Medical Marijuana Research Program
About
The Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Program (PAMMP), a product of the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Act, allows for the certified medical use of marijuana by eligible patients that are residents of the Commonwealth. Chapter 20 of the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Act, signed into law in 2016, sets forth legislation regarding Academic Clinical Research Centers (ACRC) and Clinical Registrants (CR) and recognizes the potential benefits of medical marijuana research to patients suffering from various medical conditions.
LECOM became a certified ACRC in 2018 and has been conducting medical marijuana research with their CR: CannTech PA LLC doing business as Ayr Wellness. Please see below for the most recent updates regarding our current studies.
| Study Title | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Marijuana vs Quality of Life Assessment | Evaluate the overall impact of medical marijuana on a person’s quality of life over a time period of 90 days | Closed |
| Effects of Medical Cannabis on Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Patients | Examine the effects medical marijuana has on symptoms of IBD (Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis) over a time period of 90 days | Closed |
| Effects of Medical Marijuana on Anxiety and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Symptoms | Analyze the effects medical marijuana has on Anxiety and common symptoms of PTSD (including anxiety, depression, and sleep patterns) over a time period of 360 days | Open |
| Impact of Medical Marijuana on Pain Management and Opioid Use | Quantify the impact medical marijuana has on the perception of chronic pain and opioid use patterns over a time period of 360 days | Open |
| Medical Marijuana and the Aging Population: A Cross-Sectional Study of Opinion | Assess the feelings and opinions on medical marijuana use within the aging population utilizing the LECOM Institute for Successful Aging | Closed |
Eligibility requirements to participate for all studies are as follows:
•18+ years old
•Own a valid Medical Marijuana ID card
•Able to use a computer, tablet, or smartphone
•Competent in English language and able to provide consent
•Able to only use Ayr Wellness dispensary while enrolled
•Diagnosed with one of the various qualifying conditions listed under the study title (PTSD, Chronic Pain, Opioid Use Disorder, etc.) or be able to provide medical documentation for such conditions
If you are interested in participating in any of the above studies, or for any questions or concerns about LECOM’s Medical Marijuana Research, please contact the following:
Mark Kelley, MSHI
Clinical Research Coordinator
(814) 860-5119
mkelley@lecom.edu
NEWS
April 17, 2023 – Mark Kelley, Clinical Research Coordinator, along with Dr. Zachary Heeter, LECOM Director for Medical Marijuana Research, attended the Annual Medical Marijuana Research Summit at Penn State University in April 2023. Dr. Edward Miller and Dr. Marla Bowie, members of LECOM’s clinical registrant partner Ayr Wellness, also attended. Mark presented LECOM’s current studies to all institutions with the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Program (PAMMP.) The team also presented its first study analyzing 103 patients and their Quality of Life (QoL) over 90 days. Results showed a significant improvement in physical and social functioning, emotional well-being, and energy levels, and a significant decrease in emotional limitations, fatigue, and pain levels in the first 30 days.
LECOM and Ayr Wellness Research Team from the left: Dr. Zachary Heeter, Dr. Edward Miller, Dr. Marla Bowie, and Mark Kelley.
February 20, 2024 – The LECOM and Ayr partnership published their first medical marijuana study under the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Act, Chapter 20 in the Journal of Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids. The study – titled “Observational Analysis of the Influence of Medical Marijuana Use on Quality of Life in Patients” – analyzed 103 participants and their Quality of Life (QoL) over 90 days. The entire article can be found here https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38500669/.
April 15, 2024 – LECOM and Ayr hosted the 2024 Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Research Summit in Erie, PA at the Bayfront Convention Center. Mark Kelley, Clinical Research Coordinator, emceed the event and presented LECOM’s current studies to all institutions with the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Program (PAMMP.) The entire core research team including Drs. Zachary Heeter (LECOM), Edward Miller (Ayr), and Marla Bowie (Ayr), and Autumn Sangrey (Ayr) also attended and assisted in its success. Several members of the Ayr Wellness team of pharmacists also attended, hailing from our dispensaries in New Castle, Gibsonia, Bloomsburg, Montgomeryville, and Plymouth Meeting.
LECOM and Ayr Wellness Research Team and Ayr Wellness Pharmacists. From the left: Dr. Zachary Heeter, Mark Kelley, Dr. Jeffrey Gillespie, Dr. Edward Miller, Dr. Jason Hoch, Dr. Marla Bowie, Autumn Sangrey, Dr. Lucas Saviello, Dr. Kelsey Bauer, Dr. Charlotte Vincenzes, and Dr. Krista Walker.