MFTOfficial

Jean-Guy: Ottawa Senators

Eldon: Montreal Canadians

Riley: Edmonton Oilers

Francois: LA Kings

Francois: As many of you here today already know, there is nothing more challenging and heartbreaking than watching patients struggle unsuccessfully with debilitating and chronic health problems.

For physicians, helping these patients is often a race against time. We know that the longer a person is withdrawn from productive daily life, on sick leave, or disengaged from their families, the harder it is to get them back. One disease often becomes multiple diseases. PTSD and chronic pain are two of the most challenging conditions to treat. Because there is no standard, effective treatment protocol and one size never fits all.

While both conditions are prevalent throughout the general population, PTSD in particular is problem in our military, police, and first responder communities. The latter group – first responders ­­- was in the news for all the wrong reasons just recently. Global News reported just a couple of months ago that two more of Canada’s first responders killed themselves in that previous week, bringing the total number of suicides by Canadian paramedics, firefighters, police officers, dispatchers and prison staff to 13 in roughly ten weeks – more than one a week!

While we are finally talking more openly about it, many of the people who serve Canadians in the most dangerous of situations have been suffering silently for decades.

Medical marijuana is not itself a cure for PTSD, chronic pain, or any other conditions. But we are seeing it help patient after patient with their symptoms and quality of life. People who were unable to function are leading productive lives again. They are repairing relationships with their families. They are back in the workplace. They are able to exercise and look after other aspects of their health. And they are able to benefit from counselling and wellness programs that take them further down the road to good health.

The people at MFT don’t just provide access to medical marijuana. They provide the education, support, counselling, and peer networks that help veterans, first responders, police and other sufferers move forward. And we continue to evolve our program, MFT’s vision to gradually incorporate allied health services, including psychologists, social workers, oxygen therapy, RMT's and others. The result will be an integrated and responsive approach, ensuring that MFT offers state of the art PTSD treatment for our clients and their families.

The University of Georgia recently released a major study on the impact of medical marijuana on health care costs in the US. They examined 10 conditions which can be treated with medical marijuana in the 17 states which have legalized the therapies. They found that for each of those 10 conditions (with the exception of glaucoma), Medicare prescription drug costs went down in a significant way. Those States saved $165.2 million in Medicare drug costs in 2013 alone. The study estimates that if all 50 states legalized medical marijuana, the US would save over $486 million in prescription drug costs every year. At MFT, we are providing access to effective therapies and at the same time supporting patients in ways that conventional healthcare providers aren’t necessarily able.

Your local family doctor doesn’t have time to help you fill out pension benefit forms or navigate the maze of health care benefits.

Your GP or psychiatrist does not necessarily offer peer support networks or connect you with other people suffering the same conditions and trying the same therapies. MFT provides an exceptional a patient-centered care model that recognizes that no single drug or pharmaceutical provides the answer. This company is creating a Canada-wide community where people with similar challenges can pursue wellness together.

That is the difference between MFT and any other Cannabis dispensary!

Francois: Depending on the terpene profile of the medical marijuana, yes it can.

Depression is not a lack of happiness. It prevents you from sleeping, and you are always anxious.

In some instances, it has been shown to increase the depressive symptoms. It wasn't shown whether or not it was caused by pre-existing medical condition, but there is an associated risk. A good sativa strain with Limonene as the main terpene present will help with anxiety symptoms during the day and good indica with Linalool as the main terpene present will help with a good nights sleep.

Francois: To treat chronic pain with higher CBD or 1:1 as edibles, for longer lasting relief throughout the day. It is important to keep your vaporizer handy, to vaporize to treat immediate symptoms.

Medical marijuana is not itself a cure for PTSD, chronic pain, or any other debilitating medical conditions. But we are seeing it help patient after patient with their symptoms and quality of life. People who were unable to function are leading productive lives again. They are repairing relationships with their families. They are back in the workplace. They are able to exercise and look after other aspects of their health. And they are able to benefit from counselling and wellness programs that take them further down the road to good health.

Riley: Only if the chronic pain is a result of an OSI or an injury associated with your service or medical release will VAC cover your prescription. Many MFT Veterans and civilian clients use cannabis to treat both PTSD and chronic pain.

Francois: If they are from Licensed Producers absolutely. The current methods of extractions will take all components of the plant, decarboxylate it (activate them), then take the whole product and extract all (most) of the active cannabinoids and Terpenes and have them solubilised in the oil form.