Medical Marijuana
The Stram Center is pleased to be able to prescribe medical marijuana to certain populations of patients, meeting required NYS mandated criteria. We believe that medical marijuana will be a good symptom control option for patients not adequately benefiting from conventional pharmaceutical symptom control for the qualifying conditions.
Medical marijuana, a controlled substance and classification in the United States as a Schedule I agent with high potential for abuse, is now able to be prescribed in designated forms by registered physicians for specified indications.It is derived from the Cannabis plant (including Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica species), and this plant has been used in medicine for thousands of years prior to achieving its current status as an illicit substance.
The human body has an endocannabinoid system, comprised of receptors or binding sites for cannabinoid substances which are either made in the body or taken in from outside the body.CB1 receptors are found primarily in the brain, and CB2 receptors function in our immune system and are anti-inflammatory.
Two major components of cannabis include THC (Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). THC is responsible for the therapeutic effects of cannabis use such as decreasing nausea and vomiting, increasing appetite, decreasing pain, and increasing muscle relaxation. It can however cause dizziness, sleepiness, and disorientation and has psychoactive properties. CBD alleviates anxiety, decreases seizures, relaxes blood vessels, causes pain relief, and is anti-inflammatory. The relative ratios of THC and CBD vary in the different allowable medical marijuana products available from NYS dispensaries.
In NYS, in order to receive a prescription for medical marijuana from a registered prescribing NYS physician, a patient must be diagnosed with one of the qualifying conditions listed: cancer, HIV/AIDS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury with spasticity, epilepsy, inflammatory bowel disease, Neuropathy, Huntington’s disease, Chronic Pain, or PTSD.
The prescribing NYS physician will need to complete a special medical marijuana prescription through the Health Commerce website, specifying the mode of medical marijuana delivery (vaporized/inhaled, oral/mucosal, oral capsule) as well as ratio of THC :CBD (1:9, 1:1, or 9:1). The patient would need to acquire a registration card through NYS in order to receive the prescribed medical marijuana. The medical marijuana would be obtained from specific NYS dispensaries. The dispensaries give recommended dosing through their pharmacists, and doses are readjusted based on patient response.
Your Stram Center Evaluation:
New Patients coming to the Stram Center for their first appointment for Medical Marijuana can provide a referral from their physician, or you may be diagnosed by our providers and evaluated for medical marijuana.
At the discretion of our prescribing practitioners, refills may be written for 6-12 months at a scheduled return visit.
Please call the office and follow the prompts for new patients to schedule your evaluation for medical marijuana: (518) 689-2244, option 2.
Integrative Treatment Options
Cancer Care
Integrative Oncology at the Stram Center The Center offers a wide variety of cancer care treatments — including IV therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, acupuncture, medical massage and clinical nutrition — to combat cancer cells, help boost your immune system, reduce the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation, increase your energy, reduce anxiety and…Cancer Care
Chronic Illness
Nowhere is the need for an integrative approach more apparent than in the management of chronic illness. We are a synthesis of many systems all working together, and when one or more systems become diseased, all of the others will be stressed as well. From physical challenges, to the challenges of everyday living, to a satisfying quality of life, we have to go past seeing that illness in…Chronic Illness
Integrative Cancer Care
KNOW ALL YOUR OPTIONS A cancer diagnosis is stressful, frightening and overwhelming. Making decisions about treatment during this phase is challenging. Conventional oncologists usually recommend only conventional treatment such as chemotherapy, radiation and surgery, but you may be left wondering, "is there something else that can benefit me?" Your cancer consultation at the Stram Center will…Integrative Cancer Care
Pain Management
Restorative Pain Solutions Pain can affect every part of our lives. Pain can lead to fatigue, emotional distress and many other challenges in addition to the physical discomfort. The causes of pain can vary widely, and although most people with chronic pain share much in common, every person living with pain has their own story. At the Center, our emphasis is on resolving the source of the pain,…Pain Management
Stress Reduction
Many of the therapies offered at the Center, from Integrative Medicine, to Massage Therapy, to Healing Touch, Acupuncture, and other forms of traditional Chinese medicine, are extremely effective in helping people reduce stress.Stress Reduction
