Dr. Barry Gordon, MD

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Medical Cannabis 2023: A Doctor’s Moral Imperative

Dr. Barry Gordon, MD, President & Chief Medical Officer, Compassionate Cannabis Clinic of Venice

Doctor Gordon looks back on his 40+ year career in medicine: the glorious victories, the massive defeats, and the physicians moral imperative to always utilize every tool available to achieve the mission! 2023 offers both an incredible challenge and an huge opportunity to do better. Uniquely, this “ancient yet new” use of cannabis as medicine dictates both the obligation of those Doctors who DO practice it to “do it right”, but yet also of those who don’t yet understand the Endocannabinoid system to accept it’s appropriate role in health and wellness. A very unique time where we can truly make a difference!

For more than three decades, Barry Gordon M.D. built a career working on the front lines of the American health care system. 

After years of seeing the same faces and resurrecting the same addicts daily in Ohio emergency rooms, he thought there had to be a better way. 

Today, Florida is just one of 30 states that recognize the medicinal value of marijuana for the relief of symptoms associated everything from neurological illness to chemotherapy. 

Dr. Barry, as he is affectionately known, is at the forefront of the medical cannabis movement. 

A 1981 graduate of the Ohio State University College of Medicine and a founding fellow of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine, Gordon said it wasn’t until decades into his medical career that he even began hearing the words “endocannabinoid system.” 

“It was my career in emergency medicine that drove me to find an alternative for my patients and research cannabis more,” Dr. Barry explained. “I like to think of my background as a bit of a social scientist. I’ve seen the dangers of alcohol and tobacco. I like to tell my patients that you can’t even compare the intoxication effects of alcohol to cannabis.”

Opportunity came knocking when Dr. Barry took an early retirement from Alliance Community Hospital in 2015 and relocated to Florida with his wife Patty. He created Florida Vacation Telehealth P.A., which eventually gave birth to the Compassionate Cannabis Clinic. 

No longer tethered to a large healthcare organization, Dr. Gordon made the decision upon overwhelming passage of the Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization Amendment on November 8, 2016, to begin seeing and treating patients with chronic illnesses using cannabis therapy.

“Just as the overwhelming majority of voters in Florida demonstrated their belief in the many benefits of cannabis therapy, I, as a healthcare professional, am deeply committed to providing patients with an option to compassionately ease their suffering,” says Dr. Barry. 

“My practical experience coupled with my own scientific research has enabled me to offer a unique approach in care to my patients. I feel a responsibility in both providing the appropriate education and allowing my patients to live a better quality of life without the harmful effects of conventional pharmaceutical prescriptions,” he added.

Dr. Barry has utilized his undergraduate degree in communications from The Ohio State University to advocate for patients before becoming the owner of the largest medical marijuana practice in Florida. He provides an unique voice and an ability to break down complex medical terminology, whether answering common medical questions or facilitating discussions on complicated ailments. 

“For a number of years, I saved lives with paddles in emergency rooms. Now I am looking beyond conventional medicine for answers,” Dr. Barry explained. “I don’t encourage people who have success with conventional medicine to change their strategy; however, alternative medical options, like medicinal cannabis, need to be available for those who want and need it for relief.” 

A rabid Cleveland sports fanatic, Dr. Barry will entertain almost any discussion about football, basketball, and his ultimate love – baseball. He spends his free time fishing and on the water. 

Gordon, his wife Patty and dog, Tiva reside in Venice, Florida.