Dr. Felecia Dawson is the CEO and main doctor of P.L.A.N.T.S for Lyfe. She has over 30 years of experience in holistic gynecology, integrative medicine, and functional medicine, and Essence Magazine named her one of the top female obstetricians and gynocologists in the country. Dr. Felecia dissolved her medical practice, Women for Women, in December 2016 to devote her full-time efforts to promoting, lecturing, and consulting on medicinal cannabis. She is Georgia’s first cannabis clinician to join the Society of Cannabis Clinicians. In this episode, Dr. Felecia talks about the organic contribution of medical cannabis to treat patients and shares meaningful research behind the cannabis CBD and its effect on pregnancy and women’s health in general.
Dr. Felecia lives in Georgia, where medical cannabis is technically allowed, but things are progressing slowly. Medical cannabis, or CBD oil with a low THC content, has been legal in her state since 2015. However, no one has produced it, and nothing has been done to make it available to the citizens of Georgia. Dr. Felecia continues to share that people have been waiting a long time to legalize medical cannabis. People currently have to break the law to find it, either transporting it to the state or making it themselves in the state. Many people don’t think Georgia is a full-fledged medical cannabis state because the only thing people will have is CBD oil with low THC content (5%).
Marrying Cannabis with Women’s Health
Dr. Felecia does not currently practice obstetrics and gynecology; however, she is now working with screening veterans for disability to assist them with their disability claims. As female veterans pass through, she occasionally takes care of them. Unfortunately, many of them suffer from the same aches and pains as male veterans, and many female veterans have been sexually assaulted while serving in the military. Dr. Felecia is dual board certified in obstetrics and gynecology, and integrative medicine, so she understands the link between the body, mind, and spirit. She tries to integrate all of that knowledge into her conversations with patients because she doesn’t see cannabis as another pharmaceutical alternative. She also tries to look at the big picture of what individuals are doing, their relationships, what they do for a living, how they sleep, eat, etc. When Dr. Felecia has consultations with a patient, cannabis, or CBD, is only one part of the story.
Cannabis has long been utilized to treat various gynecologic and obstetrical issues. Women use cannabis to relieve heavy, painful periods, sleep problems, and anxiety. It was utilized for pain relief during labor when people’s labors weren’t developing normally. It was once used to treat postpartum hemorrhage. Cannabis has long been utilized to treat women’s health issues. Some of the properties of the plant – anti-inflammatory, relaxing, smooth muscle, helping with depression, anxiety, all these things, help with a lot of gynecologic and women’s healthcare issues.
Cannabis and Pregnancy
Most studies state that by using cannabis during pregnancy, your babies will have a lower IQ, be smaller for their age, and their brains will be rewired. The majority of the studies indicate that you will experience pregnancy difficulties. But, as new study emerges, we’re learning more, which isn’t based on outdated information.
Part of the problem with the research is that we live in a prohibition market, or at least most of the country does, or there are still large pockets of prohibition. Even in states where marijuana is legal or medical marijuana is available. There is only a limited list of conditions for receiving a referral, and you can’t obtain a recommendation if you have a disease that isn’t included on that list. As a result, you’re already excluding a large number of people who suffer from ailments that could be helped by cannabis. People are forced to purchase their products from the legacy or the black market, which is unregulated and untested.
Dr. Felecia believes that a lot of the research is based on people using products from the black market or legacy market that have been grown in non-beneficial ways to the patient. Their toxins, solvents, pesticides, mold, mildew, heavy metals, and other contaminants have contaminated many products that people have used over the years of prohibition. When people get involved in the study, those toxic effects are revealed.
Using Cannabis Safely in Pregnancy
When people use an organic form of cannabis during pregnancy, they will have the best and possibly safest experience. That is solely because hemp and cannabis are bio-accumulators, and a full spectrum is required for the cannabis or CBD to be organic. They ingest contaminants from the air and water in the environment.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has recognized the impact of environmental pollutants on our health, and they’re even advocating that pregnant women or women trying to get pregnant detox before they get pregnant. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has stated that environmental pollutants significantly impact our health. First and foremost, anyone contemplating becoming pregnant should detox before conceiving. That means not only what you’re eating, but all of the things you’re putting on your skin, the makeup of your skin products, household cleaning products, etc.
Science has come a long way in researching the benefits and caveats of using cannabis, and the legal battle still ensues between corporations and psychedelic groups vs. those who vehemently deny its legality. But until such time that thorough research and test ensured that no substantial harm could be done even to a fragile pregnant mother, the status quo remains the same.
“Success for me is giving hope to people who are suffering and making an impact on the world at large. If you can give someone hope, that is the most important and meaningful thing you can do.”
3 DANK Points
- How to use cannabis safely during pregnancy and postpartum healing.
- Cannabis is only part of a greater holistic approach to treating patients.
- Publication bias and the negative stigmas towards Cannabis as a medicine.
Links
- P.L.A.N.T.S for Lyfe Website
- Felecia Dawson’s Website
- Felecia Dawson on Linkedin
- Felecia Dawson on Facebook
- Felecia Dawson on Instagram
- Felecia Dawson on Twitter
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