Editor’s note: This commentary is provided by the Medical Marijuana Education and Research Initiative (MMERI) of Florida A&M University.

While traveling some years ago, Natasha Acoff experienced a pronounced numbness on the left side of her body that led her to seek emergency medical care.

After undergoing an initial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and receiving a preliminary diagnosis, Ms. Acoff left the ER with an informational pamphlet on multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease she knew little about.

“I went back to my hotel, and I started reading it, and I mean, I boo-hoo cried. I boo-hoo cried because I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m about to die!’ “ she recalls.

Her stark conclusion was under-standable. MS is a chronic, autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system, causing symptoms such as blurred vision, balance and coordination problems, cognitive impairments, muscle weakness, bowel and bladder issues, fatigue, and numbness and tingling.

Who’s at risk

Its cause is unknown, although some research points to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection as a leading candidate. While a diagnosis is typically delivered between the ages of 20 and 40, people of all ages can be affected. Women are also more likely to receive an MS diagnosis than men. Since that traumatic day, Ms. Acoff has devoted herself to raising awareness of MS and helping people afflicted with this invisible disease.

She is an ambassador, self-help group leader, community engagement council chair, and district activist leader for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and an active MS Walk Champion.

She is also the founder and president of On My Nerves Inc., a Tallahas- see-based nonprofit that supports MS patients through advocacy, education, community outreach, and fundraising.

MS is treatable with a range of pharmaceutical options, and Ms. Acoff has been on a disease-modifying therapy — a once-a-day pill — for 11 years.

She’s never tried medical marijuana to help relieve the symptoms she experiences, including trouble sleeping, but a discussion with Dr. Terel Newton helped educate her about the possible benefits of cannabis for MS patients.

“It’s definitely something that I’d think about or will think about for my spasms, for potentially sleeping, or for even pain,” she emphasizes.

Dr. Newton is a board-certified physician specializing in anesthesiology and interventional pain management, with his practice located in Jacksonville.

He’s also a medical marijuana qualified physician, the Florida medical director of Trulieve, the largest regulated cannabis dispensary in the country, and the author of the book Endocannabinoid Medicine & Pharmacology: A Guide for Physicians and Pharmacists.

A rescue treatment

The Florida Department of Health’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use lists MS as one of the qualifying conditions for treatment, and Dr. Newton claims medical cannabis is effective at relieving pain and inflammation stemming from MS symptoms.

“Cannabis can serve as a rescue treatment for many patients and potentially slow the progression of MS,” he explains. 

“Because our body has a type of cannabis [receptor] in it, we can supplement that cannabis with cannabis from the plant. This is the endocanna-binoid system, and part of it regulates inflammation and nerve function. So, by using cannabis as an anti-inflammatory and to supplement our body’s endocannabinoid system, it can help regulate the immune system and improve the symptoms and potentially slow the progression of the disease.”

He adds that this approach could also benefit the mental health of MS patients, as reducing pain and discom- fort often helps ease symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Medical cannabis treatment options include cannabidiol (CBD), known for its anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects, as well as low-THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) products like topicals, edibles, capsules, and smoked or vaped flower.

“The great thing about cannabis is there’s more flexibility,” Dr. Newton advocates. “It’s not like you can only have one route of administration. You could have one type of cannabis that you take in daytime that maybe helps you function and another type you take at nighttime that can help you sleep.”

Dr. Newton and Ms. Acoff both suggest that MS patients interested in using medical cannabis consult their healthcare providers first.

Ms. Acoff adds that the National Multiple Sclerosis Society states that people living with MS should work with their doctors to decide if medical cannabis is the right treatment for them.

For those living with MS, Dr. Newton also recommends exercise to help keep stress levels low, which reduces flare-ups and improves the immune system’s health. To lower the risk of contracting the disease, he suggests taking vitamin D, getting out in the sunlight, and consuming an anti-inflammatory diet and Omega-3 fish oil supplements.

Such information and knowledge, like the kind Dr. Newton offers, “is really helpful for a lot of people with MS,” says Ms. Acoff. It’s “good to understand the best way we can treat ourselves.” 

Visit https://bit.ly/MMERIMarch-2025to watch MMERI’s Conversations on Cannabis Virtual Forum featuring Nataha Acoff and Dr. Terel Newton discussing “Cannabis and Multiple Sclerosis.”