As conversations around cannabis continue to evolve, especially on April 20 (4/20), many are shifting their focus from recreational use to its growing role in healthcare. In a recent FOX5 Washington DC interview, Dr. Matthew Mintz, a primary care physician in Bethesda, Maryland, discussed the real-world use of medical marijuana, who it helps, and what providers and patients should know.

Dr. Mintz is one of just a few physicians in Maryland’s Montgomery, Frederick, and Prince George’s counties certified to prescribe medical cannabis. With hundreds of patients and years of experience, he offers a perspective rooted in clinical practice, not cultural hype.

Medical Marijuana 101: What It Is and Who It Helps

Cannabis contains two main compounds with therapeutic potential: THC and CBD. THC is commonly associated with the psychoactive “high,” but it also provides effective relief for pain, sleep issues, and nausea. CBD, on the other hand, offers anti-anxiety and anti-inflammatory benefits without impairing alertness.

Medical marijuana can be used for a variety of conditions, including chronic pain, insomnia, anxiety, PTSD, glaucoma, and appetite loss due to cancer or aging. Importantly, patients do not have to smoke it; formulations include tinctures, creams, capsules, and patches, allowing for tailored treatment plans with minimal side effects.

Dr. Matthew Mintz on Separating Fact from Fiction

Despite ongoing controversy, Dr. Mintz emphasizes that medical cannabis, when prescribed and used appropriately, is not a last resort, but often a safer, more effective alternative to conventional medications. As Dr. Mintz shared, “Medical marijuana as a medicine has a very good safety and efficacy profile, meaning it works very well with very few side effects compared to some of the other drugs that I prescribe commonly.”

“Medical marijuana as a medicine has a very good safety and efficacy profile, meaning it works very well with very few side effects compared to some of the other drugs that I prescribe commonly.”

— Dr. Matthew Mintz, Managing Partner at DelRicht Research

The patients Dr. Mintz sees are not seeking recreational use under the guise of medicine. They are individuals with stage IV cancer, debilitating anxiety, or severe pain who have exhausted other treatment options. He notes that, in areas like DC, where recreational use is legal, the likelihood of someone “faking” a medical need is minimal.

Challenges and a Call for More Research

One of the biggest barriers to wider acceptance in the medical community is a lack of robust research. Because cannabis remains federally illegal, national research funding and clinical trials have been limited. “One of the barriers for physicians, though, is that we want the data. We want the evidence,” said Dr. Mintz, “That data isn’t there for medical marijuana, primarily for two reasons. One, it’s still federally illegal… and then secondly, a lot of therapeutic research… is funded by the drug companies, and there’s no medical marijuana drug company that can… fund that study.”

“One of the barriers for physicians, though, is that we want the data. We want the evidence. That data isn’t there for medical marijuana, primarily for two reasons. One, it’s still federally illegal… and then secondly, a lot of therapeutic research… is funded by the drug companies, and there’s no medical marijuana drug company that can… fund that study.”

— Dr. Matthew Mintz, Managing Partner at DelRicht Research

Still, he believes the future is moving toward broader legal acceptance, more informed prescribing, and patient-driven advocacy. Recent developments, such as federal advisory panel support for cannabis-based treatments for pediatric epilepsy, signal increasing openness in regulatory circles.

Learn More

Watch the full FOX5 interview with Dr. Matthew Mintz.

At DelRicht Research, we support advancing evidence-based care and exploring the full therapeutic potential of emerging treatments, including medical cannabis. As more physicians and principal investigators like Dr. Mintz help patients explore safer, more personalized options, we remain committed to supporting research that brings these treatments into mainstream care.