Medical News
Ask Dr. Leigh: Can cannabis help with sports recovery?
April 17, 2024 -- As athletes are preparing for this Summer Olympics in Paris, I've been asked to address the role cannabis plays in athletic performance. Have a look at my recent "Ask Dr. Leigh" column on the Hearst publication, Greenstate, to read my view and what science has to say on the matter.
Ask Dr. Leigh: How can cannabis ease nausea from chemotherapy?
February 7, 2024 -- Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is kind of a defense mechanism that affects between 60-80% of cancer patients on this therapy. See my latest column, "Ask Dr. Leigh" in Heart's Greenstate publication for insight about this condition and whether or not cannabis can help.
Ask Dr. Leigh: Can Cannabis Help Ease MS?
Dec. 27, 2023 -- Patents and readers have been asking if cannabis can help ease symptoms related to multiple sclerosis. While there is no cure for MS a present, treatments focus on managing symptoms while trying to slow the progression of the disease. Read why cannabis has gained attention recently for treating MS in my latest column, "Ask Dr. Leigh" for Heart's Greenstate publication.
Ask Dr. Leigh: What is HHC?
Dec. 4, 2023 -- HHC is the abbreviation for Hexahydrocannabinol. It's a relatively "new" compound in the cannabis marketplace, generating significant interest and curiosity. It is now being synthesized from other cannabinoids, which is why it is now characterized as a semi-synthetic compound. Read the entire column at Greenstate.com
Ask Dr. Leigh: Can Cannabis Help Dementia Patients?
Oct. 18, 2023 -- Using cannabis to support dementia patients is a topic under research. Here's the latest, which was published on Greenstate.com
Ask Dr. Leigh: How Do I Start a Medical Cannabis Regimen?
Sept. 13, 2023 -- A reader asked me about how to start a medical cannabis regimen...here's my answer, which was published on Greenstate.com
Dr. Leigh Appointed By Maryland Gov. Wes Moore
July 17, 2023 -- I am so excited to share my appointment to the Cannabis Public Health Advisory Council from our wonderful Maryland Governor Wes Moore. As both an emergency physician and a medical cannabis physician, I consider myself a healthy skeptic. While I have seen the immense therapeutic benefits of medical cannabis, it is not the panacea, like any medication it has a risk benefit ratio. As far as adult-use legalization which just started in Maryland this July 1st, as an emergency physician, I also fully understand the impact and have treated many substance-use disorder patients. And while responsibly using cannabis by adults, may not be more harmful than other legal substances like alcohol and tobacco and especially not as harmful as the prescription substances that have ravaged our country these past couple of decades, I cannot understate the importance of mitigating risk to the public. And luckily our great state of Maryland had the foresight to create this council as part of adult-use legalization to ensure public health, safety and harm-reduction. I am excited and honored to serve, the Governor, his administration and the people of Maryland in this way.
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Ask Dr. Leigh: What is the Entourage Effect?
July 5, 2023 -- While cannabis has more than 100 cannabinoids and at least 550 other compounds, studies and anecdotal reports show that maximum benefit is achieved when all of these elements are taken together -- also known as the "entourage effect" -- instead of taking isolated compounds such as THC or CBD. Read Dr. Leigh's report at Greenstate.com
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Ask Dr. Leigh: Cannabis and Immunotherapy for Cancer
June 5, 2023 -- Can cannabis help or hurt cancer-related treatments. Dr. Leigh provides the answer in this installment of her "Ask Dr. Leigh" column, published on Greenstate.com.
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Ask Dr. Leigh: What is the Endocannabinoid System?
April 12, 2023 -- I first heard the term endocannabinoid system (ECS) in 2008 from a colleague doing research. It wasn’t something we learned about in medical school and residency training. Even though its discovery was in the late 1980s to early 1990s, many medical schools today do not include the ECS in their curriculums.
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Ask Dr. Leigh: Can Cannabis Help With Anxiety and Depression?
January 17, 2023 -- With approximately 20 percent of Americans being treated for anxiety and depression, many wonder if cannabis relieve these conditions, as many claim. Dr. Leigh breaks down the science behind why cannabis may or may not help.
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It’s time to pass comprehensive, clinically meaningful cannabis legislation | GUEST COMMENTARY, The Baltimore Sun
December 26, 2022 -- This month President Biden signed into law the Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act, and it’s a good first start. But as a board-certified emergency physician working directly with medical cannabis patients in Maryland since our medical cannabis law passed, I know we need to do more.
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What Voters Should Be Thinking About in States Where Cannabis Legalization is On the Ballot
November 3, 2022 -- Five states, including my home state of Maryland, have legalization of adult-use cannabis on the ballot this Midterm election. I have been getting so many questions from patients, family, friends and colleagues as a medical cannabis physician/consultant about my thoughts on any potential concerns or issues. Here is the opinion piece I wrote for the Hearst publication, Greenstate.
Can Cannabis Help With ADHD?
October 18, 2022 -- Dr. Leigh breaks down the evidence answering whether or not cannabis help symptoms associated with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in this latest installment of Ask Dr. Leigh on Greenstate.com.
Ask Dr. Leigh: What's the Difference Between Cannabis Legalization and Decriminalization?
July 13, 2022 -- Published on Greenstate.com -- Many people mistakenly think that decriminalization and legalization are interchangeable terms when it comes to cannabis law, and they are not. Decriminalization removes criminal penalties for personal use of small amounts of cannabis, which still remains an illegal substance to manufacture or sell.
How To Know Your Supplement is High Quality
June 21, 2022 -- Too often our diets do not cover the spectrum of vitamins and minerals that are necessary for optimal health. So, we turn to supplements. But how do we know if the supplement we're taking actually contains the ingredients listed, or is considered to be high quality?
The Organ Every Man Over 50 Should Care About
May 26, 2022 - Published on Medium.com -- Prioritizing health as we age is a common discussion. Many conversations revolve around maintaining a healthy diet, staying active, maintaining a social life and focusing on one’s overall quality of life. However, there is one small, but vital organ that is not discussed enough among men: the prostate.
Ask Dr. Leigh: Why are the Benefits of Medical Marijuana Sometimes Inconsistent?
April 11, 2022 -- Published on Greenstate.com --
Q: Why do the benefits of my medical cannabis sometimes vary slightly every time I use it, even when I buy the same product from the same dispensary?
Q: Why do the benefits of my medical cannabis sometimes vary slightly every time I use it, even when I buy the same product from the same dispensary?
Get Savvy About Your Heart Health
February 14, 2022 - Published on SavvyAuntie.com -- Getting a heart-shaped box of chocolates shouldn’t be the only heart concerns for Savvy Aunties this Valentine’s Day. February kicks off “The Heart Truth,” a campaign to raise awareness about women’s number one killer--heart disease!
Prioritizing Mental Health Shouldn't Be Risky for Physicians
July 22, 2020 -- Originally published on Medpage.com -- The scale of suffering and death is taking a large psychological toll. As an emergency physician on the frontlines of the pandemic, initially I feared for the safety of my friends and colleagues ...
"We Knew We'd Be Unprepared" For COVID-19 Outbreak
April 10, 2020 - Published on drozshow.com -- A pandemic, like COVID-19, hitting the U.S. has been one of doctors’ greatest fears for years: We knew one would eventually come and we knew we'd be unprepared. For at least 10 to 15 years, the American College of Emergency Physicians has been going to the federal government asking for help and support to secure our public health and emergency medical system to handle surge.
You Talk to Your Kids About Safe Sex, Why Not Safe Relationships?
January 23, 2014 - Published on huffpost.com -- Early adolescence is the critical juncture to talk to our children about what constitutes a healthy relationship. Because teen dating violence affects one in five female high school students, and it doesn't have to be that way.
Three Disturbing Trends That Can Land Your Teen in the ER or Worse
September 24, 2013 -- Published on Huffpost.com -- When I served in the ER, sometimes I had to ask myself, "where do they come up with this stuff!"
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When It Comes to Breast Cancer, Less May Be More
April 1, 2013 -- Published on huffpost.com -- A new study published infinds that women who had early stage breast cancer had better survival rates if they had lumpectomy and radiation as opposed to total mastectomy.
Confessions of a Mirror Addict
December 2, 2012- Published on huffpost.com -- I am writing in defense of the mirror! A Today Show segment highlighting Autumn Whitefield-Madrano's blog on HuffPost on mirror fasting, struck me as odd. More than odd, actually -- it is a form of denial, the proverbial ostrich sticking its head in the sand! Don't pay attention or don't look and it doesn't exist.
Moms, Of Course It's Your Fault...Again
March 11, 2012 -- Published on huffpost.com -- Just in case you busy multi-tasking moms out there don't have enough worries to feel guilty about, now a new study says we can add our teenager's weight problem to that list.