This article first appeared in Griffin Daily News‘ Healthy Living Magazine in the March 2020 issue. Images below.Dr. Kristin Gore opened Southern Medical Therapeutics in June of 2019. It is located inside Internal Medical Center on North Expressway in Griffin which is owned by Kristin’s father, Dr. James Gore. Gore said she was excited to be able to build on the family business and to branch out to bring a new, therapeutic medical treatment to Griffin.
Gore’s practice is a holistic medical clinic that specializes in treatment plans which incorporate low-dose THC oil. Low THC is a naturally derived product that is used in the treatment of a wide variety of conditions including cancer, chronic pain, anxiety, PTSD and more.
“It’s been very well received,” she said.
She said that one reason chronic pain patients seek out low THC oil is they wish to reduce or entirely stop taking opioids which have side effects such as sleepiness in low doses and in high doses can slow breathing, heart rate or even cause death.
“I get chronic pain patients that are tired of opioids and their side effects like constipation, nausea, fatigue or depression that occur with opioids. And so I work closely with people to taper them off of their medications if they want to, and then I taper up the THC oil doses,” she said.
Gore said she has seen the benefits of low THC oil for her patients.
“I’ve had Parkinson’s patients talk again,” she said. “I checked on one after he came and saw me, and I called him about a month later to see how he was doing. He could not speak during his initial evaluation with me, and when I called he answered the phone and talked to me. He’s on half of a dropper full of low THC oil twice a day. He said, ‘I feel like I got at least a part of my life back. I can communicate again.’”
She said she has seen patients from all over the Atlanta area for a wide variety of health reasons.
“I see a lot of veterans with PTSD. I also get a lot of neurology referrals for ALS and Parkinson’s, and I’ve had a lot of pediatric patients. They’re driving over two and a half hours to come to get these cards for their kids with epilepsy and autism,” Gore said.
THC oil is derived from cannabis, which is perhaps best known as marijuana. Cannabis contains 25 to 30 percent THC while low THC oil only contains up to five percent. According to Gore, “this allows for the medicinal benefits of THC but without getting patients high.”
She said, “It’s a safe product with a safe percentage of cannabis and people can still live a functional life.”
Unlike CBD oil, low THC oil is not available over the counter. Patients must obtain a Low THC Oil Registry Card from the Georgia Department of Public Health. Gore helps patients obtain this card by screening them and reviewing their medical records. She then organizes their information and submits it to the state.
“Patients come in for a consultation with me and I apply to the state Department of Public Health for a card on their behalf, and I enter their information into the low THC oil registry program. The state gets the ultimate decision if they get a card or not,” she said.
She said she has not yet had any patient that has been denied to receive a card and attributes it to her thorough screening process.
Georgia has a long list of conditions that qualify a person to receive a Low THC Oil Registry Card such as cancer, ALS, multiple sclerosis, mitochondrial disease, Parkinson’s disease, autism spectrum disorder, Alzheimer’s disease, hospice patients, those with post-traumatic stress disorder and more.
She said that the approval process typically takes two to three weeks. Once a person has been approved, they must pick up their card from a health department. They can then order low THC oils online as they are mostly come from outside of Georgia.
The card is valid for two years from the date that it is issued. It does not make the sale or possession of other types of marijuana legal, but it does permit the holder to have up to 20 fluid ounces of low THC oil.
“Legally, you’re protected to have your medicine on you in a clearly labeled bottle. You’re allowed to possess 20 ounces of the 5 percent low THC oil. Each bottle is one ounce so you can have 20 of those bottles on you. There is a reason for that allowance,” she said.
She said there are many varieties of strains of low THC oil. Different types benefit patients in different ways. Some can help calm a person which some patients may prefer at nighttime. Others may help boost energy which could be beneficial early in the day. She said the 20-ounce allowance and variety of strains allows patients to have more control of their medication and how it affects their experience.
Gore said she knows there are misconceptions about medical cannabis, its legality and how it will affect people, but because of its great benefits, she said she is willing to help dispel any misunderstandings.
“I know that it is a gray zone. It is divisive and I understand that I am sticking my neck out in the community by supporting this, but behind closed doors, almost every person that I see is in tears by the time they leave, because finally, they have hope that they have not had. If sticking my neck out is what it takes to make a difference in my community, then I’ll do it,” she said.
