Medical Marijuana: The Many Options

One of the coolest things about working at a dispensary is watching the growing number of ways to consume medical marijuana. For those of you who haven’t kept up with the marijuana industry be prepared to be enlightened. Smoking Marijuana Flowers This is still the most common form of using medical cannabis. The usual ways to smoke marijuana include grinding or separating the flowers or buds into a smaller and more manageable form and then either rolling it in a wrap or placing it into a pipe. SWC carries pre-rolls which are .7 grams rolled up in raw paper and ready to smoke. The Dispensaries also carry a small selection of rolling papers, pipes, vaporizers and other smoking accessories. Vaporization is another form of consuming cannabis. It is achieved by heating up the dried cannabis in a “vaporizer” which does not burn the bud with an open flame but heats it up to a point just before it does burn which releases the cannabinoids in gas form. The gas cannot be seen but is inhaled through a plastic tube or a bag in which the vapor is caught and then inhaled. It is not as hazardous as smoking may be and the potential side effects are not as severe. Vaporizers have traditionally come in a “table top” size but some “E-Pens” claim to vaporize flower as well.     Edibles While weed brownies have been passed around at parties for decades in the USA, the marijuana kitchens have taken this to a whole new level. Edibles are a great way to stay medicated without smoking. Eating marijuana-infused edibles usually leads to stronger and longer lasting effects, compared to smoking. However, relief may take anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours depending on what is in the patients stomach and how potent the edible is. SWC offers a vast selection of marijuana edibles including chocolate (lots of chocolate!), candies, pesto, fruit juice, teas and even medicated hot sauce! As a patient you could make your own edibles, but SWC has a huge selection and some of the best products and prices in Arizona, so why not one stop shop for your medicated honey and gourmet cookies? *There has been recent concerns related to overly potent edibles and the difficulty in controlling dosing. Patients should be sure to read packages for recommended dosing and always start with smaller amounts until you know how edibles will effect you.    Tinctures Tinctures are liquid concentrates of marijuana cannabinoids mixed with glycerin or alcohol. Patient can put a few drops underneath their tongue and feel the effects, usually within 30 minutes.  Tinctures can come in CBD for those who want no psychoactive effects or THC. The effect can be rather strong, similar to that of ingestion but also a bit different since it is mixed with alcohol. Topical Treatments Cannabinoids combine with a penetrating topical cream can be used on the skin. Salves (usually made with coconut oil and bees wax) and creams (usually made with shea butter) can be rubbed directly on the skin to help with relief of muscle strain, inflammation and allergic skin reactions. Capsules For many the idea of smoking medication, eating medicated food or dropping something mixed with alcohol under your tongue does not seem like a “normal way” to medicate. Marijuana cannabinoids in capsules seems more traditional for many patients. Cannabinoids can be infused into coconut oil and put in capsules for easy digestion. Other Concentrates: Wax, Shatter & Oils In Arizona more options for concentrates have arrived in the form of Wax, Shatter and Oils. Local producers are now making butane hash oil (BHO). Extracting and concentrating using chemical processes is not a new thing. Food manufacturers have been doing it for a long time when extracting vitamins from broccoli or caffein from coffee. Hash has also been used for centuries but it was always a long and complicated process. Advancements in butane extractions,similar to the process used for foods, has led to a new and more “high tech” way to smoke concentrates or “do dabs” as the kids are calling it. It may sound complicated and we should always be cautious when chemicals are involved but concentrated Wax and Oils do provide incredibly effective relief for many patients. State Licensed Dispensaries have the resources to test for quality and pure extracts to help encourage safe production and use. Oils and Wax’s may be smoked using traditional smoking tools, like a bong, but VapePens (similar to e-cigarets) have become the most recent “must have” smoking accessory. While the science behind recommending dosing for the amounts of THC, CBD and other cannabinoids has come a long way, it is an ongoing challenge to provide recommendations for dosing. Kitchens producing the various edibles and extracts are working to create industry standards while patients and their doctors use trial and error methods for trying new products.  For many patients all the options are exciting and provide a lot of hope, but it can also be overwhelming for people who are new to marijuana. Responsible State Licensed Dispensaries should be discussing all potential side effects and teaching titration methods for safe adjustments to dosing. Patients should remain active in tracking success and sharing reports with their physicians, caregivers and dispensary agents. We should all remain optimistic for what is to come! Stay tuned to our blog for future articles about each of these forms.