You must have caught onto the wind about the medical potential of cannabis. Chronic pain, insomnia, loss of appetite, seizures are some of the many in the list of conditions that can benefit from medical cannabis treatment. The popularity has increased to a level where even individual components of cannabis like CBD has created a wave in healthcare. You can say that medical cannabis is at its peak. Looking at these factors if you have decided to try cannabis as a medication, you couldn’t have chosen a better time. Everything, from a medical marijuana card to cannabis strains, is more accessible than ever.

But before you start with the experience, it’s important to learn about the important facts about the medication. So here’s an overview of a few points that you must remember.

You must get a Medical card

If you are going to use cannabis for medical reasons, it is always a smart choice to get a medical cannabis card irrespective of the state you live in. Yes, you can buy and use cannabis in a recreational state even without an MMJ Card but let me tell you why a medical card is a smarter choice.

For starters, it is just a 10-minute process that you can complete in the comfort and safety of your home. You also receive the recommendation/card instantly via email that can be used immediately to buy cannabis. A medical card comes with many privileges that do not apply to recreational cannabis. For example, the sales and use tax on cannabis is exempted for people with a medical card. Also, you get to enjoy legal security. A medical card gives leverage to people driving or flying with cannabis. And these are only a few of the many benefits. If you wish to take advantage of all the privileges, apply for a medical card today.

Medical marijuana is also bound by rules and regulations

Cannabis is a psychoactive drug that has been in strife with the law for a very long time. To maintain the safety of the people and maintain control over cannabis use, every state in the US has a set of marijuana laws even for medical cannabis.

You can only possess and grow a limited amount of cannabis. The numbers are 8 ounces and up to 100 square feet respectively. Going beyond the limit may attract a penalty. The legal age to use medical cannabis is 18 years. And in case you are below 18 and need to use medical cannabis, you must have a legal caregiver. In addition to this, the difference between the state and federal government laws can lead to legal persecution.

Even today, when the state governments and most of the US population have accepted the medical potential of cannabis, the federal laws still leave us in a state of tension. At the federal level, cannabis still isn’t legal so that leaves a lot of possibility for an arrest. So you must avoid using or possession of cannabis in any areas that are under federal jurisdiction. This includes airplanes, especially when they take off and state borders. Also, a medical card does not give you leverage to consume cannabis publicly or drive under its influence.

Not all cannabis is the same

Cannabis does not have just one type, they have hundreds of varieties. And if you think your choice doesn’t matter, think again.

Let me first talk about the variety of strains. When you get into a cannabis dispensary, the budtender may throw names at you like Durban Poison, Irish Cream or Girl Scout Cookies. These are not names of game avatars but the different strains of cannabis. The difference in each of these strains lies in their chemical compositions that may vary in combinations, ratios and presence of different cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids etc. This variation is the reason why different strains can have different and sometimes even opposite effects on people.

Another important variation in cannabis that you should know is its types. For example, dried buds, concentrates and edibles are different types. Each of these varieties is used for different delivery methods. Such as dried buds are used in joints and concentrates are used in bongs or for dabbing. So choosing a cannabis strain and type is a step that has to be done in accordance with your preferences and the requirements of your condition.

Different Delivery methods work differently

A delivery method refers to the different ways of consuming cannabis. And there are dozens to choose from. But when you are choosing a delivery method for your medical condition, it has to be according to the effects your ailment needs. Because delivery methods also work differently in your body. They deliver cannabis in the body through different processes. Let’s take the instances of smoking and edibles.

When you smoke, the cannabinoids reach your bloodstream through the respiratory system and deliver the effects almost instantly. This is why smoking is a good choice for people with severe anxiety as it delivers instant relief. As for edibles, it is processed by the digestive system which takes anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours to deliver the cannabinoids to the bloodstream. But when it hits, the high is strong and lasts long which makes it the best option for people with chronic pain.

Your body builds tolerance against cannabis

Once you start using cannabis, your body also starts adjusting to the effects and changes. And as your indulgence and duration of use increases, your body’s tolerance to cannabis also rises. It’s an inevitable end. When the level increases, you will notice that your dose has increased and the effects are also not as strong as they used to be. But don’t you worry. Cannabis tolerance can be reversed. You can take a tolerance break which is total abstinence of cannabis for some time. Or you can follow these tips to manage your tolerance but only after consulting a medical marijuana doctor.

• Lower your dose with time.
• Plan your sessions to check your indulgence.
• Rotate between strains and delivery methods.
• Combine your sessions with exercise.
• Replace THC with CBD and continue to so until the tolerance level lowers.

Did you keep a note of all the points? If yes, then you are ready to start your treatment with medical cannabis. Also, besides this, do your due research before using cannabis to enjoy the full spectrum of its benefits with safety.