Dr Rebecca Siegel, Clin. Psychiatrist @ Amen Clinics- Interview Series

If you’re using cannabis to treat chronic pain or anxiety or any other issue, I highly recommend you work with a cannabis-certified M.D. There are hundreds of compounds found in the cannabis plant so you need to work with a trained professional to choose the right combination to treat your particular issue.

Dr. Rebecca Siegel

Those of us who grew up in the 80s and have managed to “steer clear of drugs” probably have the “this is your brain on drugs” anti-drug commercials to thank for this. This was part of a nationwide anti-narcotics campaign that was sponsored by Partnership for a Drug-Free America (PDFA) to rid America of narcotics, including marijuana.

The original 1987 version features a middle-aged man, John Roselius, who smashes an egg (your brain) and pours the contents into a heated pan (drugs). And of course the egg (your brain) is fried adequately.

Dr. Siegel, clinical psychiatrist with Amen Clinics, admits to being a product of the “brain on drugs” anti-narcotics campaign. This influenced her perception of cannabis for many years, until her career in clinical psychiatry took an interesting detour.

Dr. Siegel is now a licensed prescriber of Medical Marijuana in NYS. She is the author of the newly published comprehensive and myth-busting guide on marijuana use and its effects on the brain. The book is titled: The Brain on Cannabis: What You Should Know about Recreational and Medical Marijuana.  We had the rare opportunity to interview Dr. Siegel and get her myth-busting insights; is cannabis good or bad for the brain? Let’s have a brain expert answer this question for us.

Meet Dr. Siegel

As a psychiatrist, how did you end up writing a book about cannabis?

Several years ago, one of my patient’s claimed that cannabis saved her life. I was not that familiar with it. I decided to do some of my own research and found that there is so much misinformation out there that is doing a disservice to patients. I decided to use my professional experience coupled with my access to brain imaging studies at Amen Clinics to write a book that addressed the myths and facts of cannabis. I figured if I had so many questions, others did too.

What has been the most startling misconception about cannabis that you’ve had to confront?

There is SO much more to using cannabis than just getting high. It is a therapeutic option that can help a person heal. It’s not just about the cerebral high. Cannabis can be extremely beneficial in treating certain conditions when used under a physician’s care. It is not a one size fits all drug, so patients should work with their doctor to choose the right products in the proper dosages in order to treat their condition most effectively.

As a physician who endorses use of medical marijuana, what’s the best advice you can offer others?

If you’re using cannabis to treat chronic pain or anxiety or any other issue, I highly recommend you work with a cannabis-certified M.D. There are hundreds of compounds found in the cannabis plant so you need to work with a trained professional to choose the right combination to treat your particular issue. Dosages, delivery methods, and formulation will all have an impact, so it’s best to use cannabis under a physician’s guidance.

What was the biggest thing you learned about cannabis while writing this book?

I’m still surprised by the lack of education and misinformation that’s out there. I’m a product of the “brain on drugs” era and even as a physician, I was clueless as to many of the facts I discovered when conducting research for the book. But the reality is that we’re always going to have these diverse views of cannabis until we invest in larger, more controlled research studies.

Bottom line, how does cannabis impact the brain?

There is still much to explore about how cannabis affects the brain – short and long term. That’s why we need more research to be done. We do know that our brains continue to develop until our mid-20s, so I’m not a proponent of adolescents and young adults using cannabis for recreational purposes.  I would only consider medical use if it is an issue that is severely impacting their functioning and is managed under a physician’s care. What research there is out there, also tells us that cannabis may impact the brain's frontal lobe, which is involved in decision making, and other areas involved in memory and emotions but again, we really need more large scale research studies to determine to what extent this occurs and the potential for long-term effects.

It’s rare to come across a medical practitioner who is bold enough to question highly emotive dogma such as “this is your brain on drugs.” What an honor it was to have this one-on-one with Dr. Siegel. To learn more about what she does you can check out her personal website.