Massage & Bodywork

SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2015

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F r e e S O A P n o t e s w i t h M a s s a g e B o o k f o r A B M P m e m b e r s : a b m p . u s / M a s s a g e b o o k 43 The Oregon state legislature is still wrestling with this issue. As of this writing, it is legal for massage therapists to use the infused lotions that clients with marijuana prescriptions bring with them to a session. It is expected that this status will stay in place; the open question is whether infused lotions will be legal for massage therapists to use for their other clients as well. Marijuana is also legal for recreational use in Washington State, but the massage licensing board has identified cannabis-infused lotions as medications, and the administration of medications is considered to be outside the scope of massage therapy. This means that even if your clients purchase lotion for their personal use, at this time it is illegal for a massage therapist to apply it during a session. Elsewhere: at this point, the only way to obtain these products legally is to live in a state where they are available either by prescription (and you have such a prescription) or for recreational use. THC-infused lotions are more closely controlled than those with just CBD, so some states allow the interstate mailing of CBD-infused lotions. Interestingly, none of these laws apply to other topical products, because their ingredients have never been regulated as controlled substances. CONCLUSION The main takeaways from all of this boil down to a couple of key points. 1. Cannabis-infused lotions might be useful tools in our work, especially when we know more about their potency, reliability, and long-term effects. 2. Cannabis laws are in a state of flux, and probably will be for the next several years. Don't assume anything; check with your state board if you have any doubt in your mind about legally using these products in your practice, even if you live in a state where recreational or medical marijuana is legal. A CALL TO ACTION If you have an opinion about whether massage therapists should or should not be allowed to use these products in your state, voice those thoughts to your state massage therapy board and to your marijuana legislative board, if you have one. In the meantime, let's keep an eye on this moving target. Resources Baca, R. "THC-Infused Lotion Takes Massage to the Next Level." The Denver Post (June 17, 2014). Accessed July 2015. www.denverpost. com/marijuana/ci_25974338/thc-infused- lotion-takes-massage-next-level. Burnett, M. and A. Reiman. "How Did Marijuana Become Illegal in the First Place?" Drug Policy Alliance. Accessed July 2015. www.drugpolicy.org/ blog/how-did-marijuana-become-illegal-first-place. Caterina, M. "TRP Channel Cannabinoid Receptors in Skin Sensation, Homeostasis, and Inflammation." American Chemical Society. ACS Chemical Neuroscience 5 (2014): 1,107–16. ProCon.org. "23 Legal Medical Marijuana States and DC." Accessed July 2015. http://medicalmarijuana. procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID= 000881. Ständer, S. et al. "Distribution of Cannabinoid Receptor 1 (CB1) and 2 (CB2) on Sensory Nerve Fibers and Adnexal Structures in Human Skin." Journal of Dermatological Science 38, no. 3 (June 2005): 177–88. Ruth Werner, BCTMB is a former massage therapist, a writer, and an NCBTMB- approved provider of continuing education. She wrote A Massage Therapist's Guide to Pathology (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2016), now in its sixth edition, which is used in massage schools worldwide. Werner is available at www.ruthwerner.com. PATHOLOGY PERSPECTIVES Acknowledgments: Several people generously helped in the preparation of this article: James Kennedy at Apothecanna patiently walked me through some of the chemistry of the lotions, and some of the legislative complexities of this field. He supplies a large massage clinic in Denver, and collects feedback from therapists and clients about his products. Julie Crispin, LMT, of Portland, Oregon, gets such good results for herself and her clients using cannabis-infused lotion that she is now working to make this option available to every client, not just the ones with medical marijuana cards. She wants to be known as a resource for good information about cannabis- infused lotions and massage therapy, especially for clients living in chronic pain. A representative at the governor's office in Alaska generously spent time with me to discuss the formation of a legislative scaffold for marijuana in that state, and what it might mean for massage therapists—a previously unthought-of constituency. Erica Olson of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, gets a shout-out for walking me through her experiences with urinalysis, and homemade lotions, and cannabis soothing her sunburn. Numerous Facebook friends and acquaintances took time out to share experiences. It's not a scientific gathering of information, but it did reveal some fascinating points of view. Many thanks, my friends.

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