New medical cannabis patients ask lots of great questions. We are happy they do. The Beehive Pharmacy staff is always ready to provide qualified answers. Here is a question we hear a lot: how are medical cannabis doses and directions determined in Utah?
When a patient asks this question, it is generally due to associating medical cannabis with traditional prescription medicines. So let’s unpack that before we actually answer the question.
Dose and Directions on the Bottle
Let’s say you see your medical provider for an infection. They prescribe an antibiotic. The bottle containing the medication has a label offering a plethora of information:
- Your name.
- The name of the drug.
- Dose and frequency.
- Any instructions for taking the medication.
You only need to read the label to know how to use the medication. As long as you follow the instructions, everything should be fine. But when it comes to medical cannabis, things don’t work exactly the same way.
Either the Doctor or Pharmacist
Although doctors determine dose and directions for traditional prescription medications, licensed pharmacists are also qualified to offer their advice. They can, and often do, consult with patients to better utilize medications. Still, the original dose and directions come from the doctor.
In the medical cannabis world, either the doctor (medical provider) or pharmacist can determine dose and directions and then enter that information into the electronic verification system (EVS). Here’s what the Utah DHHS website says about it:
“Qualified medical providers (QMPs) may submit directions for use and dosing guidelines for their patients in the electronic verification system (EVS) or they may leave those up to the pharmacy medical provider at the medical cannabis pharmacy to determine.”
Medical providers can make dose and direction decisions and pass them along to the pharmacist. But they don’t have to. A medical provider can leave those decisions to the pharmacist.
The Most Qualified Individuals
Leaving dose and directions to the discretion of a pharmacist is not a bad idea. Here’s why: pharmacists receive explicit training in medication use. They learn about things like the human endocannabinoid system and how drugs affect that system. A doctor’s training in this area is comparatively limited.
In the context of medical cannabis, pharmacists specializing in this field are known as pharmacy medical providers (PMPs). Along with the standard training in pharmacology required of all licensed pharmacists, they receive additional education on medical cannabis and its uses.
One could make the case that PMPs are the most qualified medical professionals to determine dose and directions. They understand best how the human body interacts with cannabinoids. They understand best the possible impacts of an inappropriate dose.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask
As the patient, you always have the freedom to ask your medical providers about dose and direction. Do not ever be afraid to do so. You are your own best healthcare advocate regardless of whether your medical provider or pharmacist makes dose and direction decisions.
We also recommend that you track your medical cannabis consumption. Write down what you take, how much you take, when you take it, and how it makes you feel. Then bring that information with you on every visit to the Beehive Farmacy. It is invaluable to a pharmacist whose goal is to help you make the most of your medicines.
Doctors determine dose and direction for traditional prescription medications. But in Utah’s medical cannabis space, those determinations can be made by either medical provider or pharmacist. Now that you know, you are better equipped to make your decisions.
