Apply via Topicals

This is one of the safest ways to consume your medication and may be the best option for certain pains or ailments. Rubbing cannabis products on the skin will not result in a psychoactive effect.
 

Inhale via Vaporizer 

This is the safest way to inhale your medicine because it heats the cannabinoid-laden oils to the point where they become airborne vapors, without bringing the other plant material to combustion, drastically reducing the amount of tars and other chemical irritants that you otherwise would inhale. Vaporizers also emit much less odor than any type of smoking.

(Because the effects are noticed or felt quickly, this is a good way to get immediate relief and find the best dose for you.)

 

Know Your Variety

• Cannabis comes in many varieties, roughly divided between Sativas, that originated near the equator; and Indicas, that come from northern latitudes. However, modern breeding programs have created a wide range of hybrids. Each variety has its own cannabinoid and terpene profile and specific effects. There is a distinct difference when using Sativa-dominant, Indica-dominant, or a Hybrid. 

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Take a medicine vacation occasionally.

• While cannabis does not produce tolerance in the way opiates do, reducing or ceasing cannabis use can yield enhanced effects when restarted. Either reduce or stop for however long it feels comfortable for you.

• Change the variety if the one you're using seems to be losing its effectiveness.

• Whenever possible, choose organic cannabis products. Never consume cannabis that has been treated with pesticides.

Think About Drug Interactions

• No significant interactions between cannabis and other drugs are known at this time, though research indicates cannabis enhances the effects of opiate painkillers. Little is known about the interaction of cannabis and other pharmaceutical medications, but it is important to consider any complementary effects.h

• Talk to your doctor or find a doctor who you can talk to about medical cannabis. Some studies show interactions with barbiturates, theophyline, fluoxetine, disulfiram, sedatives, antihistamines, etc. A synergistic effect can occur with alcohol use; limit mixing the two.

• Consider Safety. For yourself and your community. Indicas can cause drowsiness-avoid driving or operating heavy machinery when using your medicine.

• Don't consume cannabis and drive. Cannabis use can impair motor skills. Find a safe environment to consume your medicine. 

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Keeping a Cannabis Log

• To establish an optimal treatment regime with cannabis, you will need to balance the effects of different strains, doses, and methods of ingestion. It may be helpful to record your therapeutic relationship with cannabis on an ongoing basis. One method is through keeping a cannabis-use log that captures your experience, including thoughts, feeling and behaviors. Periodically reviewing the log can help both you and your doctor make decisions about what works best.

• To start, keep a detailed log, as described below, for at least one week. Once you've got a week's worth of information, complete the self-assessment worksheet that follows. This worksheet will help you better understand many things about yourself, including: your ailments and symptom patterns, your treatment behaviors, and the efficacy and side effects of the cannabis medicines you use.

• In keeping a medication log, try to keep things standardized, and be as consistent as possible. Here are some logging tips on useful information to collect:

• Date/Time: Record every time you consume cannabis with the current date and time of day.

• Amount: The amount of cannabis used (gram estimate or other consistent measure).

• Strain: The name, strain or variety of the cannabis strain or variety of cannabis medicine used. If you don't know the name, write a detailed description of the medicine.

• Code: Strains are generally described as Indica, Sativa, or hybrid. You may want to code your entries: I=Indica, S=Sativa, S/I=Sativa-dominant Indica Cross, and I/S= Indica-dominant Sativa Cross.

• Type is the form of cannabis consumed: dried bud flower (most common), concentrates, tincture/sprays, edibles/drinks or topical. You may want to use: F=flower, C=concentrate, T=tincture/spray, E=edible, TO=topical.

• Cannabinoid Content: refers to the percent of THC, CBD and/or CBN. If you have this information available to you, write down percentages of each cannabinoid. If you're using edibles or similar, a description of potency and preparation is helpful.

• Mode: Write down how you used your medication. Either inhale via S=smoke or V=vaporize, E=eat/digest, T=tincture or spray, TO=topical.

• Therapeutic Effects: List any positive effects you experience (physical, mental, social, behavioral, etc).

• Negative Side Effects: List your negative effects

• Timing: How quickly did you experience the first therapeutic effects? When did you feel the peak of relief? When did it start to noticeably dissipate? How long until effects were gone?

• What prompted your cannabis use? List the specific factors that told you it was time for medicine, as well as the general symptoms or conditions being treated (e.g. pain, nausea, anxiety, etc.

• How did you feel (mindset)? Record your mood and feelings before and after you used cannabis.

• Where were you (setting)? Were you at home, at a collective, in your office? Sitting, standing, lying down?

• Who were you with? Were you by yourself, with a friend, a large group, among other cannabis consumers, etc?

• What were you doing? Just before you used cannabis, what was going on? What were the activities or circumstances leading up to it?   

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