5 Tips to Maximize the Medicinal Benefit of Cannabis
Words from Dr James Weeks, an Ohio Medical Marijuana Doctor
My experience as a practicing Ohio medical marijuana doctor started in 2019 with the opening of my cannabis practice One Heart Medical. I have seen people of all ages, races, and religions. From people dealing with chronic pain and PTSD to terminal cancer and neurodegenerative conditions, and everywhere in between, patients are undoubtedly seeking the use of cannabis for medicinal reasons.
Given the complexities of cannabis in its dosing, it is not uncommon for patients to undergo quite a bit of trial and error in finding the right products, mode of use, and doses for their particular ailment. Having consulted hundreds of patients, I have come across 5 common themes that can improve outcomes from the start, thus minimizing the “error” and focusing on wellness and quality of life.
There is More to Cannabis than just the high: THC has historically been considered the famous component in marijuana and is the chemical that creates the psychoactive effect. Termed one of the cannabinoids, it is, however, just only one of many pieces of the marijuana puzzle. There are actually over 200 pieces that can be found in the marijuana plant. While THC, CBD, and the other cannabinoids provide great value medically, we are finding that the aroma of the cannabis plant produced by essential oils called “terpenes”, also have significant health value. I often recommend patients to pick cultivars or strains of cannabis flower based on their terpene profile. Bottom line, the higher the THC % level, does not always equate to a more medicinal product.
To every yin there is a yang: (THC and CBD Have a synergy towards each other): THC and CBD work better together. Despite this known fact, it is common for patients to purchase cannabis products that are THC rich alone. However, pooling more parts of the plant together enhances their medicinal effects. This pooling has led to the coinage of the term “the entourage effect.” Not only do they work better together, but the CBD smooths out the psychoactive or “high” producing effects of THC, thus allowing for a more functional product overall.
Go Low and Slow with Edibles: When you smoke or vaporize cannabis, it goes into your lungs and then directly into your bloodstream. This leads to a rapid onset of action. The quick effects of the inhalation route allow the patient to easily self-dose and simply stop using the product once the desired effect has been achieved. When you eat or ingest cannabis, it takes an entirely different path all together. Specifically, it must be absorbed by the GI tract and metabolized by the liver. This leads to a slower onset of action, usually 1-2 hours before the patient notices the effects. I thus recommend starting with a very low dose and slowly increasing over subsequent doses based on the outcome.
Cannabis is a Fat Lover: When cannabis brownies were first discovered, I wonder if the chef knew they were taking advantage of science? They were essentially improving its absorption into the system by adding the cannabis to the fatty medium of butter and chocolate. In the science world, cannabis is termed a “lipophilic” substance, which means it is a fat lover. Research has proven that eating cannabis on an empty stomach leads to lower levels of it into the system, while doing so after a fatty meal or snack, markedly increases it. I recommend healthy fats such as avocado, nuts, peanut butter, and yogurt to name a few.
Topical Cannabis Is Helpful Without the High: We have come along way with cannabis as a medicine and it can now be found in topical products, such as an ointment or salve. These are rubbed on a local area of pain such as a joint or muscle and take effect locally without any systemic effect. I recommend my patients to rub the topical product in thoroughly until dry or nearly dry on the skin. Given this does not get into the system, it does not create a mental or psychoactive effect. This is a great option for patients to use during the daytime while at work, while exercising, or on the go in general.
It is with my sincere hope these 5 tips help people in Ohio and beyond in their medical marijuana journey! Kindly, Dr. James Weeks, an Ohio Medical Marijuana Doctor