Cannabis Card Chat with Dr. Scott Treatman

Visit Dr. Scott Treatman’s MMD Profile

Biography:

Dr. Scott Treatman is a Board Certified Physician and Qualified Ordering Physician for Florida’s and New York’s Medical Marijuana programs. He has been certifying patients who qualify for medical cannabis for nearly 4 years. His offices are conveniently located in Vero Beach, FL. His practice is limited to certifying medically qualified residents of Indian River County and to Snowbirds who spend more than 30 consecutive days in Florida. He also offers house calls locally.

In addition to providing this service he also educates his colleagues in various fields of medicine to make them aware of current research and the benefits of medical marijuana for a multitude of conditions. His patients range in age from 15 – 95 years old.

Half his career was spent as the corporate Medical Director for Oneida Silversmiths caring for their 3000+ employees in upstate NY. He then was the Medical Director of Employee Health at a large hospital in Syracuse, NY caring for nearly 5000 employees, medical staff, and hospital volunteers before moving to Vero Beach, FL. He is a graduate of Des Moines University, School of Osteopathic Medicine. He received a Masters in Healthcare Administration and a Masters of Public Health from the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Many patients throughout the state of Florida have returned to a life with less pain, stress, and anxiety thanks to medicinal cannabis treatment. Individuals throughout FL now have the ability to be certified for medicinal cannabis with the assistance of Dr. Treatman.

How long have you been prescribing marijuana?

I have been certifying patients for medical cannabis since early 2016. I began by certifying patients in NY and now FL after I moved here full-time in 2017. It’s been rewarding to provide this service to patients who are suffering from a variety of conditions.

What do you typically prescribe marijuana for?

The most prevalent condition is “chronic pain”. Cancer, PTSD, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease are other conditions that patients seek relief from. Less common conditions that I certify patients for include ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), HIV/Aids, inflammatory bowel disease, and Huntington’s disease.

How big a part of your practice is this?

My practice is part time and is 100% dedicated to Medical Cannabis.

Who is your typical patient?

I’m seeing a shift in demographics to a more senior population. The common thread among all patients is their desire to reduce suffering and to have more good days than bad ones.

What do patients in Florida need to know about seeking and using marijuana as a medical treatment?

I always stress to patients that medical cannabis can provide some relief from pain, improve sleep, enhance appetite if needed, address muscle spasm and tremors, address PTSD symptoms, its neuroprotective qualities, and other impacts on our Endocannabinoid System that plays a role in so many maladies. Patient’s ask if cannabis can “cure” various illnesses or shrink tumors and I never portray that as such. Hopefully, there will more and better research that will address the potential healing and curative aspects of this ancient modality of care.

Who would you recommend consider marijuana as a treatment?

Given the excellent safety profile of marijuana vs. most prescription and over the counter medications, patients who want to go a more natural route, or have had adverse reactions to prescription medications, and those patients who have been self medicating with marijuana and have realized a benefit are all good candidates assuming they have a qualifying condition.

Anything else patients should know about your practice?

I spend time listening to patients and understanding what the patient hopes to achieve. I also encourage patients to address both lifestyle and thought processes that contribute to suffering. I want to partner with patients for their benefit and the benefit of their families and loved ones.