David Sherer, MD, is an American physician, inventor, and author. He currently practices anesthesiology in the suburbs of Washington D.C. and is a tireless advocate for hospitalized patients. For more great tips from Dr. Sherer, check out his other videos and Bottom Line blog “What Your Doctor Isn’t Telling You.”

In this video, Dr. David Sherer, anesthesiologist and author of Bottom Line’s What Your Doctor Isn’t Telling You blog, talks about how medical marijuana can be used for pain relief and management. Recent research has shown that medical-grade marijuana is nearly as effective at relieving pain as anti-inflammatories and opioids. Further, it is particularly effective at relieving pain caused by cancer, neuropathy, surgery and more. The laws regarding access to medical marijuana differ from state to state, but typically a doctor will prescribe medical marijuana to a patient with a qualifying condition and then the patient will fill the prescription at a licensed dispensary. While the rules and regulations regarding medical marijuana continue to evolve, Dr. Sherer is encouraged by the emerging research and the fact that the side effect profile for medical marijuana is less severe than for comparable drugs.