Medical Cannabis: More than just THC / CBD %
Salutations~
When choosing your Licensed Producer(s)- You have considered pricing, shipping, customer service, methods of growing and availability of product. Now you just need to figure out the best products to order.
You have a prescription that allows you to order up to a maximum of your daily dose X 30 days. Ex: If you have a 1.5g/day prescription- you can order up to 45 grams of various products. Your prescribing physician should have talked to you about CBD, THC and the various methods of delivery ie; Cannabis infused oils, whole flowers for vaporizing ( or smoking- but they won't endorse that ) And you may have a 'script for both, like I do.
Soon we will have a broader range of options, with legalization of edibles and concentrates expected to happen in October 2019, but for now- lets focus on oils and bud.
Oils-
Tinctures, gel caps, sprays or suppositories (!~) are all available currently and are widely favored by healthcare professionals as they are STANDARDIZED in dose. Meaning that following a treatment plan involving regular scheduled doses of cannabinoids, will yield some quantifiable results that you can track. When sticking with a particular spectrum of cannabinoids, we can adjust with more accuracy- allowing you to hone in on the optimal "dose" to treat your condition.
Things to think about-
Oils and gel caps have an onset time of 30 minutes to 3 hrs and a duration of effect that lasts about 6-8 hrs dependent on metabolism, so your overall "coverage time" ranges from approximately 1 hr after you wake up, until you fall asleep, with little maintenance other than taking a drop or spray 3 times a day. There is no odor, limited expiry date and the cost per day is relatively low.
What you miss out on in, is a bit of the entourage effect from the terpenes and other cannabinoids that might influence your choice. This is purely subjective, with very little data to back up the benefits of "full spectrum" flower or concentrate vs orally ingested cannabis. And while smoking / vaping tends to get less medical support- medicated edibles have their own risks- so be aware.
Briefly- You also have the option of making your own edibles, oil infusions and some concentrates at home, and you can do this relatively cheaply from certain LP's who sell "shake, tips or trim" for 3-5$ a gram, making this a relatively effective option- just follow standard decarboxylation to ensure it is orally active.
Flowers-
Often just called dried cannabis-it is most often sold in "bud" form, meaning trimmed- cured- and processed whole flowers. Trimmed sugar leaf often comprises the lowest cost "user ready" cannabis options, followed by "milled" products. This means they have been ground up mechanically and are ready for rolling, or packing in a vaporizer. If you're not too picky about flavor- this is a good economic option in a wallet threshing landscape.
Indica / Sativa / Hybrid
There is a lot of talk about how you can qualify your experience from just these three words. IMO- there is just so much more to selecting your strain, than just looking at its genus designation. Altho that can certainly be factored in, there are just so few strains that are 100% Indica or Sativas, and Hybrids have such varied effects it would do them a disservice to lump them as one or the other.
But for treating ailments like insomnia, pain or ptsd- People will say "You need an indica." And that is partially true- if that indica was grown well, had a valued THC level and worked with your personal endocannabinoid system. We are all genetically different in the way our bodies receive cannabinoids- but generally- higher THC %'s will leave you sedated and physically relaxed more than low THC strains. The benefit of vaping- is that it enters your bloodstream within seconds- allowing for acute relief when required.
The measurable differences between strains- is available from some producers who list independent 3rd party chemical analysis, showing THC, THC-A, THC-V, CBD as well as a terpene profile with detailed percentages (ideally for EACH RELEASE.) If you are paying for medical cannabis, it should be rich in terpenes that please you. If you want to learn more about what researchers have uncovered about terpenes and their therapeutic benefits- Check HERE> or HERE>
You are going to be your best guide in selecting strains, as there is just not enough data to say this one strain, will do this one thing, the absolute best. If your healthcare provider was unable to provide you with resources about how to select a good option for you, there are good resources like Lift & Co. or Leafly. Users leave detailed reviews you can often search by malady to see which strains are effective in treating which ailments, or strains that are similar to ones that work for you.
Happy Strain Hunting!
 |
| James Wagner Cultivators |
When choosing your Licensed Producer(s)- You have considered pricing, shipping, customer service, methods of growing and availability of product. Now you just need to figure out the best products to order.
You have a prescription that allows you to order up to a maximum of your daily dose X 30 days. Ex: If you have a 1.5g/day prescription- you can order up to 45 grams of various products. Your prescribing physician should have talked to you about CBD, THC and the various methods of delivery ie; Cannabis infused oils, whole flowers for vaporizing ( or smoking- but they won't endorse that ) And you may have a 'script for both, like I do.
Soon we will have a broader range of options, with legalization of edibles and concentrates expected to happen in October 2019, but for now- lets focus on oils and bud.
Oils-
Tinctures, gel caps, sprays or suppositories (!~) are all available currently and are widely favored by healthcare professionals as they are STANDARDIZED in dose. Meaning that following a treatment plan involving regular scheduled doses of cannabinoids, will yield some quantifiable results that you can track. When sticking with a particular spectrum of cannabinoids, we can adjust with more accuracy- allowing you to hone in on the optimal "dose" to treat your condition.
Things to think about-
Oils and gel caps have an onset time of 30 minutes to 3 hrs and a duration of effect that lasts about 6-8 hrs dependent on metabolism, so your overall "coverage time" ranges from approximately 1 hr after you wake up, until you fall asleep, with little maintenance other than taking a drop or spray 3 times a day. There is no odor, limited expiry date and the cost per day is relatively low.
What you miss out on in, is a bit of the entourage effect from the terpenes and other cannabinoids that might influence your choice. This is purely subjective, with very little data to back up the benefits of "full spectrum" flower or concentrate vs orally ingested cannabis. And while smoking / vaping tends to get less medical support- medicated edibles have their own risks- so be aware.
Briefly- You also have the option of making your own edibles, oil infusions and some concentrates at home, and you can do this relatively cheaply from certain LP's who sell "shake, tips or trim" for 3-5$ a gram, making this a relatively effective option- just follow standard decarboxylation to ensure it is orally active.
 |
| Highschool Sweetheart by Gage Green Group ( USA) |
Flowers-
Often just called dried cannabis-it is most often sold in "bud" form, meaning trimmed- cured- and processed whole flowers. Trimmed sugar leaf often comprises the lowest cost "user ready" cannabis options, followed by "milled" products. This means they have been ground up mechanically and are ready for rolling, or packing in a vaporizer. If you're not too picky about flavor- this is a good economic option in a wallet threshing landscape.
Indica / Sativa / Hybrid
There is a lot of talk about how you can qualify your experience from just these three words. IMO- there is just so much more to selecting your strain, than just looking at its genus designation. Altho that can certainly be factored in, there are just so few strains that are 100% Indica or Sativas, and Hybrids have such varied effects it would do them a disservice to lump them as one or the other.
But for treating ailments like insomnia, pain or ptsd- People will say "You need an indica." And that is partially true- if that indica was grown well, had a valued THC level and worked with your personal endocannabinoid system. We are all genetically different in the way our bodies receive cannabinoids- but generally- higher THC %'s will leave you sedated and physically relaxed more than low THC strains. The benefit of vaping- is that it enters your bloodstream within seconds- allowing for acute relief when required.
The measurable differences between strains- is available from some producers who list independent 3rd party chemical analysis, showing THC, THC-A, THC-V, CBD as well as a terpene profile with detailed percentages (ideally for EACH RELEASE.) If you are paying for medical cannabis, it should be rich in terpenes that please you. If you want to learn more about what researchers have uncovered about terpenes and their therapeutic benefits- Check HERE> or HERE>
 |
| James Wagner Cultivation setting the bar with analysis |
You are going to be your best guide in selecting strains, as there is just not enough data to say this one strain, will do this one thing, the absolute best. If your healthcare provider was unable to provide you with resources about how to select a good option for you, there are good resources like Lift & Co. or Leafly. Users leave detailed reviews you can often search by malady to see which strains are effective in treating which ailments, or strains that are similar to ones that work for you.
Happy Strain Hunting!
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