Medical cannabis has so many benefits, but there is often a bit of a learning curve as patients first start to use it. After all, using cannabis is quite different from using most other medications like ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Here are a few tips that should help during your first few sessions.
1. Don't smoke or vape the stems.
When you buy flowers/actual cannabis for medical use, it typically comes pretty well-trimmed and without any seeds. You don't have to worry about removing leaves or seeds. You should, however, be careful to fully pick the buds off the stems before smoking or vaping your product. The stems won't hurt you, but they produce a very harsh smoke and will cause more throat irritation. They don't contain a lot of THC or other active compounds, either, so it's really best to throw them away.
2. Start slowly.
If you have friends who use marijuana, they may have told you they smoke a whole bowl or a half gram per session — but you should never assume this is the dose you need. For one thing, people who have used marijuana for some time often have a higher tolerance and need to smoke more to get the same effects. Everyone also has a different base tolerance. The first few times you use your cannabis, it is important to start really slow. Take in a small amount, like one or two hits, and see how you feel 10 or 15 minutes later. If you don't have the effects you desire, take another hit. Repeat until you feel the medication working sufficiently.
3. Don't make plans initially.
Eventually, you will want to be able to use cannabis and still be productive in life. But the first couple of times you try using your medication, it's best not to have any important plans. This way, if you take a little too much, you won't have to worry about being able to function. You can just relax, see how the medication affects you, and work on dialing in your dose. If you can have someone there with you, this is ideal because they can help keep you calm the first time you try medical cannabis.
With the tips above, you can have some good early experiences with cannabis and hopefully enjoy some relief from your symptoms. Contact medical marijuana services to learn more about how much to take as a new patient.
