The U.S. has experienced a wave of legalization of recreational cannabis across the country. This expansion of cannabis access followed a previous legal access to cannabis for medicinal purposes. The medical cannabis is now legal in most of the states, some of which have moved towards recreational programs. The popular support of cannabis legalization has gained traction in the last decade, fueled by its beneficial effects for chronic pain and untreatable epilepsy syndromes. These medicinal effects are driven by different cannabinoids. Thus, THC seems to possess analgesic effects, and CBD antiepileptic actions. Curiously, pain is the main reason for medicinal cannabis use and it is believed that THC or CBD could be beneficial to treat pain. This contrasts the FDA concerns about false and illegal health claims made by cannabis companies as part of their marketing strategy. A closer look at the cannabis market and the FDA warning letters uncovers an intriguing scenario with numerous implications for patients and even healthy individuals. This lecture will describe and analyze the implications of the current cannabis market and the cannabis marketing strategies for pain patients and how our research provides solid grounds to develop policies that help prevent misconceptions toward cannabis and reduce risks in patients.

1pm ET/10am PT