Curious About Cannabis: Highlights from Chelsea Strang
Can medical cannabis (or marijuana) help treat Parkinson’s symptoms? On Monday, May 13, 2024, Parkinson Wellness Projects (PWP) partnered with Chelsea Strang, a Licensed Practical Nurse and accredited Cannabis Nurse Educator, to host Curious About Cannabis: a virtual seminar where she offers an unbiased overview on the cannabis plant and the research on its relationship with Parkinson’s disease. Below are some highlights from her session:
The endocannabinoid system is the body’s largest regulating system. It helps regulate many functions, including pleasure, energy, well-being, concentration, movement, mood, sleep, digestion, appetite, and pain.
The two primary components of marijuana are delta-9-tetrahydrocannibinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). THC and CBD act on the cannabinoid receptors type 1 (CB1) and type 2 (CB2), which are primarily found embedded in the membrane of cells of the immune system.
CB1 receptors are largely found in the brain and spinal cord. They play an active role in modulating diverse neurobiological functions, such as appetite, food intake, learning development, sleep, nausea, anxiety and depression, eye pressure, muscle spasms, and intestinal volatility.
On the other hand, CB2 receptors are commonly found in the immune system. They help modulate tissue disorder, immune responses, bone metabolism, inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract, cancer, and cell growth and survival.
The use of medical cannabis has been suggested to help with managing Parkinson’s symptoms.
Medical cannabis has shown promise in treating inflammation, oxidative stress, pain, anxiety, tremors, bradykinesia (slowness caused by Parkinson’s disease), dyskinesia (excess movement caused by levodopa), mood disorders, and insomnia.
There are also risks associated with the use of medical cannabis for people with Parkinson’s disease. Potential adverse effects include ataxia (loss of muscle control in the arms and legs), increased heart rate, dysphoria, dizziness, blurred vision, mood and behavioral changes, loss of balance and hallucinations. Caution should be exercised when using medical cannabis if you have kidney disease, liver disease, or issues with your blood pressure.
There are no known drug interactions between medical cannabis and levodopa or carbidopa.
When considering dosage, it is best to “start low and go slow.”
Starting at high doses, or increasing your dosage too quickly, can exacerbate the negative side effects of using medical cannabis.
Other considerations to be aware of include: safe storage (i.e. out of reach of children and pets), not coingesting with alcohol, travel (e.g. not operating motor vehicles), and slower interaction times and thinking skills.
Chelsea’s seminar was an opportunity for our participants and their care partners to connect and learn about the latest in Parkinson’s research. Stay up to date with the latest information from PWP events by subscribing to our blog on our website: parkinsonwellness.ca/blog.
As founder of The Holistic Cannabis Nurse Ltd., Chelsea is dedicated to dismantling the stigma associated with cannabis by providing clients an unbiased, professional cannabis education.