To say that medical cannabis is unique within the broad landscape of pharmacological therapies is to state the obvious. For instance, doctors do not write medical cannabis prescriptions. They offer state-sanctioned recommendations. But even with those recommendations, patients are left to decide for themselves how to actually use cannabis to alleviate their symptoms.
Let’s face it, there are a lot of different ways to use medical cannabis. If you are a patient, how do you do it? More importantly, do you regularly consult with your doctor and pharmacist to make sure you are getting the most from medical cannabis?
Different Delivery Methods
One of the things that makes medical cannabis so unique is a wide variety of delivery methods. States with medical-only programs tend to ban smoking, which is the case in Utah. But the folks at the Beehive Farmacy medical cannabis pharmacy in Salt Lake City say patients have no shortage of alternative choices.
Check these out:
- Dry Heating – Although smoking is banned in Utah, patience can put cannabis flower into a specialized dry heating device. The device heats the plant material to a temperature high enough to release THC but not high enough to burn.
- Vaping – Patients can also vape their favorite cannabis medications. They purchase THC-infused vaping liquids and consume them in a typical commercial vaporizer.
- Tinctures – Those wanting a quick shot of highly concentrated THC might use a tincture. You just place a drop or two under your tongue and let the drug work its magic.
- Tablets and Capsules – Although tablets and capsules don’t have a very large audience, they are available, nonetheless. Patients consume them the same way they would any other kind of pill.
- Edibles – Some states allow medical cannabis in the form of edible products. Gummies are the premiere choice among manufacturers because they are easy to make and fairly inexpensive.
- Topical Applications – Some patients use medical cannabis for conditions best treated through transdermal delivery. They purchase a topical lotion or cream that is applied like an OTC pain cream. THC patches are another transdermal delivery method.
There are other delivery methods that I won’t get into. The point is that, unlike traditional prescriptions that give patients very little choice about delivery, medical cannabis is wide open. Patients can choose their preferred delivery method and dosage.
Layering Medical Cannabis
Medical cannabis patient choices are not limited exclusively to delivery methods. They have other choices as well. For example, some patients choose to layer their medications based on factors like daily schedule.
Layering is the practice of combining multiple delivery methods and doses throughout the day to achieve maximum benefit. A good example would be a chronic pain patient who still works. He doesn’t want to be intoxicated at work for obvious reasons. Throughout the day, he uses a low dose edible to take the edge off. That allows him to keep being productive. But after hours, he prefers vaping or a tincture.
He may finish out the day with an edible that helps him sleep throughout the night. Better sleep means less pain the following day.
Self-Medication at Its Best
If you step back and look at how people use medical cannabis with an unbiased eye, it quickly becomes clear that what they are practicing is self-medication at its best. Medical professionals offer the recommendations that allow them to purchase and consume cannabis products. But when all is said and done, patients decide for themselves how to medicate. That’s what makes medical cannabis so unique compared to more traditional prescription medications. And now you know.
