GWIM Podcast Season 7

Medical Cannabis, Psilocybin, & More

​Marijuana (cannabis) has been used for thousands of years as a medicine, but it has been illegal in the United States for most of our lives. Almost all states have now legalized its medical use, and many consumers and health professionals are exploring it as an alternative to conventional treatments. 
There’s substantial evidence that marijuana is a safe and effective treatment for chronic pain, chemo side effects, sleep and mood disorders, MS, and Parkinson’s disease, among others. But there’s also misinformation about marijuana on social media. And most clinicians have limited knowledge on the subject, while dispensary staff (aka “budtenders”) lack medical training.

GW Integrative Medicine co-host Mikhail Kogan, MD, a renowned expert on Integrative Medicine, medical cannabis, and CBD, along with Joan Liebmann-Smith, PhD, hope to change that with their new book—“Medical Marijuana: Dr. Kogan's Evidence-based Guide to the Health Benefits of Cannabis and CBD” with forward by Dr. Andrew Weil.

Dr. Liebmann-Smith is an award-winning medical writer, medical editor, and medical sociologist. She’s written 5 books on various healthcare topics, and her articles have appeared in numerous national print and online publications, including AARP Bulletin, Newsweek, and the Huffington Post.  She is also a consulting editor for Memorial Sloan Kettering’s dermatology service. 

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Related content

Medical Marijuana: Dr. Kogan's Evidence-based Guide to the Health Benefits of Cannabis and CBD by Mikhail Kogan, MD, and Joan Liebmann-Smith, PhD
https://bit.ly/3D8rIBR

2017 National Academy of Sciences report on "The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids: The Current State of Evidence and Recommendations for Research." bit.ly/2H0DnJa

The International Cannabinoid Research Society, (ICRS), is a source for impartial information on cannabis and the cannabinoids that provides an open forum for researchers to meet and discuss their research.
icrs.co/

Dr. Kogan's interview with Dr. Donald Abrams, internationally known medical cannabis expert
bit.ly/38NllWQ

Dr. Kogan's interview on Medical Cannabis for Chronic Pain Guidelines
https://bit.ly/3F2n4Xx

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Transcript

https://bit.ly/3F2huVh

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This podcast features the song “Follow Your Dreams” (freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Ho…ur_Dreams_1918) by Scott Holmes, available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial (01https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) license.

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Disclaimer: The content and information shared in GW Integrative Medicine is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. The views and opinions expressed in GW Integrative Medicine represent the opinions of the host(s) and their guest(s). For medical advice, diagnosis, and/or treatment, please consult a medical professional.

Demystifing Medical Cannabis & CBD for Clinicians & Consumers

Today, we talk about psilocybin and Alzheimer’s with Albert Garcia-Romeu, PhD, a member of the Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences faculty at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 

Dr. Albert Garcia-Romeu is a also a Guest Researcher at the National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Neuroimaging Research Branch. His research examines the effects of psychedelics in humans, with a focus on psilocybin as an aid in the treatment of addiction.

Dr. Garcia’s current research interests include clinical applications of psychedelics, mindfulness, and altered states of consciousness and their underlying neurobiological mechanisms, and the role of spirituality in mental health and addiction. 

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Related Links

Johns Hopkins University Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research
bit.ly/3DQHcwM

Psilocybin & Alzheimer's Clinical Trial Participant Screening Form
bit.ly/3XbvWSN

Video: Psilocybin for Depression in early Alzheimer's Disease Clinical Trial at John Hopkins
bit.ly/40DFitf

Dr. Albert Garcia-Romeu bio 
bit.ly/3I2GWw0

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Transcript
bit.ly/3RZqgu3

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This podcast features the song “Follow Your Dreams” (freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Ho…ur_Dreams_1918) by Scott Holmes, available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial (01https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) license.

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Disclaimer: The content and information shared in GW Integrative Medicine is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. The views and opinions expressed in GW Integrative Medicine represent the opinions of the host(s) and their guest(s). For medical advice, diagnosis, and/or treatment, please consult a medical professional.

Psilocybin & Alzheimer’s Disease

Today, we talk to Peter Grinspoon, MD, about cannabis myths and his new book “Seeing through the Smoke: A Cannabis Specialist Untangles the Truth about Marijuana.” 

Dr. Grinspoon is a primary care physician and cannabis specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital and an Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School. A certified Health and Wellness Coach, he has provided medical cannabis care for patients for two decades. 

A widely recognized expert on cannabis science and drug policy, he is a board member of the advocacy group Doctors for Cannabis Regulation.  He regularly appears as an expert on national television and radio programs, including NPR’s All Things Considered, NBC Nightly News, C-SPAN’s Washington Journal, Fox News and The New York Times.

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Related Links

Dr. Grinspoon's website
https://www.petergrinspoon.com/

"Seeing through the Smoke: A Cannabis Specialist Untangles the Truth about Marijuana" 
https://www.petergrinspoon.com/book/#SSTS

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Transcript
bit.ly/3JoA2mz
(Coming)

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This podcast features the song “Follow Your Dreams” (freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Ho…ur_Dreams_1918) by Scott Holmes, available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial (01https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) license.

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Disclaimer: The content and information shared in GW Integrative Medicine is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. The views and opinions expressed in GW Integrative Medicine represent the opinions of the host(s) and their guest(s). For medical advice, diagnosis, and/or treatment, please consult a medical professional.

Seeing Through the Smoke: Dispelling Cannabis Myths

Physician-scientist Sunil K. Aggarwal, MD, PhD, FAAPMR, co-founder and co-director of the Advanced Integrative Medical Science Institute (AIMS), is among the leading researchers giving lectures at the GW Medicinal Fungi Conference from 9 am to 4:20 pm ET on Friday, September 22, 2023. It's not too late to register for this online conference. bit.ly/3QUqlAD

Dr. Aggarwal’s primary clinical and research work is in Palliative Care, Rehabilitation Medicine, medical cannabis care integration, and Psychedelic Integrative Medicine.

Board-certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Hospice and Palliative Medicine, he has served as the Chair of the Integrative Medicine Special Interest Group at the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

Dr. Aggarwal is a Clinical Instructor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, an Affiliate Assistant Professor of Geography at the University of Washington, and a Faculty Member of the National Family Medicine Residency. He is an Associate Member of the New York Academy of Medicine and the Humboldt Institute for Interdisciplinary Marijuana Research. He serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of the National Cancer Institute’s PDQ Cancer CAM information summary on cannabis and cannabinoids.

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Related content

Psychedelics for Brain Injury: A Mini-Review
www.aimsinstitute.net/psychedelics-f…a-mini-review/

AIMS Co-Director Dr. Sunil Aggarwal Featured on the show The Edge on The Bluntness
www.aimsinstitute.net/aims-co-direct…the-bluntness/

Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research
www.hopkinsmedicine.org/psychiatry/re…research.html

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Transcript
www.linkedin.com/pulse/transcript…-of/?published=t

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This podcast features the song “Follow Your Dreams” (freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Ho…ur_Dreams_1918) by Scott Holmes, available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial (01https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) license.

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Disclaimer: The content and information shared in GW Integrative Medicine is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. The views and opinions expressed in GW Integrative Medicine represent the opinions of the host(s) and their guest(s). For medical advice, diagnosis, and/or treatment, please consult a medical professional.

ICYMI: Altered States | Psychedelic Medicine

Today on the pod we talk about C-15:0 Essential Fatty Acid with Dr. Stephanie Venn-WatsonDVM, MPH. Dr. Venn-Watson is the CEO and co-founder of Seraphina Therapeutics, Inc. in San Diego, California. She and her husband, Eric Venn-Watson, MD, made the groundbreaking discovery of C15:0. 

Also known as pentadecanoic acid, C15:0 is an essential fatty acid that has largely disappeared from the modern Western diet. Certain kinds of fatty acids can actually slow aging-related breakdown in our cells. And C15:0 is one of them.

The Drs. Venn-Watson are bringing it to the market as a food fortifier and nutritional supplement called fatty15.

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Related Links

Discover C15: A Nutritional Discovery 90 Years in the Making
www.DiscoverC15.com

Fatty15
www.Fatty15.com

Dr. Venn-Watson’s TEDx Talk: Save the dolphins. Save the world 
https://bit.ly/48Vuz0t

Broader and safer clinically-relevant activities of pentadecanoic acid compared to omega-3: Evaluation of an emerging essential fatty acid across twelve primary human cell-based disease systems
https://bit.ly/434UOjn

Pentadecanoylcarnitine is a newly discovered endocannabinoid with pleiotropic activities relevant to supporting physical and mental health
https://bit.ly/3wBxIF3

Dairy Fat Intake, Plasma C15:0 and Plasma Iso-C17:0 are inversely associated with Liver Fat in Children
https://bit.ly/49CuSON

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Transcript
https://bit.ly/3JoA2mz

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This podcast features the song “Follow Your Dreams” (freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Ho…ur_Dreams_1918) by Scott Holmes, available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial (01https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) license.

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Disclaimer: The content and information shared in GW Integrative Medicine is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. The views and opinions expressed in GW Integrative Medicine represent the opinions of the host(s) and their guest(s). For medical advice, diagnosis, and/or treatment, please consult a medical professional.

What Do Dolphins Have to Do with Anti-aging?

Today on the pod we talk about cancer survivorship with Sanna Ali, MSN, CRNP, an Oncology nurse practitioner (NP), cancer survivorship researcher and advocate, and PhD student at the School of Nursing at George Washington University. She currently practices at the GW Center for Integrative Medicine.

In her role as an NP, she saw first-hand the multifaceted, complex issues that burden cancer survivors. She decided to pursue her PhD to develop the research skills needed for knowledge generation and scientific discovery that will improve the quality of life and outcomes for cancer survivors. She has presented her PhD-related work both locally and nationally. She received a Sigma Theta Tau International, Phi Epsilon Chapter Small Grant for 2023-2024 to support her project, “Perspectives and attitudes of oncology professionals related to cancer survivorship: A qualitative case study.” 

NP Ali is the Maryland State Liaison for the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) where she works to advance and support the NP profession at the state and national levels. She is also a member of the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) Champions program for clinicians and researchers interested in improving care for cancer survivors.

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Related Links

NP Ali's bio
https://bit.ly/48UcGPz

National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship article on NP Ali
https://bit.ly/497OI3u

National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
https://bit.ly/3TFSP22

The National Cancer Institute’s Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine
https://cam.cancer.gov/

American Society of Clinical Oncology's Integrative Oncology blog posts
https://bit.ly/4913b15

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Transcript
https://bit.ly/3JoA2mz

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This podcast features the song “Follow Your Dreams” (freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Ho…ur_Dreams_1918) by Scott Holmes, available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial (01https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) license.

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Disclaimer: The content and information shared in GW Integrative Medicine is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. The views and opinions expressed in GW Integrative Medicine represent the opinions of the host(s) and their guest(s). For medical advice, diagnosis, and/or treatment, please consult a medical professional.

Cancer Survivorship

Today on the pod we are going to talk about the science behind nutritional neuroscience with Stephen Fleming, PhD. This scientific discipline studies the effects various components of the diet such as minerals, vitamins, protein, carbohydrates, fats, dietary supplements, synthetic hormones, and food additives have on neurochemistry, neurobiology, behavior, and cognition, according to the journal Nutritional Neuroscience.

An expert on nutrition and cognitive development, Dr. Fleming is also the co-founder and CEO of Traverse Science, Inc., a company that helps researchers at global nutrition organizations take a visual and evidence-based approach to scientific substantiation.

He found his roots first in psychology (B.S) and later as a neuroscientist (PhD) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His mission is to create tools, teams, and frameworks that enable others to cut through misinformation and data overload to understand the science.

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Transcript
bit.ly/3JoA2mz

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This podcast features the song “Follow Your Dreams” (freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Ho…ur_Dreams_1918) by Scott Holmes, available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial (01https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) license.

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Disclaimer: The content and information shared in GW Integrative Medicine is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. The views and opinions expressed in GW Integrative Medicine represent the opinions of the host(s) and their guest(s). For medical advice, diagnosis, and/or treatment, please consult a medical professional.

Nutritional Neuroscience

Proton pump inhibitors, or PPIs, are a class of popular drugs that reduce the amount of acid produced in the stomach. They are often the first-line treatment for conditions related to acid, such as esophagitis, non-erosive reflux disease, and peptic ulcer disease.

We talk about PPIs and dementia with Misha Kogan, MD, ABIOM, RCST, medical director of the GW Center of Integrative Medicine and associate professor of Medicine here at GW. Studies show that people who take proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for more than four years and are 45 or older have a 33% higher risk of developing dementia than those who have never taken PPIs.

An expert on neurodegenerative diseases, Dr. Kogan completed the Geriatric Fellowship at GW.  He is the chief editor of the first definitive textbook on Integrative Medicine and aging, “Integrative Geriatric Medicine,” part of Andrew Weil Integrative Medicine Library series. 

Dr. Kogan is also on the faculty of the GW Institute for Brain Health and Dementias; associate director of the Geriatrics Fellowship Program at GW; and founder and director othe George Washington University Integrative Geriatrics Fellowship Track. 

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Related Content

Institute for Brain Health and Dementia
https://brainhealth.gwu.edu/

Choudhury A, Jena A, Jearth V, et al. Vitamin B12 deficiency and use of proton pump inhibitors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Expert Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2023;17(5):479-487. doi:10.1080/17474124.2023.2204229
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37060552/

Gommers LMM, Hoenderop JGJ, de Baaij JHF. Mechanisms of proton pump inhibitor-induced hypomagnesemia. Acta Physiol (Oxf). 2022;235(4):e13846. doi:10.1111/apha.13846
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35652564/

Geng T, Chen JX, Zhou YF, et al. Proton Pump Inhibitor Use and Risks of Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2023;108(6):e216-e222. doi:10.1210/clinem/dgac750
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36573284/

Liu W, Wang J, Wang M, Wang M, Liu M. Association of proton pump inhibitor use with risk of kidney stones: an analysis of cross-sectional data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007-2018). BMJ Open. 2023;13(10):e075136. Published 2023 Oct 16. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2023-075136
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37844987/

Gao S, Song W, Lin T, et al. Prolonged Use of Proton Pump Inhibitors, but Not Histamine-2 Receptor Antagonists, Is Associated With Lower Bone Mineral Density in Males Aged Over 70. Front Med (Lausanne). 2021;8:725359. Published 2021 Aug 23. doi:10.3389/fmed.2021.725359
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34497815/

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Transcript

https://bit.ly/3V1BoJT

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This podcast features the song “Follow Your Dreams” (freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Ho…ur_Dreams_1918) by Scott Holmes, available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial (01https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) license.

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Disclaimer: The content and information shared in GW Integrative Medicine is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. The views and opinions expressed in GW Integrative Medicine represent the opinions of the host(s) and their guest(s). For medical advice, diagnosis, and/or treatment, please consult a medical professional.

PPIs & Dementia Risk

Today we’re going to talk about broccoli, sulforaphane, and combating inflammation, as well as the new research and education discipline of microbes and social equity, with Sue Ishaq, PhD, founder of the Microbes and Social Equity Working Group, Principal Investigator at the Ishaq Lab, and assistant professor of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at the University of Maine School of Food and Agriculture.

The Ishaq lab investigate solutions for using microorganisms to resolve disordered communities and host health by increasing our understanding of the interactions between animal (or human) hosts and their resident microbiota.

Over the years, Dr. Ishaq's research has gone from wild animal gut microbiomes, to soils, to buildings, and back to the gut. Since 2019, her lab in Maine has focused on host-associated microbial communities in animals and humans, and in particular, how host and microbes interact in the gut and can be harnessed to reduce inflammation. She is also the early-career At Large member of the Board of Directors for the American Society for Microbiology, 2024- 2027. 

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Related Links

The Ishaq Lab
https://sueishaqlab.org/

The Ishaq Lab's Broccoli Project
https://bit.ly/3T1RSAf

Framing the discussion of microorganisms as a facet of social equity in human health
https://bit.ly/4cIJqwU

Introducing the Microbes and Social Equity Working Group: Considering the Microbial Components of Social, Environmental, and Health Justice
https://bit.ly/4e3zgYH

the mSystems special collection on related research
https://bit.ly/476smQv

The Microbes and Social Equity Working Group
https://bit.ly/4dFrTqH

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Transcript

bit.ly/3KPQRa6

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This podcast features the song “Follow Your Dreams” (freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Ho…ur_Dreams_1918) by Scott Holmes, available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial (01https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) license.

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Disclaimer: The content and information shared in GW Integrative Medicine is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. The views and opinions expressed in GW Integrative Medicine represent the opinions of the host(s) and their guest(s). For medical advice, diagnosis, and/or treatment, please consult a medical professional.

Save the Microbes, Save the World

In the summer of 2024, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released a Hemp Plant Reference Material to help labs accurately measure the amount of THC, CBD, toxic elements and other compounds in cannabis products. It will also help producers and state regulators ensure that cannabis products are safe to use and accurately labeled.

Today, we’re going to talk about NIST's Hemp Plant Reference Material and about improving cannabis science with leading experts in the field of cannabis medicine.

Our guests are Dr. Bryon Adinoff, president of the Doctors for Drug Policy Reform, and Dr. Leslie Mendoza Temple, former Chair of the Medical Cannabis Advisory Board for the Illinois Department of Public Health. 

Dr. Adinoff is an addiction psychiatrist, neuroscientist, academician, and advocate. He was appointed Clinical Professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine following his retirement as Distinguished Professor of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and as a psychiatrist for 30 years with the Department of Veterans Affairs. He has published over 200 papers and book chapters on the neurobiology and treatment of addiction and is Editor-in-Chief of The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse.

Dr. Temple is a Clinical Associate Professor for NorthShore University HealthSystem’s Department of Family Medicine and Medical Director of the NorthShore Integrative Medicine Program. She was recently appointed as an endowed Chair of Integrative Medicine by the Owen L. Coon Foundation. She is also a Clinical Associate Professor in Family Medicine at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine.

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Related Content

NIST’s New Hemp Reference Material Will Help Ensure Accurate Cannabis Measurements
https://bit.ly/3XWruef

NIST Tools for Cannabis Laboratory Quality Assurance
https://bit.ly/3Bq0lau

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Transcript
https://bit.ly/3THgP4F

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This podcast features the song “Follow Your Dreams” (freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Ho…ur_Dreams_1918) by Scott Holmes, available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial (01https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) license.

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Disclaimer: The content and information shared in GW Integrative Medicine is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. The views and opinions expressed in GW Integrative Medicine represent the opinions of the host(s) and their guest(s). For medical advice, diagnosis, and/or treatment, please consult a medical professional.

Improving Cannabis Science

Welcome to GW Integrative Medicine, a podcast about using an integrative approach to disease prevention and health promotion. We look forward to sharing the latest news and research on Integrative Medicine – where the best practices of conventional medicine and evidence-based complementary medicine meet. This podcast is brought to you by the Office of Integrative Medicine and Health, the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences,  in collaboration with the university's Integrative Medicine Programs and the IMPACT Initiative.