LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – The one room office of the Kentucky Medical Marijuana Center in the NuLu neighborhood continues to get busier. Doctors diagnose patients and make treatment recommendations largely for people seeking relief from chronic pain. Dr. Ryan Grell wasn’t surprised to find out the average age of his patients is 61.
“I was involved in a medical cannabis program in Massachusetts before I came here,” Dr. Grell, who is also the owner of the Center, said. “And it was very similar there. It’s skewed toward the patients who are dealing with these everyday issues that are inadequately managed.”
The Kentucky Medical Marijuana Center saw 3 patients in its first month. Last month it saw 98. And baby boomer curiosity continues to grow.
“We have a lot of older patients that medical marijuana to them was very taboo,” Jessica Grell, Kentucky Medical Marijuana Center Operations Director, said. “So, it’s like I don’t do this, but I am interested in seeing if it works.”
That is also not a surprise to patients like Jennifer Dunnegan, who finds older family and friends following her lead.
“They are all for it,” Dunnegan said. “My grandmother is another, she’s 96 years old and she’s completely for it.”
“Our average patient is somebody who’s in their 50s or 60s who’s had chronic pain,” Dr. Grell said. “Whether that’s chronic knee pain, chronic back pain, had multiple back surgeries, has tried, steroid injections, who tried physical therapy, but hasn’t really gotten the results they are looking for.”
There are currently six qualifying conditions for medical marijuana in Kentucky: chronic pain, MS, cancer, epilepsy, nausea and PTSD. Dr. Grell anticipates the legislature will expand that list to make medical marijuana available to more patients.
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