As access to medicinal cannabis continues to spread around the country and the world, more and more people are able to consider using cannabis to treat any number of different medical conditions. However, with this new found access come regulations and policies that medicinal cannabis patients must adhere to in order to be able to legally obtain their medicine. For folks who may be new to the world of medicinal cannabis, we’ve put together a few tips to help make your experience as smooth as possible.
For starters, always make sure to bring your medical cannabis card with you when going to a dispensary. In states where patients must register to be able to obtain cannabis via a dispensary we highly recommend that you keep your identification card with you at all times. No dispensary in places where registration is required by law will sell any cannabis to anyone that does not have the appropriate credentials, in fact, you won’t even be able to get through the front door if you didn’t bring your card with you.
Also, once you have your card do your best to avoid delaying having it renewed. Since most locations where medical cannabis is allowed require that you make a follow-up appointment with your doctor in order to re-register, you will want to plan ahead of time in order to avoid any lapses in coverage that could potentially leave you without access to your medicine. We would recommend beginning the renewal process at least 30 days out from your card’s expiration date to hopefully sidestep any snags.
Be sure to do your homework before you even go to the dispensary for the first time. While your friendly local budtender will be happy to help with any questions that you may have, it is always a good idea to do some research with regards to what type of cannabis strains and/or products would work best for the condition(s) that you are looking to treat. This way you will be well prepared for your first dispensary shopping experience, making it easier for everyone involved. If the dispensary you choose has a website, be sure to check it out as most will have at least some of their inventory available for you to peruse ahead of time.
While doing your research, try to avoid “analysis paralysis” and don’t get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of different cannabis products, strains, and devices that are available. Try to take into account the specific reasons that you are seeking treatment for and start from there. A simple internet search will yield a surprisingly large number of results for studies and articles related to treating any number of different medical conditions by using cannabis. Be sure to find reputable and reliable sources and it doesn’t hurt to look at several and compare notes. While your doctor may have provided you with some suggestions on what type of products or strains to use, it is always a good idea to take a closer look for yourself in order to familiarize yourself with what is available.
Lastly, if you will be using cannabis flower or concentrates such as wax and oils, you will also want to look into the different devices that are to be used with each. There are many different types of the devices that are to be used with the different types of cannabis products and flower like vaporizers, bongs, bowls, dab rigs, etc., so you will want to get to know the type of device that works best with your chosen form of cannabis as placing the wrong product into the wrong type of device could potentially ruin it and cost you some extra cash.
Do you have any tips for folks that are new to medicinal cannabis that you would like to share?
