This article reprinted courtesy of Duber Medical. To get your Ohio medical marijuana card, go to DuberMedical.com. Get $10 off when you use discount code “MedicateOH”.
It can be difficult as a new medical marijuana patient to know how to select a product. Misinformation surrounding marijuana is rampant across the internet and sometimes, even in dispensaries. Believing these myths about medical marijuana may cause a patient to purchase the wrong product. This can be frustrating and expensive. Knowing which medical marijuana products to purchase can be a powerful tool toward effectively treating your condition.
Here are some common myths about medical marijuana that new patients could be wary of as they select their cannabis medicine at the dispensary:
Myth #1: Marijuana will make me sleepy/lazy.
Heavy indica strains do typically help put you to sleep, but a lot of strains can cause the opposite effect. A majority of strains you’ll see on a medical marijuana dispensary will be hybrids, so their effects might be unpredictable.
Marijuana contains dozens of different natural chemical compounds that affect your sleep and sleep cycles. Know what to look for and what effect you’re hoping to achieve. If you’re looking for a relaxing, sedative effect, look for cannabinoids like CBD, CBN, and THC. Terpenes that may help to relax you include myrcene, caryophyllene, and limonene.
Looking for your medical marijuana to energize you during the day? Look for strains that contain pinene, a terpene believed to promote alertness, increase creative energy, and sharpen mental focus. But don’t take my word for it. Check out Rolling Stone’s list of marijuana enthusiasts who certainly couldn’t be classified as lazy based on their accomplishments!
Myth #2: Marijuana will make me eat a lot of junk food.
Cannabis has been proven to have a powerful effect on the appetite. Vaporizing or consuming cannabis can cause a short-term spike in hunger that may lead to a wicked case of the munchies.
However, one of the myths about medical marijuana is that it’ll definitely increase your desire to eat. Cannabis is known to modulate the body’s management of food once eaten. Says one 2018 study: “We’re finding genetic and physiological events in the body that allow cannabis to turn eating behavior on or off.”
If you’re looking to try strains that aren’t as likely to make you want to eat a whole bag of chips, consider sativas that contain THCV. It’s thought that THCV blocks THC from binding to receptors that induce appetite. When looking at terpenes, look for humulene. Humulene may suppress the brain’s appetite, reducing the desire to eat.
Another hack for the hunger monster: High-CBD strains don’t tend to induce appetite quite as much as THC-rich varieties.
Myth #3: Marijuana will make me anxious/paranoid.
Some patients find cannabis relaxing. Others report that the plant’s mind-expanding properties cause them to experience racing thoughts, anxiety, and paranoia. The level of anxiety you experience from medical marijuana may depend on a number of factors. One basic thing that scientists have discovered is that high THC levels can cause more anxiety. Therefore, look for strains with lower THC or a higher CBD:THC ratio to combat these unwanted feelings.
Science is getting closer to knowing how cannabis causes anxiety and paranoia, helping patients select strains to avoid it. A study from 2018 attempted to identify strains that might be better or worse for anxiety. They found sativas tend to cause more paranoia than indicas.The research concluded patients might look for Kush strains to relieve anxiety, and to avoid strains like Chocolope.
Myth #4: Marijuana with the highest THC content strain on the menu will give me the most potent effects.
According to Leafly, the biological limits on THC production tops off at about 35 percent as the upper limit for flower. While high THC strains have been made available at dispensaries to treat some very difficult-to-treat pain conditions like eating disorders and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, they actually aren’t appropriate for most patients.
When choosing a strain, the terpene and cannabinoid profile determines the benefits you may receive, not the THC percentage. Many patients find the most effective ranges of THC for their condition are significantly lower than 35 percent THC. Optimal strains for medical marijuana patients tend to range between 15 and 25 percent THC.
Myth #5: Marijuana didn’t work the last time, so I shouldn’t try it again.
Hundreds of new strains, forms and methods to take marijuana become available in dispensaries every day. If you find one type doesn’t work for you, another strain or form of administration might be more effective. By paying attention to THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids and terpenes in a strain, you may find a combination that works completely differently han the one you tried previously.
Many medical marijuana patients go through lots of different strains before they find one that works optimally for treating their condition. It’s important to journal your body’s response to each strain you try. By working with your doctor and dispensary budtender to determine the strains that are right for you, you may find that marijuana is suddenly an effective treatment for you when it wasn’t before.
Dispelling the myths about medical marijuana
By dispelling these myths about medical marijuana, you’ll be able to go into the dispensary with a more concrete plan for treating your condition. Want to get your medical marijuana card but don’t know where to start? Reach out to us at medicateOH@gmail.com to get matched with a medical marijuana physician who can treat your condition.
To learn more about different products and strains that are offered in Ohio’s medical marijuana program, check out our MedicateOH reviews page.
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