The staff here at Beehive Farmacy is genuinely interested in helping you get the most out of your medicine. Our team members are highly knowledgeable and compassionate. We hope you are taking advantage of what they have to offer. In light of that, we have a question: How often do you discuss consumption with your pharmacist?
You obtained your medical cannabis card in order to legally consume cannabis as a medicine. That was a wise decision on your part. But due to a lack of standardization, recommending medical cannabis is not as straightforward as prescribing something like an antibiotic. For a lot of patients, the medical cannabis journey is as much about searching for what works best as it is realizing symptom relief.
Your pharmacist, or Pharmacy Medical Provider (PMP), is one of the best resources you have at your disposal. Also note that state law requires that Utah medical cannabis pharmacies always have a PMP on staff during regular business hours. There will always be a pharmacist available to answer your questions.
Understanding the Endocannabinoid System
One of the keys to recommending medical cannabis is to understand how it affects the human endocannabinoid system. This system affects countless biological functions in human beings. It is a rather extensive system that balances or regulates everything from appetite to sleep and pain perception.
Your pharmacist knows all of this. They studied the endocannabinoid system in school. That is what makes your pharmacist the most qualified person to help you on your medical cannabis journey.
On the other hand, a pharmacist is not a medical doctor. So diagnosing illnesses and coming up with prognoses is not their forte. What does this suggest? That you see your doctor to get a medical cannabis recommendation and then a PMP to help you figure out the best way to consume cannabis.
No Shortage of Choices
You know, if you have been using medical cannabis for any length of time, that there is no shortage of consumption choices in terms of product, delivery methods, and doses. Here at Beehive Farmacy alone, we give consumers access to medical cannabis flower, vapes, gummies, tinctures, topicals and more.
Ask your pharmacist about the different delivery methods and they should be able to tell you exactly how each one works. They should also be on to explain how the different delivery systems get THC into your bloodstream.
Your pharmacist also knows how something like your metabolism will affect how quickly your medicine kicks in. They can explain the difference between vaping and edibles in terms of onset time. These are all things your doctor may not be able to help you with.
With so many options, you need sound advice to plot your journey. Speaking with your PMP on a regular basis makes doing so a lot easier. Between your experience and the PMP’s knowledge, you can work together to get you where you need to go.
Your Journey Will Likely Change
As this post closes, we want to encourage you consider the fact that your medical cannabis journey is likely to change. Change is part of being human. As you progress along your journey, you may discover that:
- a new product makes you feel better
- layering your medicine seems more effective
- a particular delivery method no longer works for you
- You require a dose increase or decrease
Every aspect of the medical cannabis journey can change over time. This is one of the reasons the state requires regular medical cannabis card renewals. It is also why they encourage patients to track their usage and talk things over with their PMP on every pharmacy visit. So again, how often do you discuss cannabis consumption with your pharmacist?
