingestion, and techniques for dampening the unwanted side effects should they occur.

Elders need to become educated about cannabis and find knowledgeable medical professionals who can assist them in their cannabis journey. We Elders so often have several health conditions being treated with multiple drugs, it is very important for us to have sound medical advice about our medical cannabis use to avoid dangerous drug interactions. Of particular concern are blood-thinners and anti-seizure medications. Always inform your medical providers about your cannabis use so they can check for drug interactions, potential problems, etc.

I’ve included a link to Dr. Dustin Sulak’s handout, Healer Medical Cannabis Healthcare Provider Info booklet, https://healer.com/landing/provider-cannabis-guide/. It will be invaluable for helping your healthcare provider understand medical cannabis usage.

Taru Fisher

Healer Certified Medical Cannabis Wellness Advisor 

NLP Health Practitioner and NLP Coach

© 2021 Jean-Anne Taru Fisher

Used with Permission

 

1  Trends in Cannabis Use Among Older Adults in the United States, 2015-2018 | Geriatrics | JAMA Internal Medicine | JAMA Network

 

 

Cannabis Myths

Talking with Taru Blog & YouTube Video 

Here are some of the common myths about marijuana, many of which have been sponsored by industries that benefit from the prohibition of Marijuana (Cannabis), along with the facts.

Myth:   Marijuana is a “gateway” drug. 

Fact: Most people who use marijuana do not go on to become addicted to other drugs. Becoming dependent on Marijuana is not common. One study found that only 9% of those who try marijuana develop dependence compared to, for example, 24% of those that try heroin1.

That said, regular use may lead to tolerance and then higher doses of Cannabis are needed to achieve the same therapeutic effect. The research indicates that the physiological, behavioral, and cognitive effects of marijuana decrease over time. That’s easily solved by taking a tolerance break which will reset the endocannabinoid system that regulates this. We’ll talk about that amazing system in the next blog post.

Myth:   Marijuana kills brain cells and lowers IQ.

Fact: Numerous studies have proven Cannabis does just the opposite – it can promote the growth and development of new brain cells and boost other kinds of brain activity, for example, creative thinking. According to a program run by a Harvard Medical School Neuroscientist, the Marijuana Investigations for Neuroscientific Discovery (MIND), adults in their longitudinal study who used Cannabis for various conditions and symptoms actually performed better on cognitive tasks and had improved mood, energy, and sleep! However, brain development can be unfavorably affected if heavy cannabis use is begun during adolescence. 

Myth: Marijuana only makes you “stoned” or “high”.

Fact: Smoking or ingesting Cannabis can cause a psychoactive effect, the “high”, which most people describe as a pleasant euphoria and enhancement of the senses, and it can include less desirable features like sedation and paranoia. However, when using proper Medical Cannabis dosing, there is little chance of producing these ill effects and instead can provide extremely effective medicinal benefits.

Myth: Smoking marijuana causes cancer.

Fact: A large study by UCLA in 2006 showed heavy Cannabis users have an equal or lower rate of lung and respiratory cancers than non-users2. There was even a suggestion of some protective effects from using Cannabis.

Myth: Marijuana makes people hungry and fat.

Fact: A 2011 study of 52,000 participants in the American Journal of Epidemiology showed people who use Cannabis at least three times a week, compared with those who don’t use it at all, are one-third less likely to be obese.3

Myth: Marijuana makes people mentally unstable.

Fact: Science suggests is much more common for Cannabis to actually help mental illness such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and even schizophrenia, especially when used under the guidance of a healthcare professional.

Myth: Marijuana Kills!

Fact: Nope, and it’s extremely unlikely to kill you because so far, it seems that hasn’t happened. There are zero reported cases of marijuana-induced death! However, if you take too much, it can make you feel nauseous, dizzy, shaky, anxious, or even paranoid for a while. It doesn’t last but it can definitely feel unpleasant while it does. According to Dr. Dustin Sulak, to counteract these symptoms try taking some CBD as it can ameliorate the undesirable effects of too much THC. It’s also wise to increase your water intake, take deep and slow breaths, lie down and close your eyes, and maybe even take a warm shower.

Myth: Elders fear Cannabis and it provides little help for them.

Fact:  Research indicates that Elders make up the fastest-growing demographic of Medical Cannabis users.4 For example, they (and I) are opting for using Cannabis for insomnia, chronic pain, anxiety, helping reduce the effects of aging on one’s memory, and because it’s safer and more cost-effective than other commonly prescribed drugs.

So, beware of the myths and know that Cannabis taken with care and awareness can help with a myriad of health issues. My next blog post will explain the wondrous Endocannabinoid system (ECS) and how Cannabis helps it maintain the body’s homeostasis.

 

-Taru Fisher, Healer Certified Medical Cannabis Wellness Advisor & NLP Health Practitioner

 

References:

Anthony JC, Warner L, Kessler R. Comparative epidemiology
of dependence on tobacco, alcohol, controlled substances, and inhalants: basic findings from the National Comorbidity Survey. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 1994; 2: 244–68.

Hasibe, Mia, et al. “Marijuana use and the risk of lung and upper aerodigestive tract cancers; results of a population-based case-control study.” Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention 15.10 (2006): 1829-1834

Le Strat, Yann, and Bernard Le Foll. “Obesity and cannabis use: results from 2 representative national surveys.” American journal of epidemiology (2011): kwr200.

Benjamin H. Han, MD, MPH1,2,3; Joseph J. Palamar, Ph.D., MPH2,3 JAMA Intern Med. 2020;180(4):609-611. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.7517

 

© 2021 Jean-Anne Taru Fisher

Used with Permission