Medical Marijuana for Cocaine Dependence Patients in Louisiana

• Cocaine dependence leads to a condition called cocaine use disorder, characterized by prolonged cocaine use paired with psychological distress. One effective treatment for cocaine use disorder is harm reduction, which helps users reduce cocaine use without pushing abstinence.
• Medical marijuana has assisted many patients during harm reduction treatment, allowing them to wean off cocaine slowly and safely. Marijuana can also target the physical and mental symptoms of cocaine dependence, including depression, anxiety, and pain.
• Louisiana patients can gain access to medical marijuana if their cocaine dependence is debilitating. You can get your medical marijuana recommendation today with TeleLeaf.

Cocaine dependence, also known as cocaine use disorder, is categorized as a mental health condition in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, or the DSM-5. It severely impacts your health in more ways than one—physically, socially, mentally, and emotionally.

There is still much stigma surrounding drug dependence disorders, but you deserve a care plan that accommodates all your needs. Many patients are now turning toward an alternative to the Western model of medicine on their recovery journey: medical marijuana.

If you’re a cocaine-dependence patient in Louisiana, you may be able to treat your condition holistically with the healing power of medical marijuana.

It all depends on the severity of your dependence, and you’ll need a healthcare provider’s recommendation. TeleLeaf has all you need to know and more in the guide below.

Understanding Cocaine Dependence

Cocaine, known as an “upper” or stimulant drug, produces a short-term high when inhaled or injected. Many people use it for the energizing high it produces. Some users describe feeling more awake, clear-headed, and euphoric on cocaine, though many others report restlessness and paranoia.

The short-term side effects of cocaine use include:

• Elevated heart rate, breathing, and body temperature
• Unpredictable behavior
• Nausea
• Chest pain
• Vision troubles
• Muscle spasms
• Convulsions

Frequent use can lead to even more serious complications.

You may experience (or be at greater risk for):

• Irritability, paranoia, and mood swings
• Depression, psychosis, anxiety, or other mental health conditions
• Social isolation
• Nasal damage
• Respiratory infections or respiratory failure
• Nausea and stomach pain
• Chest pain, heart attacks, or strokes

Using cocaine repeatedly also creates a high potential for cocaine dependence and addiction. With long-term use, you may feel that you need to use the drug, and you may need to use more to achieve the same effects.

Cocaine dependence can lead you to develop cocaine use disorder, a mental health condition recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition—the DSM-5. If prolonged cocaine use causes you “significant impairment or distress,” you may have cocaine use disorder.

According to the DSM-5, other common signs include:

• Tolerance – When the same dose of cocaine produces progressively weaker effects, you may need to use more and more to continue achieving the same effects.
• Addiction – If you have an overwhelming desire to use cocaine, this desire can trump all others; you may find that you devote all your time to obtaining cocaine, using it, and recovering from using it. You may wish to stop using cocaine, but be unsuccessful in your attempts. You may also experience withdrawal symptoms if you stop using the drug.
• Self-destructive behavior – Despite your knowledge of cocaine’s negative physical and psychological health impacts on your body, you continue to use the drug. You may also isolate yourself from others and ignore important responsibilities like work.

Traditional treatments for cocaine use disorder include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), abstinence, and harm reduction.

Abstinence works for some cocaine dependence patients, but not all. Harm reduction differs from abstinence: Instead of prohibiting cocaine use, harm reduction encourages users to follow a healthier lifestyle without penalizing them for using cocaine.

For many patients, medical marijuana is the key to successful harm reduction treatment.

Managing Cocaine Dependence with Medical Marijuana

Medical marijuana is an important pillar of harm reduction for many cocaine-dependence patients. Marijuana use allows you to wean off of cocaine, a drug that is much more likely to cause serious and even fatal harm.

Some people believe that swapping one drug for another is counterproductive. However, many cocaine-dependence patients have significantly reduced their cocaine use by using medical marijuana.

Reducing cocaine use benefits your health—full stop.

Cocaine is considered a far more dangerous drug than marijuana as it increases the risks of serious cardiovascular, respiratory, and neurological issues.

Unlike cocaine, marijuana is:

• Non-addictive
• Unlikely to cause an overdose
• Non-lethal—no one has ever died from using marijuana

Medical marijuana may also combat some of the secondary conditions of cocaine use disorder including depression, anxiety, nausea, and pain. The cannabinoids found in marijuana work alongside your endocannabinoid system (ECS) to bring balance to your body and mind.

To safely and successfully wean off of cocaine using marijuana, you need to create a comprehensive care plan with the help of a qualified healthcare provider. You also need a medical marijuana recommendation to access dispensaries (or, in Louisiana, medical cannabis pharmacies). What does this mean for you as a Louisiana patient?

A Guide to Louisiana’s Medical Marijuana Laws

Since the federal government hasn’t passed national medical marijuana regulations, states have the right to create their own medical programs. This means that each state’s program can vary based on several factors—for example, which patients qualify for medical marijuana treatment.

The Louisiana Therapeutic Marijuana Act lays out a list of medical conditions that explicitly qualify patients for the program.

Some conditions include:

• Cancer
• HIV/AIDS
• Chronic pain
• Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Certain seizure disorders
• Severe muscle spasms
• Glaucoma

Cocaine use disorder does not fall on this list. However, the law also stipulates that any debilitating condition can qualify patients for medical marijuana use.

According to the act, any Louisiana-licensed physician, nurse practitioner, or medical psychologist in good standing with the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners can recommend marijuana use to qualifying patients.

If your provider believes you have a debilitating case of cocaine dependence that could benefit from medical marijuana treatment, they can give you a medical recommendation. Now, let’s look at this process in more depth.

How to Get a Medical Recommendation for Cocaine Dependence in Louisiana

Accessing medical marijuana in Louisiana is easier than many patients first think.

All you need is:

1. A qualifying condition
2. A medical recommendation from a state-licensed provider

What is a medical recommendation? Because of marijuana’s federal Schedule I classification, doctors can’t prescribe medical marijuana as they would a traditional medication. Instead, they can recommend medical marijuana treatment, which allows you to access products from your local medical marijuana pharmacy.

Again, any state-licensed clinician can recommend medical marijuana to qualifying patients. But how do you find a provider with immediate availability who will put your healing first? TeleLeaf can help.

Follow these four simple steps to get your medical recommendation and begin healing:

1. Fill out our short, 15-minute intake form – In addition to identity and contact information, we ask for important details like your medical history and healing goals. This helps us determine not only if you qualify for medical marijuana, but also how we can develop a care plan that takes all your healing needs into account.
2. Schedule your virtual appointment – You can meet with a provider as early as today to get your medical recommendation and start healing. We have appointments available Monday through Saturday from 8 AM to 8 PM CST.
3. Meet with your provider – Speak with your experienced and compassionate state-licensed clinician over the phone from the comfort of your home. During your quick appointment, you and your provider will discuss your symptoms, condition eligibility, and healing needs.
4. Gain immediate access to your medical marijuana pharmacy – Once you’ve obtained your medical recommendation, you’ll be able to pick up products from your local medical marijuana pharmacy. Louisiana has 10 pharmacies spread throughout the state to serve medical marijuana patients in every region.

Don’t let cocaine dependence continue to rule your life; take back control today with TeleLeaf.

TeleLeaf: Holistic Healing Solutions for Every Patient

Cocaine dependence and cocaine use disorder disrupt your life and steal your autonomy. Regain your independence today with a medical recommendation from TeleLeaf.

After we talk you through the initial application process and provide a recommendation, we don’t leave you hanging once you gain medical marijuana access. We connect you with local medical marijuana pharmacies and pharmacists who put your needs first. Get product recommendations, dosage advice, and more for a comprehensive care plan that helps you break free from cocaine dependence.

Contact us now for personalized care on your terms: Our support team is available to answer your questions Monday through Saturday, 8 AM to 8 PM CST.

Sources:

Psychology Today. Cocaine Use Disorder.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/conditions/cocaine-use-disorder

CNN. New potential for marijuana: Treating drug addiction.
https://www.cnn.com/2017/05/17/health/addiction-cannabis-harm-reduction/index.html

Marijuana Policy Project. Top 10 Reasons to Legalize and Regulate Cannabis.
https://www.mpp.org/issues/legalization/top-ten-reasons-to-end-marijuana-prohibition/

Harvard Health Publishing. The endocannabinoid system: Essential and mysterious.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-endocannabinoid-system-essential-and-mysterious-202108112569

Marijuana Policy Project. Overview of the Louisiana Therapeutic Marijuana Act.
https://www.mpp.org/states/louisiana/overview-of-louisianas-medical-cannabis-law/