Posts Tagged ‘Dr Sean Breen’

Taxing Medical Marijuana;

Posted By Dr. Sean Breen on July 30th, 2010

As medical director for Medical Cannabis of Southern California I evaluate patients for medical marijuana recommendations full time.   I keep reading in the news about California and cities wanting to impose special taxes on the sale of medical marijuana.   Medical Marijuana should be taxed, but not at a higher rate than any other business or industry. This increased tax rate will only be passed on to patients.   Insurance does not cover medical marijuana so the burden is going to fall on patients which is not right.

An increase in the tax imposed on dispensaries will only fuel the black market for medicine where growers are operating under the radar and DO NOT pay sales tax.    I think what cities and the State needs to do is allow current dispensaries to operate FOR PROFIT so that they can show income and revenue.  They need to establish land use ordinances to determine how many they want in the city, allow them to get business licenses and pay taxes like everyone else.   Just treat them fairly!

Imposing a 10% tax rate plus and additional 2.5% like I have been reading about is going to be the nail in the coffin for many dispensaries.   The collective/dispensary business is not the cash cow that people think.   Most do not grow their own medicine and have to pay very high prices to get it from the growers.   Then there is a lot of competition which is keeping prices down.  The people who are going to suffer ultimately are the patients.

I similar example was the California Tax on cigars.   They decided that they were going to increase tax revenue by charging people who smoked cigars extra money.   Do you know what happened??  The local cigar shops got crushed because people now order them online from out of state to save the money.  The local cigar shops and the State of California are making $0.0 dollars on those sales.   Their thinking is counterintuitive and not effective.

Folks, before you get all excited about the increase in revenue your city is going to get you need to figure out what ultimately is going to happen by imposing higher tax rates on medical marijuana.

Posted in medical Marijuana Law
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Medical Marijuana Recommendations by Web Conference? Negligent Doctors stoop to new lows

Posted By Dr. Sean Breen on July 29th, 2010

It is really unfortunate the lengths that doctors are going to make money these days.   Recently medical marijuana recommendation clinics have opened up where the doctor see’s you over skype video conference.   The state medical board is very clear when they say that physicians MUST PERFORM A PHYSICAL EXAM when recommending cannabis to patients.    No doctor in their right mind would ever prescribe a blood pressure medication to a brand new patient that they have never met without meeting them in person and doing a physical exam.   So why would they do it for a medication like cannabis?? The simple answer is GREED.

Many of these doctors were in the medi-spa business (botox, laser skin care etc.) which has taken a nose-dive in this economy so they are looking to make a quick buck by performing medical marijuana recommendations over the internet.    It is amazing to me that they are putting their medical license at risk over the $80 they are charging.

Patients need to understand that these clinics will ultimately by shut down and their recommendations  are not legitimate.   These doctors will eventually be caught and disciplined by the medical board.  Some will lose their license to practice medicine in California.

Make sure when you are calling to find a doctor to discuss the benefits and risks of using cannabis that you ask them “will a doctor physically be there to examine me?”   If the answer is no then I would strongly encourage you to look elsewhere.

If you have questions feel free to contact my office at 877-721-0047

Be blessed,

Dr. Breen

Posted in Medical Ethics
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Medical Marijuana Patients In Irvine, CA July 27, 2010

Posted By Dr. Sean Breen on July 28th, 2010

If you are wondering what types of patients come in to see me for a medical marijuana recommendation, here is a list of all the complaints for the patients I had in Irvine today.  Most patients are coming in because of pain.   They are typically tired of using opiates such as vicodin and oxycontin and want an alternative.   Many of my patients are women in their 50’s and 60’s who are willing to try anything to get relief.

61 year old white female who using cannabis for her restless legs syndrome.

34 year old white male who has a diagnosis of anxiety and depression.

61 year old white female who suffers from arthritis

55 year old white male who had surgery to repair C5-6-7 herniated discs following a motor vehicle accident

51 year old white female who is going through menopause.  She has symptoms of anxiety, hot flashes, insomnia and is easily irritated.

41 year old white make who had reconstructive surgery on his right ankle and suffers from arthritis.

27 year old white female who suffers from anxiety since the age of 17.  She uses cannabis instead of xanax.

25 year old white make who injured his C6-7 vertebra surfing.   He uses cannabis for pain management.

59 year old white female who has sciatica and chronic lower back pain.  She uses cannabis instead of oxycontin.

You would be very surprised by the typical patients that I see using cannabis for their symptoms.   I think the majority of people when they think of medical marijuana envision “teenagers getting stoned.”  That is not the case and quite the opposite.

If you are suffering and would like more information on whether or not cannabis can help you improve the quality of your life feel free to call our office at 877-721-0047 or contact us online at www.mcsocal.com

Be blessed,

Dr. Breen

Posted in disease treatment
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Veterans Administration (VA) to Approve Medical Marijuana Use for Disabled Veterans

Posted By Dr. Sean Breen on July 27th, 2010

It has been a long time coming for United States Veterans who are in need of medical marijuana to treat their symptoms.   It has been VA policy that patients who have admit to using marijuana to treat their ailments would not be approved for benefits of other treatment modalities.    Because of the overwhelming numbers of veterans who suffer from PTSD, difficulty sleeping and chronic pain the government finally approved the medicinal use of marijuana.

This decision is near and dear to my heart.  I am a combat veteran and served with 1st Battalion 4th Marines in Iraq from Jan-Sept 2003.  I have been on the battlefield and know exactly what they are going through.  I have seen both Marines and Navy Corpsman take bullets for their country and am honored to have this opportunity to give back and take care of them.

I currently see patients full time in Long Beach (next to VA hospital) and Irvine  for medical marijuana recommendations. I have had more than a handful of veterans come in despite the VA’s old stance on medical marijuana.   They are my most rewarding patients for personal reasons.

It is time for these veterans to get a good nights sleep, stop their opiate dependency and reduce their dependence on benzodiazepines for their anxiety.

To make an appointment to come in and see me simply call my staff at 877-721-0047 or contact us through my website at www.mcsocal.com

Semper fi,

Dr. Breen

Posted in Medical Ethics, medical Marijuana Law
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Medical Marijuana and Medical Records; The Proper Marijuana Evaluation

Posted By Dr. Sean Breen on July 23rd, 2010

After testifying in court yesterday for a patient of mine arrested for cultivation in San Diego I can not stress enough the importance of working with a medical clinic that demands medical records.    The first thing the court did when they arrested him was to subpoena his medical file.    The judge wanted to make sure that he was a legitimate patient.    The great news for my patient was that we had HIS ENTIRE MEDICAL history intact.  Everything was done according to the letter of the law.

If you a medical marijuana patient or want to obtain a doctors recommendation make sure you make the extra effort to get ahold of your medical records.  The clinic MUST keep them on file for you.   You do not want to be in a situation where your recommendation is not valid because the doctor did not perform a face to face exam and document your illness.

Per the attorney, most doctors are not willing to take the time to show up at court and testify.  Her last case involved a doctor from MMEC (medical marijuana evaluation centers) who has this attorney protection plan…. who refused to show up to court on behalf of her client who was the patient.   She said it really hurt his case.

If you would like to discuss whether or not medical marijuana can improve the quality of your life feel free to call us at 877-721-0047 or contact us through our website at www.mcsocal.com

Be blessed,

Dr. Breen


Posted in medical Marijuana Law
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Sjogrens Syndrome, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Medical Marijuana

Posted By Dr. Sean Breen on July 22nd, 2010

Today I took care of a 58 year old women who suffered from Sjogrens Syndrome and Rheumatoid Arthritis who had tried medical marijuana recently and found relief of her symptoms.   Her arthritis mostly affected her hands and shoulders and required multiple drugs for pain management.     She had been on Bextra then Vioxx then Celebrex but had to stop all of them because of kidney disease.    She was at her “wits end” and wanted an alternative to help her get some relief and sleep throughout the night.

Sjogrens syndrome is an autoimmune disease where the bodies white blood cells attack the lacrimal glands which produce tears for the eyes (lubrication) and also the salivary glands.   Most commonly patients complain of dry eyes and dry mouth.  Patients often walk around sipping water all day to keep there mouth moist.   In this patients case her taste buds were affected as well which made it difficult for her to enjoy food.   She found that certain strains of marijuana really improved her appetite and helped her deal with this debilitating disease.

Many patients with Sjogrens syndrome also develop rheumatoid arthritis.   Unfortunately there is no cure or way to reverse the arthritis so patients must learn way through nutrition, physical therapy and medication to improve the quality of their lives.   I have found many patients who use cannabis do REALLY well and don’t require near as much medication as patients who do not use cannabis.  The medically active ingredients in the plant bind to receptors on the white blood cells that cause inflammation and help reduce the pain.

The great thing about marijuana is that is is not toxic to any of the major organs in the body, is not addictive and can be taken over long periods of time.   It can be inhaled without having to smoke it by using a vaporizer and it is almost odorless.

If you would like more information on whether or not medical marijuana can improve the quality of your life feel free to give us a call at 877-721-0047 or contact us though the website at www.mcsocal.com

Be blessed,

Dr. Breen

Posted in disease treatment
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Polymyalgia Rheumatica and Medical Marijuana; Alternative Treatment

Posted By Dr. Sean Breen on July 21st, 2010

Today in my Irvine office I took care of a 71 year old man who suffers from Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) and wanted to see if medical marijuana could reduce his symptoms and decrease the amount of prednisone that he is taking.   Specifically, PMR is characterized by pain in the muscles of the neck, shoulders, lower back and hips/pelvis.   It’s key pathology is inflammation which in turn leads to pain.   The reason why medical marijuana works so well is because the cannabinoids(medically active ingredients in the marijuana plant) have both anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain reduction) properties.

PMR typically affects patients older than 50.  It is very common that patients also have giant-cell arteritis (temporal arteritis) which is inflammation of the medium and larger arteries.   Commonly patients have headache, jaw claudication (pain) and sometimes visual changes.   The reason for these is that the artery most commonly affected runs across the temple’s bilaterally (temporal artery).

PMR is difficult to treat.  Typically patients get placed on a course of prednisone which is a big gun drug to reduce inflammation in the body.    PMR symptoms will usually improve dramatically when given prednisone.   The duration of initial treatment can be weeks to months.   50% of the patients will have flare-ups when the prednisone is tapered.

The problem with prednisone is that is has A LOT of side effects. Weight gain, psychosis and mood swings, fluid retention, increased appetite,  swelling, easy bruising, headache, insomnia and muscle weakness (there are many more but these are the most common).  My patient was having a lot of edema (swelling) and his mood swings were unbearable (according to his wife)   He had been using medical grade marijuana for the past two weeks and has had good results.    His pain has been reduced dramatically and he is sleeping much longer and throughout the night…. something he hadn’t done in “years”.

The goal for a patient like this is to help him wean off the prednisone, pain killers and sleeping pills and substitute with cannabis.  Certainly it is a very obtainable goal.

If you suffer from arthritis or muscle pain and/or have been diagnosed with Polymyalgia Rheumatica and would like to see if medical marijuana could potentially help you feel free to contact us by calling 877-721-0047 or through our website at www.mcsocal.com

Be blessed,

Dr. Breen

Posted in Uncategorized
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PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and Medical Marijuana; A supplemental Treatment Approach

Posted By Dr. Sean Breen on July 20th, 2010

Lately I have been seeing more and more patients with PTSD looking to medical marijuana as an alternative to the medications that their psychiatrists have prescribed.   Because I have an office in Long Beach next to the VA and also take care of many Marines from Camp Pendleton I am seeing more and more how cannabis is helping them.

Let me make one point that is very important for PTSD patients to understand.  Medical Marijuana is not going to cure your symptoms. You will still need ongoing therapy and psychiatric counseling to REALLY get past this time in your life.   What medical marijuana can do if help you reduce your dependence on drugs like Trazodone/Xanax/Ambien for sleep and reduce your dependence on mood stabilizers like paxil/prozac/seroquel.  Often these medications have side effects that do not justify the benefit of taking them daily.    Many of my patients tell me that one or two doses using a vaporizer when they come home from work helps them relax and get a good nights rest.

Being a combat veteran myself I understand the stresses that our veterans go though and what they experience when they get home.  I spent 9 months with an infantry unit (1/4 out of Camp Horno, 1MARDIV) in Iraq from Jan-Sept 2003.   I definitely witnessed my share of casualties and had more than one RPG sent my way.   I have lost Navy Corpsman to bullets and covered a KIA marine with a US flag in the heat of battle.   There is nothing more terrifying than the thought of being killed on a regular basis.

I do not take this medication lightly and want to make sure that our military leadership and veterans understand that medical marijuana is an option for them to consider.   It make work and it may not.  But I think it is worth discussing and you should be willing to give it a try if you are frustrated with your current treatment plan.

I have offices in Long Beach and Irvine and see patients 5 days per week.   Our office number is 877-721-0047 or contact us through the web at www.mcsocal.com

Semper fi,

Dr. Breen

Posted in disease treatment
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Medical marijuana patients show up on timel A friendly reminder

Posted By admin on July 16th, 2010

To all my amazing patients:  this is just a friendly reminder that if you are not going to be able to make your appointment to PLEASE PICK UP THE PHONE AND LET US KNOW.  We understand that things come up and your schedule changes but by letting us know  aren’t going to make it we can book another patient for your time slot. It really helps our office and staff to get that call!

Thank you in advance.  We work extremely hard on making sure you are seen at your scheduled time.   Unlike other clinics we DO NOT accept walk ins. You will not have to sit and wait for 15 people to see the doctor before you.   We value your time very much and run a very unique and professional clinic.

Posted in Uncategorized
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Anaheim Case Banning Medical Marijuana Collectives; Court to Announce Decision

Posted By Dr. Sean Breen on July 16th, 2010

Word on the street is that the court of appeals is about to rule in an Anaheim Medical Marijuana lawsuit which challenged the City of Anaheim’s outright ban on medical marijuana collectives.   This case has been ongoing for the past three years and should send shock waves throughout the State of California.

The City of Anaheim, like many other cities, created an ordinance that banned collectives (dispensaries) within the city limits.   This ban was challenged as unconstitutional.  How can the city ban something outright that is legal in the State?  The common sense answer is that they shouldn’t be allowed to.  But they did and patients in Anaheim have had to drive further distances to get their medicine.

If the court rules that Anaheim CAN NOT ban collectives then I think we will see another explosion of collectives that open up  across the state.   If the City wins then I think the decision will have a domino effect and other cities will look to BAN collectives as well.    Either way expect the landscape of medical marijuana collectives to start changing fast.

My thought is that Anaheim is going to lose this and it will be appealed to the state supreme court for a final ruling.   The bottom line is that cities need to accept that medical marijuana patients should have safe access to medicine and they just need to coexist peacefully.    CREATE A LOGICAL ORDINANCE AND BE DONE WITH THIS!

Be blessed,

Dr. Breen

Posted in medical Marijuana Law
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