The Basics

Cannabis Care: A Personal Perspective

Written by: Emma Stone

In 2018, my father was diagnosed with stage IV bladder cancer. Anyone with a loved one who has received a cancer diagnosis understands how the world instantly flips on its head. In the weeks following Dad’s diagnosis, our lives all totally changed. One priority overtook all others: easing Dad’s pain. Opioids were fraught with side effects, so we turned to cannabis.

With no doctors, oncologists, or evidence-based online platforms available (or willing) to guide us as Dad began his journey with cannabis medicine, we had no choice but to cobble our approach based on the practical data and insights we could forage. 

On the rare days that we hit the bulls-eye with dosing, the results were phenomenal. Dad could sleep, felt at ease, and the gnawing ache in his lower back faded. On days that the strain was too potent or our dosing calculations were off, he became anxious, paranoid, or even incoherent. 

What frustrated me more than anything was that the sheer potential of this powerful medicine was within grasp--but it remained just out of reach. The inconsistency of the results was distressing not just for Dad but also for us--because we desperately wanted to help ease his suffering. We needed evidence-based guidance. We needed a way to document his symptoms and outcomes after each dose; track the iterative results of his cannabis care over time, and we wanted expert guidance as his needs changed. Unfortunately for Dad, this wasn’t available. We did our best, but we profoundly wanted to have done better. 

Preclinical and clinical research documenting the various therapeutic benefits of cannabis just keeps on stacking. The stigmatization surrounding the plant, once so profoundly embedded in the social psyche, is now dissolving. We know that cannabis has a superior safety profile compared to many other medications. For those seeking wellness--finding their fullest expression of well-being -- or hunting for that athletic edge, cannabis also has abundant benefits to offer.

What’s been missing--until now-- is an evidence-based, iterative framework to support those journeying with cannabis.

Enter eo. 

eo has stepped into the cannabis space at this critical juncture, completing the vital piece of the puzzle that’s been missing. If cannabis is the master ingredient, eo offers expert guidance and data--or in other words, the recipe--for deriving the best from this powerful plant.

eo delivers personalized, evidence-based care for individuals as they journey with cannabis--because working with cannabis is a journey. Whether cannabis is used to promote wellness, treat an illness, or boost athletic performance, results are optimized when consumers are empowered and educated. 

A ‘pill-popping’ mentality doesn’t really gel with cannabis. Rather, cannabis resonates with personal empowerment and agency. From my own experiences with cannabis, I’ve gained the best results when I approach the plant with due respect, monitor my responses to different doses, strains, and administration methods, then adjust accordingly. In this respect, working with cannabis is truly an iterative process: consume mindfully, observe, reflect, tweak, rinse and repeat. 

eo seeks to empower the cannabis consumer, and educate the clinician and retailer. The eo care approach is threefold, combining a patient companion app, telemedicine, and a centralized data platform. This platform provides patients, physicians, and budtenders with info on the products and compounds that deliver the best outcomes for specific conditions. Similarly, the eo app tracks how holistic and iterative cannabis care impacts accepted measures of pain, sleep, anxiety/depression, and general well-being over time. What’s more, the centralized data source also logs how guided cannabis care compares to other substance-based treatments, such as NSAIDs, or opioids.

The eo model can transform cannabis care at both the micro and macro levels. Patients receive personalized care; and the industry as a whole gains access to clinical data rich in insights. 

The value of such a personalized approach has also been highlighted in the clinical literature. A 2018 research paper, co-authored by leading cannabis experts Dr. Ethan Russo and Caroline MacCallum, emphasizes that there’s a profound lack of data and guidance on the practical aspects of cannabis medicine. A staggering 89.5% of medical residents and fellows feel unprepared to prescribe cannabis and only 35.3% felt ready to answer cannabis-related questions from patients. A mere 9% of American medical schools include clinical cannabis content in their curricula.

Russo and MacCallum stress that cannabis doses must be determined individually--given that each person’s endocannabinoid tone is unique. They also recommend that patients chart their responses to cannabis products, and urge clinicians to access pharmacology, dosing and administration information. eo meets all of these needs--and then advances beyond that. The app and platform will help to progress the current state of care provided by those working in the industry.

So, how does eo work? 

The app is super simple yet multifaceted in its breadth, and textured with nuance.

The eo experience begins with the construction of a profile. Users respond to text and voice prompts. The data captured then constructs a comprehensive, holistic snapshot of their current state of wellness, alongside any symptoms being experienced. Once the profile has been established, users begin to receive customized recommendations, in conjunction with a detailed, personalized care plan to help them reach the outcomes they’re seeking. Effective results can be game-changing in more ways than one. Not only do they enhance personal well-being, but they also drive adherence and loyalty.

The care plan is based on a 30-day cycle. In the first month, users trial products, cannabinoids, and different administration methods, while offering feedback to develop their optimal regimen. Once this regimen has been established, the app provides support as the regimen is integrated into daily life, along with any fine-tuning needed. 

Users receive easy-to-follow instructions for products, doses, and timing, and other helpful info--think notes on onset time, or how to prepare certain products.

In-session feedback represents another vital dimension of the eo experience. This targeted feedback blends accepted measures of pain, sleeplessness, and anxiety/depression, along with unstructured voice and text notes. There’s also end-of-day feedback capturing the user’s sense of overall well-being, and engagement in daily activities. Collectively, the feedback process creates a unique longitudinal data set to enrich both clinical and industry understanding.

For users seeking that extra level of support, there’s also an option of a telemedicine consultation at any stage. Plus, eo guides are on hand to answer questions, so any pressing concerns or questions can be answered in real-time. When I reflect back to the days that we were caring for Dad, instantaneous advice would have been such a source of reassurance.

eo represents a turning point for people like my father, who need support in trialing, defining, and maintaining the cannabis care regimen that is most right for them. But, it’s not just medical patients and wellness users who stand to gain from this level of structured care. Budtenders, physicians, regulators can all benefit from engaging with the eo app and platform. With evidence-based data for doctors new to cannabis medicine and valuable product insights for retailers who lack clinical expertise, eo is connecting dots across the industry as a whole.

Cannabis represents a fundamental part of the new medical and wellness paradigm. For new paradigms to thrive, they must be ushered in with care and guidance. 

eo is here to help this transformative new paradigm thrive and flourish.

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