8:30 am - Welcome and Introductions: Bonni Goldstein

8:35 am: Endocannabinoid Physiology: Dustin Sulak
Dr. Sulak presents a tour of our endogenous cannabinoid system, a cornerstone in our capacity for homeostasis and healing that is seldom taught in medical and nursing education. This material is the foundation for understanding the therapeutic effects of cannabis in a wide variety of health conditions.

9:15 am - The Cannabis Plant: Phytocannabinoids and Terpenes: Ethan Russo
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has been the primary focus of cannabis research, but more recently, the synergistic contributions of cannabidiol to its pharmacology and analgesic medicinal value have been demonstrated. Other phytocannabinoids including tetrahydrocannabivarin, cannabigerol, tetrahydrocannabinolic acid and cannabidiolic acid harbor additional effects of therapeutic interest. The cannabis terpenoids provide another echelon of phytotherapeutic agents: limonene, α-pinene, linalool, β-caryophyllene, et al. These half-siblings of phytocannabinoids are all flavor and fragrance components common to human diets that have been designated Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) by the US Food and Drug Administration and other regulatory agencies. Terpenoids are quite potent, and display unique therapeutic effects that may contribute meaningfully to the entourage effects of cannabis-based medicinal extracts. Cannabis flavonoids and root components also offer therapeutic promise.

10:00 am - Break

10:15 am - Clinical Applications of Medicinal Cannabis: Bonni Goldstein
Plant cannabinoids have the ability to treat many ailments due to the widespread nature of the endocannabinoid system and other targets of action. This lecture reviews the latest patient outcomes from medical cannabis therapeutics applied in the clinic, focusing on a number of treatment-resistant disorders, including disturbed sleep, cancer, gastrointestinal conditions and psychiatric disorders.

10:55 am - Medicinal Cannabis Delivery Methods and Product Selection: Eloise Theisen
This lecture will include the different cannabis route of administration, onset and duration of administration among the different routes, potential risks and benefits associated with the different routes, and bioavailability of the cannabinoid routes. A review of cannabinoids ratios and product availability will also be reviewed.

11:30 am - “Tiki Talk” Networking Lunch
Join us for an exclusive exhibitor gathering during the May 13th Lunch break. Set against the picturesque backdrop of the beach, this event offers a unique fusion of business and relaxation where each exhibitor is represented by a charming tiki stand.

1:00 pm - Special Considerations: Cannabis for Pediatric Patients: Bonni Goldstein
Since the airing of a 2013 CNN documentary highlighting the benefits of cannabis oil in a child with severe epilepsy and Dravet syndrome, the interest in cannabis medicine for children suffering from refractory conditions has exploded. This lecture will review the latest scientific literature supporting the use of medical cannabis in the pediatric population, with special focus on treating epilepsy and autism. Clinical dosing strategies and clinical pearls will be discussed.

1:30pm - Overview of Extraction, Importance of Product Formulation: Ethan Russo
This presentation will examine topics pertinent to cannabis formulations and administration: synthetic THC (Marinol®), cannabis smoking, pesticide, heavy metal and bacterial contamination, vaporization, cannabis edibles, oromucosal administration, and cannabis concentrates. Methods of formulation for herbal, supplement and pharmaceutical preparations will also be addressed.

2:00 pm - Treating Chronic Pain with Cannabis: Dustin Sulak
This lecture will review the latest scientific literature supporting the use of medical cannabis in the pediatric population, with special focus on treating epilepsy, autism and cancer.

2:35 pm – Cannabis for Neurological Disorders with Focus on Dementia: Ethan Russo
Neurological therapeutics have been hampered by its inability to advance beyond symptomatic treatment of neurodegenerative disorders into the realm of actual palliation, arrest or reversal of the attendant pathological processes. While cannabis-based medicines have demonstrated safety, efficacy and consistency sufficient for regulatory approval in spasticity in multiple sclerosis, and in Dravet and Lennox-Gastaut syndromes, many therapeutic challenges remain. This presentation will explore the intriguing promise that recent discoveries regarding cannabis-based medicines offer to neurological therapeutics by incorporating the neutral phytocannabinoids tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol, their acidic precursors, tetrahydrocannabinolic acid and cannabidiolic acid, and cannabis terpenoids in the treatment of four syndromes: brain tumors, Parkinson disease, Alzheimer disease, and traumatic brain injury/chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Current basic science and clinical investigations support the safety and efficacy of such interventions in treatment of these currently intractable conditions, that in some cases share pathological processes, and the plausibility of interventions that harness endocannabinoid mechanisms.

3:15 pm - Phytocannabinoid Dosing Strategies: Dustin Sulak
Dr. Sulak ties together the pharmacology and clinical applications of cannabis with practical strategies for maximizing benefit, preventing adverse effects, and developing individualized treatment regimens for your patients.

3:45 pm - Special Considerations: Cannabis for the Elderly: Eloise Theisen
This lecture will discuss special considerations with cannabis in the older adult including risk, benefits, challenges and improving outcomes. Chronic and age-related illness specific to geriatrics will be reviewed with a focus on how cannabis can play a role in reducing polypharmacy. Chronic pain will also be addressed with a focus on how cannabis can be used to reduce and/or eliminate opioid use.

4:10 pm - Drug-Drug Interactions and Side Effects: Bonni Goldstein
Although cannabis is one of the safest substances known to humans, there are some safety concerns that clinicians should be aware of. Understanding potential adverse effects, drug-drug interactions and other issues can help prevent unwanted problems and allow patients to achieve the best results.

4:30 pm - 5:00 pm: Q & A