A Beginner’s Guide to Medical Cannabis: What You Need to Know
Millions of people around the country now use medical cannabis. There are 83,000 users in Utah alone, which is impressive when you consider a total state population of just over 3.2 million. The owners of the Beehive Farmacy medical cannabis dispensary in Brigham City say that the state is adding thousands of new patients every quarter.
If medical cannabis is so popular in Utah, imagine its popularity in more liberal parts of the country. All of this is to say that there is never a shortage of beginners who are embarking on the medical cannabis journey for the first time. If you count yourself among them, this guide is for you.
Medical Cannabis vs. Recreational Marijuana
The main difference between medical cannabis and recreational marijuana is user intent. Sure, some states have created regulations designed to ensure that medical products meet a higher standard for purity and quality. But when you get right down to it, it is all about intention.
As a medical cannabis user, you simply want relief from your symptoms. But maybe your neighbor is a recreational user. He just wants to get high. You are both using marijuana or marijuana-derived products. It is just that your goals are different.
The Medical Cannabis Card
States with medical cannabis programs require that patients obtain some sort of card before they can purchase and use. This card is what we call a medical cannabis card. It’s usually a digital document a patient carries on his or her phone. Some patients prefer to print paper copies.
Either way, a medical cannabis card is essentially a license to purchase, possess, and consume cannabis for medical reasons. In that respect, it is not all that different from a driver’s license.
Card Reciprocity
A medical cannabis card differs from a driver’s license in the sense that patients do not enjoy reciprocity in other states. In other words, Arizona will not recognize a Utah medical cannabis card and vice-versa. The lack of reciprocity is due to conflicts between federal and state laws.
Cannabis Delivery Methods
While one could make the case that smoking is the preferred delivery method among recreational marijuana users, most states with medical cannabis programs ban the practice of smoking. You could purchase cannabis flower at Beehive Farmacy, but you could not legally smoke it. You can only consume it in a dry heating device or add it to your recipes.
Typical delivery methods among medical cannabis patients include vaping, tinctures, and edibles – like gummies, for instance. Topical lotions and creams are also pretty common.
Cannabis Dosage
This next point is critical to understand from a medical perspective: unlike prescription medications, medical cannabis products are not manufactured using standard dosage guidelines. The dose of any given product could be different compared to a similar product utilizing the same delivery method.
Self-Medicating With Cannabis
A lack of dosing standards leads directly to the last thing you need to know – using medical cannabis is more or less a form of self-medicating. You can always ask your doctor for advice. Hopefully, you will get some. You can also consult with a medical cannabis pharmacist. But at the end of the day, you ultimately decide how, when, where, and how much to use.
Treating with medical cannabis is often referred to as a journey. It really is. If you are brand new to medical cannabis, your journey has just begun. Take advantage of as many learning opportunities as possible. Ask questions and heed the advice of those who have gone before. Your journey will ultimately be what you make it.
