Dr. Maroon received an athletic scholarship to Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana where as an undergraduate, he was named a Scholastic All-American in football. Dr. Maroon has successfully maintained his personal athletic interests through participation in 9 marathons and more than 72 Olympic-distance triathlon events. However, his greatest athletic accomplishment is his participation in 8 Ironman triathlons (Hawaii – 1993, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2013; Canada – 1995; New Zealand – 1997; Germany – 2000), where he usually finishes in the top 10 of his age group. Recently, in July 2012 and 2013, he finished second and third, respectively, in his age group in the Muncie, Indiana half Ironman triathlon. In October 2013 he completed his 5th World Championship Ironman in Kona, Hawaii.Dr Maroon Discusses the Role of Medical Marijuana and Anxiety
October 2019 Northern Connection Magazine– In his latest article, Dr Joseph Maroon discusses the potential role of medical marijuana for reducing symptoms of anxiety. Dr. Maroon relates that in July 2019, the Pennsylvania’s Department of Health added anxiety to the list of qualifying conditions for the state’s medical marijuana programs. As the Department of Health noted, cannabis with low tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and high cannabidiol (CBD) is more effective for treating anxiety. Additionally, as Dr Maroon noted, some studies have shown high concentrations of THC can actually lead to increased anxiety and paranoia.
According to the CDC, the most common mental illnesses in the US adults are anxiety and mood disorders affecting nearly 40 million American adults. In a report from 2010, 11% of middle‐aged women (ages 45‐64) and 5.7% of middle‐aged men were on an anti‐anxiety drug(s). Large population studies have also shown chronic pain conditions are significantly associated with anxiety, especially true for those with headache and back pain.
Studies investigating CBD in subjects with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), a debilitating disorder that is characterized by impaired social adjustment, found that CBD was an effective treatment. In a simulated public speaking tasks in patients with SAD, who were pre-treated with CBD, had significantly reduced anxiety, cognitive impairment and discomfort compared to the placebo group, which had increased symptoms compared to the baseline level.
To read the entire article go to HERE
Here is the updated list of qualifying conditions, approved by the PA Department of Health for the use of Medical Marijuana:
Qualifying Medical Conditions
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
- Anxiety disorders.
- Autism.
- Cancer, including remission therapy.
- Crohn’s disease.
- Damage to the nervous tissue of the central nervous system (brain-spinal cord) with objective neurological indication of intractable spasticity, and other associated neuropathies.
- Dyskinetic and spastic movement disorders.
- Epilepsy.
- Glaucoma.
- HIV / AIDS.
- Huntington’s disease.
- Inflammatory bowel disease.
- Intractable seizures.
- Multiple sclerosis.
- Neurodegenerative diseases.
- Neuropathies.
- Opioid use disorder for which conventional therapeutic interventions are contraindicated or ineffective, or for which adjunctive therapy is indicated in combination with primary therapeutic interventions.
- Parkinson’s disease.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder.
- Severe chronic or intractable pain of neuropathic origin or severe chronic or intractable pain.
- Sickle cell anemia.
- Terminal illness.
- Tourette syndrome
Source – https://www.pa.gov/guides/pennsylvania-medical-marijuana-program/#HowtoGetMedicalMarijuana