FAQs About Medical Cannabis
What is medical marijuana?
Medical marijuana — or medical cannabis — is a derivative of the Cannabis plant frequently used to treat a variety of ailments. The active compounds responsible for the Cannabis plant’s medicinal value are THC and CBD. THC has a psychoactive effect (aka the “high” people associate with marijuana use), while CBD is non-psychoactive and does not induce any “high.”
How is medical cannabis used?
Cannabis is used to treat a wide variety of health concerns, including but not limited to:
Alzheimer’s
Anxiety and depression
Back pain
Cancer
Crohn’s disease
Eating disorders
Epilepsy
Immune system diseases like MS and HIV
Insomnia
Migraines
PTSD
Medical cannabis is primarily:
Inhaled through a vaporizer, or smoking through a glass pipe or pre-roll
Consumed as an edible
Taken in pill or capsule form
Topically applied
Administered by sublingual drops of a liquid tincture
What is the most effective form of medical marijuana?
Efficacy for medical cannabis varies according to the specific condition you’re trying to treat, the strain of marijuana you’re consuming, and the method of consumption.
When deciding which strain and method of consumption is best for you, it’s advised to consult both your prescribing physician and a certified budtender. It may take some trial and error to find the most effective form of marijuana for you.
What is the safest form of medical marijuana?
Due to the health risks associated with smoking anything — especially during a pandemic — the safest way to consume medical cannabis is in an edible or topical form.
What are the effects of cannabis?
Medical marijuana use is associated with many positive effects, including:
Feelings of euphoria and relaxation
A reduction in feelings of anxiety or depression
Pain relief
Muscle relaxation
A reduction in inflammation and neuropathic pain
Appetite stimulation
Nausea control
What are the side effects of medical marijuana?
Web MD reports that medical cannabis containing the psychoactive compound THC can produce a number of side effects, including:
Anxiety
Bloodshot eyes
Dizziness
Dry mouth
Fast heartbeat
Low blood pressure
Web MD also warns that marijuana use can “affect judgment and coordination, which could lead to accidents and injuries.”
However, like the efficacy of medical marijuana, side effects vary according to the strain, method of consumption, and an individual’s temperament. If you experience unpleasant side effects after consuming medical cannabis, we recommend consulting the budtender at a licensed dispensary to find alternative strains and/or methods of consumption.
Are hemp and marijuana the same thing?
Yes, hemp and marijuana are two different names for the same plant: Cannabis.
The difference in the two terms comes from the level of THC present in the plant. Healthline reports that any Cannabis plant containing less than 0.3 percent THC is classified as hemp. This low level of THC means hemp does not have a psychoactive effect.
Cannabis plants with more than 0.3 percent THC are classified as marijuana. The higher the percentage of THC present in marijuana, the more intense its psychoactive quality.
Is marijuana safer today than it was in the past?
Though some studies report today’s cannabis is stronger than the pot your parents smoked, medical marijuana is more regulated and controlled — making consumption much safer than it was in the past. Moreover, medical marijuana is grown according to the strictest agricultural standards and undergoes a rigorous testing and remediation process before it is cleared for consumption. Learn more about Cann Cure Cultivation’s premium growing process here.
To ensure you’re consuming medical marijuana safely, we recommend working with a qualified budtender to find the strain and method of consumption right for you.
How is medical marijuana different from recreational?
Use of medical marijuana is restricted to qualified patients in states where medical marijuana is legal, and must be distributed through a licensed medical marijuana treatment center (MMTC) — aka a dispensary. Medical marijuana is legal in 33 US states, including Rhode Island.
Recreational marijuana can be purchased and consumed by any consenting adult (18+) in states where recreational marijuana has been legalized. At the moment, recreational marijuana has not been legalized in Rhode Island.
In states where marijuana is both medically and recreationally legal, medical marijuana users typically receive a tax break on purchasing cannabis products.
Is medical marijuana FDA approved?
Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), “To date, the agency has not approved a marketing application for cannabis for the treatment of any disease or condition. FDA has, however, approved one cannabis-derived and three cannabis-related drug products. These approved products are only available with a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider.”
The cannabis-derived products the FDA has approved include:
Epidiolex — a CBD-derived seizure medication
Marinol and Syndros — man-made THC-derived medications for the treatment of appetite and weight loss in HIV/AIDS patients, or nausea in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy
How much does medical marijuana cost?
The cost of medical cannabis varies according to the strain, amount, and composition of the product. Generally speaking, cannabis derivatives such as edibles, tinctures, and topicals are more expensive than cannabis flower.
Is medical marijuana covered by insurance?
Medicare does not cover medical cannabis because it has not yet been approved by the FDA and is still federally illegal. However, approved cannabinoid medications — like Epidolex, Marinol, and Syndros — may be covered by certain plans.
Can you take medical marijuana on a plane?
Since marijuana is still federally illegal and the TSA is federally governed, you cannot take medical marijuana on a plane.
However, The Washington Post reports several airports have declared they will not stop outbound passengers carrying less than an ounce of marijuana. Moreover, TSA’s website states, “TSA’s screening procedures are focused on security and are designed to detect potential threats to aviation and passengers. Accordingly, TSA security officers do not search for marijuana or other illegal drugs, but if any illegal substance is discovered during security screening, TSA will refer the matter to a law enforcement officer.”
What does it mean to be a cannabis caregiver?
A cannabis caregiver is someone who assists a qualified medical marijuana patient with their marijuana use. Depending on the state, caregiving can include:
Purchasing the medical marijuana from a licensed dispensary
Cultivating cannabis plants for the patient’s use (please note: there are legal limits on how many plants a caregiver may grow)
Helping administer medical marijuana to the patient
How do I become a cannabis caregiver?
The cannabis caregiver process varies by state, but according to AARP, it usually starts with filling out an application. “Caregivers must be a certain age, and may have to pass a background check, take a certification course and submit the proper application to the agency that oversees medical marijuana. Other factors may apply, too.”
Requirements for medical marijuana caregivers in the state of Rhode Island can be found here.
What’s the difference between CBD and THC? Are Indica and Sativa really different? Who’s the OG? What does that mean?
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