For many people, especially those new medical cannabis patients, some have "tried" cannabis many moons ago, back in the day, and then haven't used it since. While I do see other people who never wanted to "touch the stuff" but now see it and value it as a medicine and an option to help them feel better.
So what does a new patient need to know? It is going to take many blogs to get through all the "how to's" there are. But I want to start with the basics and have advanced information in future blogs.
Getting A DOCTOR RECOMMENDATIONS is your first step in being a legal Marijuana patient. Many states now offers legal medical cannabis use. You will have to check to requirements and regulations for your state. Google it! To find out how your state issues recommendations for use.
Here in California, patients can asked their primary care doctor, or find a doctor locally that focuses on helping marijuana patients get recommendations. These doctors do require doctor's notes to verify your need to use marijuana as a medicine. Once you have your valid recommendation, the next step is to decide how you want to use your cannabis (see 1st blog) for this blog we are going to focus on SMOKING cannabis for medicine and what you need to know to get started.
INDICA ~vs~ SATIVA and don't forget the Hybrids!
Some of You are already saying, "what?" "I have to know a kind?" Don't worry!!! This site will help you.
There are various kinds of cannabis, and unfortunately because of its legal status in our country we cannot study it, to say this specific kind of cannabis will be exactly what you need. The cannabis community themselves though is working on gathering specific information on each strain, but how cannabis will work for you personally and which type will work is going to be trial and error process. Be patient, and keep trying new strains! Keeping a little note book/ journal to keep track of the medicines you try and what works and what didn't work help many patient learn and keep track of their medicine and affects.
Let's start with there are several KINDS of cannabis that a patient can use.
Sativa:
Typically sativa's are known for it's euphoric and uplifting properties. Many patients find sativa's elevate their moods, it can bring on creativity and helps some patients with depression as well. I also would like to note, that many patients who are in chronic pain also find sativa's to be helpful during the daytime to relieve pain, and not make them sleepy like Indica's tend to do. Another point that many patient have noted is that some sativa's can be a little strong for first time users causing an elevated pulse feeling, expressed as "makes me feel like my heart is racing" for those patients we are going to talk later about Hybrid strains (crossed strains between indica and sativa) below.
Indica:
Most Inidca's give patients the deep feeling of relaxation, pain relief and can definitely help those with insomnia as well. Indica plants have dark wide shade leaves and grow more short and stalky than sativas. Patent's with severe medical issues have noted that the pure Indica strains help relief their chronic symptoms. If you are a patient in pain, suffer from muscle spasms or cannot sleep please give Indica cannabis a try. Often known as " couch lock" in cannabis slang, Indica strains can with very small amounts give you that "knocked out" feeling. So use a little to begin with before over medicating.
Hybrids:
Yes, we have come along was in producing numerous strains of cannabis to help patients with their wide array of aliments. So over the years Hybrid strains have been developed (crossing Indica's with sativa strains) give patients the benefits of both Indica and Sativa properties. There are growing reason that cannabis genetics has been developed, but also hybrids give patients the "best of both worlds" kinds of medicines to help relieve their symptoms. If as a new patient you find, you have tried a sativa for anxiety, but it makes you feel a little to "speedy" try a hybrid the next time and see if having alittle of both will help balance you better.
I know this is a lot of information. But as a new cannabis patient I am sure you have already discovered that many doctor can recommend the cannabis to you, but cannot tell you or won't tell you how to use it, or even where to get it. So new cannabis patient often feel alone, and without much information to get started with. So finding a dispensary (hopefully) you are in California or a legal medical state that has store front dispensaries that can not only provide but teach you about the various strains of cannabis but how to use them.
For those who do not have dispensaries and still are trying to use cannabis for medicinal use, if possible try and find out what kind of cannabis you are getting. Not just "its pot" but the name. If the place you are getting you medicine from can even tell you what it is called the Internet is a great resource for information on cannabis strains and you may be able to find out what it is just by googling it!
SO WHAT EXACTLY DO I NEED TO GET STARTED?
For this entry we are just discussing to SMOKING IT.
So you need some cannabis, a device to smoke it and a way to light it.
Not so hard, right? Yes, I know its not quiet that simple. But my best advice is to keep it simple.
Don't go out and spend lots of money on pipes, water pipes, vaporizers until you know this is the method that will work for you. Unfortunately, like everything shops that carry pipe mark up items a lot so always ask for a medicinal marijuana discount and don't spend very much to get started. Another side note if not in California, often in so called head shops, smoke shops etc... it is still illegal to call paraphernalia by its name. Bong for example, you have to ask for a "water pipe" Most people in these shops especially in California, are becoming more comfortable answering questions. Don't be afraid to ask, just know some place you may need to speak in code!
If you want to smoke it rolled up in paper like the good old days, but cannot roll a joint. Ask the local head shop about a rolling machine that basically does it all for you.
If you want a good pipe of bong those kind of stores can be found at local head shops. In California, some dispensaries (not where I work) but in other cities and counties dispensaries can sell to patients the devices they need to get started.
a new patient.
This is just the start of information that I will be blogging about. And please ask any questions you may have. Thank You for trying cannabis as an alternative medicine than all the pharmaceuticals we are prescribed.
I am so glad to see people giving this gift a chance!
PEACE!
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Thursday, September 27, 2012
The "How to" Blog, for New Medicinal Marijuana Patients
Working In a legal licenced dispensary in California, I believe that MOST new patients need is a step by step guide to answer the many questions that the doctor that gave them their recommendation cannot answer.
Many new patients have some basic knowledge on how to "smoke" marijuana, but need more advanced information so they can utilize cannabis as their medicine more effectively. And Yes, I do see some patients who are using cannabis medicinally for the very first time and have no idea where to get started. So, I am going to try and use this blog to answer all the questions a new cannabis patient may need to know.
Lets start with some basics!
You can use cannabis medicinally in several different ways.
1) Most commonly. SMOKE IT!
There are many ways that one can smoke cannabis, in a joint rolled up, in a pipe or water pipe (bong) as well as many new "latest and greatest" devices to smoke your medicine. (we will get into those details later on.)
2) Vaporize It.
Many patient who have never smoked, or who don't want to the smoke can use a item called a "Vaporizer" that doesn't burn any of the actually plant, it just vaporizes the cannabis resins releasing the THC and other beneficial Cannabinoids that are found in cannabis. Vaporizing is quickly becoming a popular way for medicinal patients to use their medicine quickly, discretely, and not leaving you stinking of cannabis smoke. (Vaporizing can leave an odor, but it smells more like burnt popcorn) If a patient want to try vaporizing they should first know the kind of vaporizer that will fit their lifestyle. We will also be discussing the various kinds of vaporizers that patients can purchase. They can be costly, so do some research before you buy, or your could be wasting money until you find one that fits you and your lifestyle.
3) Ingest It.
There are two ways that patients can ingest cannabis. The cannabis can either be baked, cooked, added to, or juiced then ingested. Many patients have found the added benefits to ingesting cannabis verses just smoking it. While smoking cannabis a patient may feel the affects almost immediately, ingesting cannabis can take from 30 minutes up to an hour to feel the affects. However the benefits can be felt (in the correct doses) for up to 8-10 hours, some patients even state longer for them personally. Many patients who ingest cannabis find it is greatest for insomnia and pain, but injections can be used for many other aliments as well.
The other ingestion method is the sub-lingual method, by where cannabis is extracted into alcohol or plant based vegetable glycerin. This method is usually called "tincture" and has been used for centuries combined with cannabis helping patients with headaches, cramping, pain, MS, seizures, insomnia along with many many other aliments. The benefits of using a sub lingual method is that a patient can feel the benefits with in 5-10 minutes, and can last for several hours. Tincture usually comes in bottle form and patient like how discrete it can be used.
4)Topically.
This seems to be the one of the most unknown methods of using medicinal cannabis. But, patients are discovering the incredible benefits of using cannabis topically. Topical use can relieve muscle aches and spasms, it helps with arthritis and bone pain, skin irritations,sunburns and much more. Topical products infused with cannabis can be found in a variety of bases (bees wax, olive oil, Shea butter, etc.) and many are scented as well.
I will be starting to go into more details in future blogs on each of the methods I have discussed above and will be trying to cover all the various questions and information patients need to get the most out of their medicinal cannabis. I truly hope that this blog will be a place to help new patients who have a recommendation from their doctor to use it, but don't know where to get it, or how to use it. I again am in California and laws in other states vary regarding medicinal marijuana. You should first find out what laws you have where you live. I will be talking about dispensaries (store front non-profit collectives that have medicine) I am sorry is many of you reading this will not have a dispensary to go to. I will also discuss ways to grow your own medicine as well.
Thank you for reading my first post and stay tuned for more posts coming soon!
You also maybe interested in reading about raw cannabis juicing on my other blog:
40dayrawcannabisjuicechallenge.blogspot.com
Many new patients have some basic knowledge on how to "smoke" marijuana, but need more advanced information so they can utilize cannabis as their medicine more effectively. And Yes, I do see some patients who are using cannabis medicinally for the very first time and have no idea where to get started. So, I am going to try and use this blog to answer all the questions a new cannabis patient may need to know.
Lets start with some basics!
You can use cannabis medicinally in several different ways.
1) Most commonly. SMOKE IT!
There are many ways that one can smoke cannabis, in a joint rolled up, in a pipe or water pipe (bong) as well as many new "latest and greatest" devices to smoke your medicine. (we will get into those details later on.)
2) Vaporize It.
Many patient who have never smoked, or who don't want to the smoke can use a item called a "Vaporizer" that doesn't burn any of the actually plant, it just vaporizes the cannabis resins releasing the THC and other beneficial Cannabinoids that are found in cannabis. Vaporizing is quickly becoming a popular way for medicinal patients to use their medicine quickly, discretely, and not leaving you stinking of cannabis smoke. (Vaporizing can leave an odor, but it smells more like burnt popcorn) If a patient want to try vaporizing they should first know the kind of vaporizer that will fit their lifestyle. We will also be discussing the various kinds of vaporizers that patients can purchase. They can be costly, so do some research before you buy, or your could be wasting money until you find one that fits you and your lifestyle.
3) Ingest It.
There are two ways that patients can ingest cannabis. The cannabis can either be baked, cooked, added to, or juiced then ingested. Many patients have found the added benefits to ingesting cannabis verses just smoking it. While smoking cannabis a patient may feel the affects almost immediately, ingesting cannabis can take from 30 minutes up to an hour to feel the affects. However the benefits can be felt (in the correct doses) for up to 8-10 hours, some patients even state longer for them personally. Many patients who ingest cannabis find it is greatest for insomnia and pain, but injections can be used for many other aliments as well.
The other ingestion method is the sub-lingual method, by where cannabis is extracted into alcohol or plant based vegetable glycerin. This method is usually called "tincture" and has been used for centuries combined with cannabis helping patients with headaches, cramping, pain, MS, seizures, insomnia along with many many other aliments. The benefits of using a sub lingual method is that a patient can feel the benefits with in 5-10 minutes, and can last for several hours. Tincture usually comes in bottle form and patient like how discrete it can be used.
4)Topically.
This seems to be the one of the most unknown methods of using medicinal cannabis. But, patients are discovering the incredible benefits of using cannabis topically. Topical use can relieve muscle aches and spasms, it helps with arthritis and bone pain, skin irritations,sunburns and much more. Topical products infused with cannabis can be found in a variety of bases (bees wax, olive oil, Shea butter, etc.) and many are scented as well.
I will be starting to go into more details in future blogs on each of the methods I have discussed above and will be trying to cover all the various questions and information patients need to get the most out of their medicinal cannabis. I truly hope that this blog will be a place to help new patients who have a recommendation from their doctor to use it, but don't know where to get it, or how to use it. I again am in California and laws in other states vary regarding medicinal marijuana. You should first find out what laws you have where you live. I will be talking about dispensaries (store front non-profit collectives that have medicine) I am sorry is many of you reading this will not have a dispensary to go to. I will also discuss ways to grow your own medicine as well.
Thank you for reading my first post and stay tuned for more posts coming soon!
You also maybe interested in reading about raw cannabis juicing on my other blog:
40dayrawcannabisjuicechallenge.blogspot.com
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