All in the [medical] family | Sponsored

PITTSFIELD – A penchant for helping others – rivaled only by their collective passion for medicine – is intricately entwined with the Tracy family.

In 1949, Dr. Robert J. Tracy, MD, to Berkshire, where he became chief surgeon and director of the surgical education program at Berkshire Medical Center; his mother, a nurse at the former Miners Union Hospital in Telluride, Colorado, paved the way; and his son, Dr. Stephen E. Tracy, MD – who spent more than 30 years at Fairview Hospital in Great Barrington – carries the torch today.

“Growing up helping the community – and contributing to its well-being – was a highly valued asset in my upbringing,” said Dr. Tracy, who with his wife and two grown children at the helm of Berkshire Cannabis Connect, a. is a small family business of medical professionals that wants to improve the quality of life of its patients through the healing power of cannabis.

A revelation

This small but powerful team – including Stephen E. Tracy, MD; Barbara Tracy, MSN-FNP; Cynthia Merriott, LPN; and Nathan Tracy, patient care assistant – believes that the key to any good cure is to be both natural and effective. Together, they created the only local family-owned medical cannabis practice in Berkshire County that rates patients and then prescribes an MMJ or medical cannabis card.

The idea came like an epiphany. Dr. Tracy, who retired from emergency medicine in 2018, quickly realized he wasn’t ready to take care of the residents of Berkshire County and beyond. This, coupled with dissatisfaction with the increasing corporatization of health care – and mounting evidence that drugs can often cause more side effects than relief – offered a logical opportunity.

“Why don’t we start our own business?” Barbara says of the rhetorical question that arises. Their model grew on a solid foundation: cannabis has been shown to offer significant benefits when used medicinally; it is both safe and natural; and medical cannabis certification gives patients access to the best products on the market. Plus, you have the freedom to give patients the time and care they deserve.

Cannabis and healing

Cannabis has been part of the pharmacopoeia of healers for thousands of years. Medical professionals now understand that the endocannabinoid system (ECS) is responsible for regulating a variety of important body functions. The human body naturally produces cannabinoids and endocannabinoid receptors are distributed throughout the body (mainly in the nervous system and immune cells). Different endocannabinoids target and bind to different receptors to trigger a desired result, after which enzymes clear the mess by breaking down the endocannabinoids. Scientists believe that the ECS keeps the body stable and contributes to key functions – including immune response, metabolism, sleep, appetite, digestion, chronic pain, stress, nervous system function, motor skills, mood, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal function, liver function, Reproduction system function and more.

To understand the healing benefits of cannabis, one needs to understand how important endocannabinoids are to the human body. When cannabis products are introduced, the body uses the plant cannabinoids as if they were naturally made. THC, the plant’s main psychoactive compound, has a euphoric effect; CBD, which does not produce the “high” associated with THC, helps relieve pain, nausea, migraines, and prevent seizures, while CBN is effective in treating neurological disorders and their side effects. THCA, which has no psychoactive effects, has been shown to reduce symptoms of neurological diseases such as MS, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, and ALS; it also helps reduce inflammation caused by autoimmune diseases like Crohn’s disease. Another cannabinoid, CBG, can improve symptoms of mental illnesses such as anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, and PTSD. Different chemovars or strains of the cannabis plant can contain a number of these cannabinoids, making cannabis a suitable choice for a growing number of diseases.

Quality, loving care

“It’s very difficult for people to get symptom relief,” says Merriott of an all-too-familiar cycle of patients jumping back and forth from specialist to specialist without the personal attention they want.

“People want to know that they have been heard, that someone is listening to their complaints,” says Dr. Tracy and refers to a growing population that is “lost, [and] This frustration, coupled with a new standard – 15-minute doctor’s appointments – makes many decide to go to the emergency room (a less than ideal setting for dealing with patients with chronic problems and treating underlying diseases properly).

“Education is really important,” says Barbara, referring to countless patients – with countless diagnoses – who, when given time to understand their options, will respond to cannabis. At Berkshire Cannabis Connect, patients are given as much time as necessary for a full evaluation, medical history, and education. For example, people with an inflammatory condition like arthritis may want to avoid foods that make inflammation worse. Those interested in weight loss may find the ketogenic diet useful in their endeavors.

Stigma reduction

“We have come a long way,” says Dr. Tracy recalls 20 years in prison for possessing marijuana while growing up. Even earlier, during the Mexican Revolution (1910-1924), many fled to this country with marijuana. The arrival on stage of Harry Anslinger – a radical advocate of the war on drugs who pushed for both criminalizing and listing cannabis as a List I substance (with no redeeming medicinal value) – created the stigma on the substance. At that time, the AMA opposed this in Congress and saw it as the abolition of a time-honored and safe method of treatment.

Today, a wide range of administration methods normalize cannabis use. “There are so many products on offer, from edibles to THC-infused seltzer, that put less emphasis on smoking,” said Nathan Tracy, patient care advocate. Coupled with the advent of CBD products, there is more choice than ever for consumers. “Lots of patients don’t want to get high; they want symptom relief, “says Nathan,” and CBD has been instrumental in normalizing cannabis products. “

Education also reduces stigma. It has been shown that some diseases, such as fibromyalgia, are associated with an endocannabinoid deficiency that can replace cannabis use. And there is abundant anecdotal evidence of the effectiveness of cannabis in treating glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common and aggressive form of brain cancer. Several years ago, an oncologist referred a GBM patient to Barbara for Rick Simpson Oil (a very concentrated form of cannabis), and that patient has been using the product for three years despite a forecast of 18 months.

Schedule your visit

Berkshire Cannabis Connect – located on the bus route, with no referrals or walk-ins welcome – promises a compassionate approach to each patient’s unique situation. “We want to work with people to achieve their goals,” emphasizes Dr. Tracy. The $ 150 certification fee (and the $ 125 annual recertification fee) not only offers the security of a doctor evaluating patients and advising them on which products to try, but also includes three free follow-up visits or phone consultations.

“Everyone is influenced differently by cannabis,” says Barbara, suggesting that patients take careful notes. After just a few weeks of recording what products you take, when you take them, and how they feel, patients will find that they are “able to tell which product combination is most effective”.

Dr. Tracy and his family continue to educate themselves at a rapid pace with one goal in mind: to use medicinal cannabis effectively against the multitude of medical problems that its patients literally bring to the table.

Are you ready to find a natural way to cure your ailments? Consider visiting Berkshire Cannabis Connect today, where the seasoned team of medical professionals are passionate about cannabis and help others who are contagious.

Visit Berkshire Cannabis Connect at Pittsfield, 703 W. Housatonic St., Suite 209, 413-344-4060, and online at berkshirecannabisconnect.com.

PLEASE USE RESPONSIBLY. This product can cause nuisance and become a habit. For use by adults 21 years and older only. Keep away from children. This product has not been analyzed or approved by the Food and Drug Administration. There is limited information on the side effects of using this product and associated health risks may arise. Using marijuana while pregnant and breastfeeding can cause potential harm. Driving a vehicle or using machines under the influence of this product is against the law. KEEP THIS PRODUCT AWAY FROM CHILDREN. Consumption of this product can pose health risks. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. The adverse effects of edibles can be delayed for two hours or more. In the event of accidental ingestion, call the poison control line 800-222-1222 or 911. This product may be illegal outside of Massachusetts.