When over sixty people attended a presentation on weed and pain management at Louisville’s Balfour Senior Living late last month, most of them were joking about coming for the free samples as they settled into their seats. The audience, mostly made up of seniors who live at facility or people with elderly relatives looking for information, asked a number of questions covering the basics of using cannabis to treat medical issues, including how to get started.

The answer: not cheaply.

Dr. Joseph Cohen, an obstetrician for 35 years before becoming a cannabis practitioner, explained how cannabis can be used to manage pain and other issues the elderly can experience. According to a 2012 survey by the National Institute of Health, more than 11 percent of American adults have had pain every day for three months, and more than 17 percent had severe pain.

Cohen offers half-hour and one-hour evaluations with physicians in his office, which include a full consultation that would provide recommendations on what medical marijuana products to use and how to use them. His office also helps patients fill out the state-required paperwork to get a medical marijuana card. A half-hour visit costs $150, and an hour is $300.

– Read the entire article at Westword.