12:00: Cannabis in the medical field

1:00: Youth access to horses and the true history of cowboys

The use of cannabis in medical fields is evolving. Palliative care and symptom management are common uses for cannabis. But more Americans are attempting to self-medicate, instead of consulting with professionals. Meanwhile, American Addiction Centers reports that in 2020, approximately 14.2 million people aged 12 or older met the diagnostic criteria for a cannabis use disorder. The old idea that you can’t get addicted to marijuana is not accurate. Guest host Eric Logan leads a discussion about these issues and invites listener questions. In studio:

• Paul M. Vermilion, M.D., assistant professor in the Departments of Medicine, Palliative Care; Neurology and Child Neurology; and Pediatrics and Pediatric Palliative Care at the University of Rochester Medical Center
• Aditya Varambally, D.O., family medicine and addiction medicine specialist at the Evelyn Brandon Mental Health Center

Then in our second hour, not every American cowboy looked like John Wayne. Historians say that as many as a quarter of American cowboys were Black, but their history is often left out of the story. Today, many kids in urban settings grow up without the experience of riding a horse. Our guest is trying to change that. We discuss the kind of difference it can make when kids get the experience of caring for and riding a 1,000-pound animal. A Horse’s Friend was created by Matthew Doward, who has his own story of how the experience affected him. He and guest host Eric Logan discuss how kids get the opportunity and how it can change them. In studio:

• Matthew Doward, founder and executive director of A Horse’s Friend, Inc.

*Note: “Connections” is livestreamed each day on the WXXI News YouTube channel. Watch here.