Mary Lynn Mathre, President and Co-founder of Patients Out of Time, sits down with John Malanca to discuss an important upcoming conference: The 14th National Clinical Conference on Cannabis Therapeutics: State of the Science. This virtual conference will be held May 20-22, 2021.
Go here to learn more and get your ticket today: https://patientsoutoftime.com/
For 25 years, Patients Out of Time’s accredited clinical conference series has been internationally regarded for providing the best in science based education for medical professionals, caregivers, patients and the public on the subject of cannabis therapeutics, establishing the organization as an authoritative leader in this field. You won’t want to miss this online conference!
Join Patients Out of Time for this 3 day event: https://patientsoutoftime.com/
About Mary Lynn Mathre, President, Board Of Directors Founding Director, RN, MSN, CARN:
Mary Lynn (ML) is the President and Co-founder of Patients Out of Time and Past President and Founding Member of the American Cannabis Nurses Association (ACNA). She is the editor of Cannabis in Medical Practice: A Legal, Historical and Pharmacological Overview of the Therapeutic Use of Marijuana (1997) and co-editor of Women and Cannabis: Medicine, Science and Sociology (2002). Ms. Mathre served on the planning committee for Patients Out of Time’s national clinical cannabis conference series that began in 2000; has authored numerous papers and chapters on medical cannabis; authored several organizational resolutions supporting medical cannabis; is a co-host on two weekly radio programs on medical cannabis; testified before numerous state legislative committees; and has spoken on the topic of medical cannabis at numerous local, regional, national and international conferences.
For more information on Patients Out of Time, their conference line-up and topics covered – https://patientsoutoftime.com/
Transcript
Interview with Mary Lynn Mathre, Founder Patients Out of Time
John Malanca 0:18
Welcome back, John Malanca, with United Patients Group Be Informed. Be Well. Today I have an old dear friend, I got called out on saying an old friend one time and it’s like I’m not old. So, you know what, come on a longtime friend pioneer in this industry, Mary Lynn Mathre. She’s an RN. But she and her husband Al, started this organization 25 years ago called Patients Out of Time. And when I say it’s one of the lead, you know, we’ve done a lot of similar things here, United patient group, but patients at a time was where criminai really saw the need for education. And so with that, we’ve done a lot with Mary Lynn. And now over the years with patients out of time, not only sponsoring but supporting and really getting the word out, and not only and I’ve heard you have many of our followers, excuse me, many of our guests that I’ve had on the show knew nothing about cannabis, and these are doctors and nurses. And they went to a patient out of times event or conference and went jaw dropped, said oh my gosh, Beth das one of our nurses. That’s how we’re she learned about cannabis Don steenstrup also learned about cannabis. The list goes on Ryan’s Zach Lin Nigam are Jehan marku. And these are all very well educated people in this industry, talking about education talking about the science behind and so on that introduction, Mary Lynn, awesome to see you also known as ml. So if you hear me say MLS, it is Maryland but awesome to see you, Marilyn.
Mary Lynn Mathre, RN, MSN 1:53
Great to see you too, john.
John Malanca 1:55
So you guys, have you seen it all? It’s funny. People always say, oh, john, you’re the pioneer in this industry. I said I laughed. I said, I’m far from the pioneer. There are people have been doing this. For years, you know, years, you really have have really tried to bring the stigma down about cannabis as an edge in talking about education and the benefits. Can you talk about let’s talk about? Well, before we go on, I want to I want to talk about your conference ml. Share your background because you’re a nurse, you’re an RN, and you’ve been leading this way for not only a medical professional but our engine this industry too.
Mary Lynn Mathre, RN, MSN 2:34
Yeah, well, I’m a nurse, as you said, and getting out of school, I joined the Navy, was stationed in Portsmouth, Virginia and then down at Roosevelt roads, Puerto Rico was down in Puerto Rico. I met my husband our and I got out of the service he continued on but so we’re both being Navy veterans. And we got involved with cannabis. It was in the 80s when drug testing started. And of course it started with the veterans with excuse me that veterans with millet active military, they were the guinea pigs. Remember one time and this is kind of off story. But there literally was a time when there were train cars, carload trains, all of urine specimens. Wow. From the military, getting them off to be tested. But anyway, that started us it got us connected with normal, the National Organization for marijuana laws. And this was like in the 80s. And then by 8485, I went we were stationed he was stationed in of all places, Cleveland, Ohio, but we got there because I was going to grad school at Case Western. I did my thesis on marijuana disclosure to healthcare professionals. And I thought, okay, we’re 1984 Where am I going to find people who admit to using cannabis, very difficult, and at that time, I thought marijuana, I only knew to call it Tony, I
John Malanca 3:56
was gonna correct you. And just for the record. Marilyn educated me back in 2011 to 12 about the term marijuana versus cannabis. And because of that, Marilyn, I only use the word cannabis.
Mary Lynn Mathre, RN, MSN 4:10
Yeah, I know, it’s hard to go back to when we shouldn’t. Not that it’s a negative thing. It’s just that our country made it into a negative thing, you know, created all the stigma about it. But so I wanted to do a survey and so we thought, Oh, we could go through normal. Probably not. You don’t have to use cannabis to blog to normal, but probably most people did. Yeah, I mean, it tells you that so I did that and I got 900 responses. It was a survey on disclosure with with a person if their physician or nurse asked about their marijuana use would they admit to use and survey came back it was very interesting. But the last question on my survey, I got like 900
John Malanca 4:49
is all showing less server service men and women are they are they
Mary Lynn Mathre, RN, MSN 4:52
normal so this is normal population in the old days for the internet. back in time before the internet. They have a leaflet every A month or every two months, they send out the leaflet, which was news on on cannabis on marijuana. And so they put it in it was the last page to tear off on their leaflet, that they could then mail into normal normal mail it to me. So patients felt that it would all be confidential. And the agreement was that I would let normal know the results so that they could tell the members, so it was all happy. The last question I asked was, oh, and the answer to the whole survey was most were never asked by their health care professionals. If they were asked over half said that they would admit to us because they thought that the health care professionals should know about that. But those who wouldn’t said, it’ll be on my record, they’ve got an attitude towards me, I could get into legal trouble. It was all worries about the stigma related to it and the legal consequences, that they would be afraid to admit it. But my last question was, what are your health concerns about cannabis? And they could choose, you know, its effects on my brain, on my lungs on my heart, all the way through and saying a fetus for pregnant women. Yeah. And other and people started writing in and other I had, I use it for multiple sclerosis. I’m a spinal cord injury patient, and it really helps with my best is they actually wrote in the other what their issue is what their Yeah, they were basically saying, I’m not worried. And they say, and they could say, no concerns at all, even though I’m a moderate user, no concerns, even though I’m a heavy user, and people check that and then they go down other and write in. And I was like, I knew it was good for chemo induced nausea and vomiting. I knew patients use it back then. And I heard about glaucoma, but these other things were like, I was just read, you know, I’m reading this and kind of like, Oh, my goodness. So then I started reading, I found out about cannabis, and the whole history there. And then normal was very pleased with the results. So they asked me if I would be the director of their Council on marijuana and health.
John Malanca 6:58
And so when I present I always have a roll of duct tape on the on the slide. And many of my audiences heard this, but the people the audience, look at my duct tape slide, they look at me like a wrong slide. And I always laugh. I said, I have that up there. Because I don’t want to say duck. cannabis is like duct tape with a million in one uses. But you really get down to it. You’d be surprised on just how we sat there at your conference. So and, you know, talking about diabetes, cancer, ALS, tumors. I mean, the list goes on and on and on. And and I and I know you agree with me as well. It’s not the golden pill, the golden ticket, the Willy Wonka, you know, chocolate golden ticket. But at least let patients have an option. Right? Let them have an option. You and I have both seen it work. And we’ve both seen it not work. And you know in definition to me is saving a life and definition for others is end of life care. You help my loved one pass on. They were they weren’t in a drugged out stupor. And, you know, we’re willing to converse with them. They weren’t constipated from all the medications, help them with pain, help them with sleep, help with nausea, you know, and so that’s that’s really something that you now have really solidified in this industry.
Mary Lynn Mathre, RN, MSN 8:14
And we broke it up to the point that we’re starting out with the state of the laws of cannabis laws and regulations. And it’s not going to be nitty gritty, each state but try to help people understand the problems we have with the federal law, federal prohibition, the state laws, all different etc. Problems with veterans with minorities and those issues. The state of clinical review of cannabis research, and this is talking about just the hurdles people have to go through to get research done and the problems we still have because the way the government allows us to do research is using NightA cannabis and neither cannabis is nowhere near what patients are using. Not close by it. Yeah. So we’re going to talk about that state of cannabis education, what’s happening with nursing schools, med schools, etc, which is a sad case. But there’s some really some good news we’re going to have with that. That’s on Thursday, then on Friday. It’s the State of the Science and really trying to bring people up on on the science there. And, you know, I should probably cheat and even take a look, I gotta check my schedule here.
John Malanca 9:17
But even your speakers, I mean, you that’s the one thing that you have out, have built a reputation in our community in our industry show for the pioneers. You know, how say you have some incredible speaker, Ethan Russo. I mean, just right there. Bonnie Goldstein, who is wonderful. She’s been on the show. Deb timless has spoken when we couldn’t I did our conference in Maryland and you were there as you were speaking as well. Patricia fry, who, you know, have been on been on the show and I’ve done a lot of work with her over the years. Greg Germann. I mean the list goes on to Sicily. Who am I missing? zuba Cooper who I just did something with mpra with Dustin shoe, lac.
Mary Lynn Mathre, RN, MSN 10:01
He married. Yeah, dude, he married from Israel.
John Malanca 10:04
He does an incredible I guess presentation. Is he still doing autism as well? Or what will we be speaking on this time?
Unknown Speaker 10:13
I think a little bit of everything but cancer. I know he’s gonna
John Malanca 10:17
be okay. Is anybody speaking on pancreatic this year?
Unknown Speaker 10:20
Not that I know specifically. I come up in the in the general. And another one Stacy Gruber. Who’s
John Malanca 10:28
Yeah, done things with her in the past. And then you know, the list goes on. But and I love it because it’s coming in from the 100% medical side. And so this is what not only for for medical professionals, but for the public as well. And now being online. You know, you don’t have to travel. You know, I’m kind of getting used to this, but I do miss the camaraderie that we have at the events. And for our listeners, I emcee the, what was it 2017 2018 in New Jersey? Was it a 2017 or 2018 2018 2018. And so I, you know, and I talked about you on my show all the time, and it’s something that I truly believe any medical professional, whichever side of the fence, Ron will come away with a different different understanding and a real understanding about the benefits of this plant.
Unknown Speaker 11:18
And then we find out about the endocannabinoid system, which is involved in probably everything you mentioned, Vincenzo de marzo, probably the most prolific researcher and writer on the endocannabinoid system, from Italy. And in the mid 1998, or something, one of his articles he talked about the endocannabinoid system in that it helps us eat, sleep, relax, protect and forget. And it’s like, wow. And from that we’re all saying it’s involved in almost every physiological reaction that’s going on in our body. It is so important. So the idea that this still is not in every medical school in every nursing school, is a crime. And even if it’s not in basic biology classes, you know, in high school, when you’re learning about the human body, and you learn about the circulatory system and the skeletal system and the pulmonary system, where’s our endocannabinoid system, you know, they’ve got we’ve got to get it in so people understand, because there’s way things you can do. We’ve learned about yoga helps with the endocannabinoid system. meditation can help acupuncture that’s kind of stimulating the endocannabinoid system. clearly what we eat. And I said earlier about the hemp seed hemp seed oil or cannabis seed seeds from either plants going to be good, but having hemp sprouts from the plant, or baby leaves putting them in salads. That’s your green leafy vegetable. Yeah. Yeah. And then of course, you do someone that’s an older with because they don’t care. But you know, and that’s, I think, again, for the listeners. That’s nothing psychoactive, that’s that’s Think of it as a vegetable because that’s exactly what it is. Those cannabinoids are an acid form. They’re not going to be getting you high or stoned. But giving you a lot of nutrition.
John Malanca 13:04
Yeah, you know, when when we shared that education with Chris father when he was going through, and he just looked at us and he said, Why hasn’t someone sued the US government for murder? And we said, Wow, coming for him. He was such a humble man. I was like, wow, and we did an article on that it’ll and it got a lot of coverage. And it was more so of how they have scheduled federally one scheduled no medical benefits, but at the same time, patent neuroprotective as medical benefits, and it’s like, take your pick, guys, you know, take your pick. And that’s, that’s frustrating. And that’s the part that said that, when I was sharing earlier about, you know, at least let patients have an option. You know, and not being for them is what I was saying, Okay, yeah, okay. I don’t want to get cannabis. I’m like my grandfather, I don’t want to be, you know, drug drug drugs. And I was his mindset. And so that’s, and I share with you all the time, because a lot of families call and say, you know, I’m sure my, my loved one won’t, won’t try this. And I said, you know, Bill or Sue. It’s not your journey, and you can’t please at the end of life, you’re they’re scared, they’re desperate. They’re weak, you know, and so don’t force it. And if sometimes it helps, when you share a story that people will say, What do I do share a story, and they come back and they see another person that looks like them, if it’s a senior male or a woman or man or kid and go, I’d like to try that. And so sometimes it takes an outsider, like, I have friends from high school to say, Man, I can’t thank you enough. My mom’s using cannabis because you and I, what did I do? He’s like, well, she watched your show or your mom said something. But we’ve been trying to get her to do it for years. And it’s sometimes it takes an outsider to share in so doing, you’re bringing it back to your conference. If I’m going to guarantee I’ll say guarantee this but if you watch it This conference if you if you if you don’t get something out of this conference, Marilyn will refund you
Unknown Speaker 15:08
know that? I can say that. Yeah.
John Malanca 15:10
You know, but that’s that’s how much confidence I have in the education and the information that is, I mean, people walk out of there going, how is that even possible that I did not learn this in medical school or nursing school? or How come I’ve never heard of this, you know, and you’d be blown away in the I mean, the list of speakers, like you say you do two days, and this is a three day so the list of speakers is incredible when I saw your the agenda, not only of the topics, but also the speaker, I’m like, you know what? That’s called being a pioneer of history and say, Hey, would you like to speak? Heck yeah. What do you what do you want me to know? And so, for our, for our audience, if you really look at that list of speakers, those are the tops and tops in this industry that have really looked looked at this as a therapeutic. cannabinoids are therapeutic, you know, and, and, but I think you’ll be blown away and on the topics, and you can find that not only the agenda, but the list of speakers on patients out of time.com. For our medical professionals that are watching with the it is accredited. How many accreditation units or credits are they getting? Will they receive
Unknown Speaker 16:28
15.5? So yes,
John Malanca 16:30
thank you, which is a CME or see your sheet you
Unknown Speaker 16:33
see, CMEs pharmacists will get it and the nurses can use the CME so it’s 15.5 contact hours. So we’re really happy about that. Yeah.
John Malanca 16:42
And are they puree category one? Yep, category one. So the top of the top And so again, not surprised, but Mary Lynn and l do everything with not only a class act, but the top of the top to get this information out. And they do an incredible job with that as well. When when they when they do this, will they be able to get what could you did say that they would they would be able to go watch it. So it’s almost like on demand where I can watch, you know, a couple speakers here next week? What do they have access for a full year with that? Or how does that work?
Unknown Speaker 17:12
No, it’s going to be about a month. But what is so in watching it, what you’re going to get live, I mean, it’s going to be taped presentations to an extent but all of the, at the end of each of these sessions, the speakers are there for the q&a. And so obviously being live, you want to get the q&a. So a person might look at the schedule and say, Oh, I’m going to I don’t have time for that topic or something and know that you can take that link and get back to it later and see it later. But we hopefully especially get there for the q&a. So you’ll have a chance to interact with the speakers and ask whatever questions you have concerns, or if people have the chance to write, put the questions in on the side. And so we’ll have somebody monitoring questions, gathering them all for everybody. So if there’s one other thing I’d like to bring up. So please people think about the conference. And you know, for a lot of you get if you’re not a healthcare professional, bug the heck out of your own health care professional to come take it because they need to understand this, and not just for you for all of their patients. You know, when you have something that literally governs your whole body, and you’ve got a clinician who doesn’t know that science, they’re really missing the boat. I mean, there’s just too many reasons that they need to understand this. But the other thing I want to bring up is we have a petition. Resolution, I guess I should say, but it’s to D schedule cannabis. So if you go to the website, you’ll find this D scheduling petition. It’s Gosh, I think it’s about four pages long. So it’s you know, it’s the old fashioned writing of whereas cannabis is an ancient plant, whereas cannabis, you know, is non toxic, no overdoses. And it just goes on about different facts about cannabis just explaining all this, that the resolve is, be it resolved, that the government needs to take it out of schedule one D schedule this cannabis free the plant, allow it get all people who are charged with possession or growing cannabis out of prison, allow veterans to use it in the VA to cover that expense for them. So it’s that sort of resolute resolution. We’ve got a lot of organizations who’ve signed on to it. I think I can’t remember at last I looked maybe 127 or something organizations but
John Malanca 19:23
I think we signed on it you know patient group is on
Unknown Speaker 19:26
Yes. And then and now we’re looking for individuals as well. We just want this living and keep growing it and keep growing it and people can download it and just use it to educate your your representative.
John Malanca 19:38
It’s funny I have it now a dear friend but they contacted us they’re from Georgia and they became cannabis refugees. They moved out to California, Sawyer’s mom so we’ve had shorter max on the on, on in he had do syndrome. And do syndrome is another rare epileptic seizure where he was having 200 300 seizures a day. We’d wear a helmet Pillsbury Doughboy puffy with all the medications and make a long story short, they tried cannabis before becoming a cannabis refugee. It came out, they tried, they met with a doctor. But I’ll be done. And so they said, let’s do it. And so here’s mom and dad left their work left their jobs, sore. His mom is a is a nurse. So she found a position out here. And he hasn’t had a seizure, I want to say in five years, and he is top of his class, he’s running around with his brother’s sister. He’s playing baseball, he’s writing, he’s falling, he’s jumping, he’s doing everything. And it’s beautiful to see that. But I remember before they left Georgia, his doctor, he you know, he comes in there and the doctor says, there’s not enough proof. And his dad says, Look at my son. Do you see any bruises on him? Do you see him with that helmet on? Do you see how puffed out all the puffiness? No, no, no. It’s working. So I think that that’s enough proof to show you that this plant does have some benefits, because I have received my son back. And it’s a beautiful story. And they become Dear friends, you know, dear friends, and it’s just wow. And so, you know, like I said, it’s, it has so many benefits. And again, not for everyone, as you just said as well, but at least be open minded and for medical professionals. This is event that I truly believe that you will get a lot out of and with everyone asking about cannabis nowadays, you know, why not be the leader in your community? When it comes comes to knowing about medication? Because I would share? It’s not illegal to ask the question, even if you live in a legal or illegal state, maybe different in different countries. But in here in America is not illegal to ask that question too. And so anyway, but Marilyn, it’s always a pleasure working with you seeing you. And I’m excited about your 14th National clinical conference on cannabis therapeutics, State of the Science on May 20 to 22nd 2021 you can find Mary Lynn and her organization patients out of time, proud to say I’m a board member and a supporter of the every every one of their conferences, and proud to be a friend as well. And so thank you ml for everything you’ve done. For kurenai. As with with crinan ai and what you’re doing here to for to better the information on this plant.
Unknown Speaker 22:38
Again, folks, this plant is it the plant is for everyone. Yeah, the medicine may or may not help at that plant is for everyone and it Mother Earth needs this plant back, I was just coming in here on here. They’re talking trying to tell people, we need to grow more trees, you know, for the planet, and just talking about the whole deal there. And somebody the other day was telling me about how many trees they use, you know, in terms of the toilet paper issue that we’re not and you’re thinking hemp can replace so much of that. And it’s it’s just, it’s a shame we are we got to end the stigma, it’s one
John Malanca 23:14
and I will say that what’s holding back is a stigma is what is holding back to the stigma. And I can tell you, my mom is is in her church friends are helping bring that stigma down. And so she supports everything we do and but AML Always a pleasure having you on and thank you and excited to for your upcoming conference. And we’ll have all that information for audience. I really hope that you do tune in because you’ll come away with your mouth hitting the floor, but wow, I did not know that. So anyway, rarely madry from patients at a time. John Malanca united patients group be informed and be well and we’ll see you all soon. Have a blessed day. Bye bye, buddy.