Here’s What Medical Cannabis Looks Like
Medical cannabis will have different appearances depending on where the patient lives. For instance, in Tampa Bay, Florida, the dispensaries have marijuana plant pictures on the walls with budding flowers. There are three strains of full-strength cannabis and one that is low in THC. However, they do not come in a smokable form. Rather, they come in pills, tinctures, and inhalations. So, either the person takes them like a standard capsule, tablet, or breathes them in similar to an e-cigarette.
At these locations, the consumer receives medical cannabis in packaging comparable to what they would normally get from a pharmacy. Here, the patient’s choices are limited by the doctor’s recommendations. In other words, the physician determines which strain, how much, and which type of delivery method the client gets.
Then, The People Made Their Voices Heard
A trial lawyer named John Morgan and a group called People United for Medical Marijuana teamed up to file a lawsuit against the smoking ban in Florida. Soon, lawmakers are expected to lift the ban, and the lawsuit will be dropped. Cannabis in its natural form looks like a green-brown mix of shredded plant matter. It contains stems, dried leaves, flowers, and sometimes seeds from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa.
Now, at least in these dispensaries, the law is supposed to allow physicians to prescribe 2.5 ounces of the smokable marijuana every 35 days. Meanwhile, patients can possess up to 4 ounces at any given time. It may even be possible for those under the age of 18 to get a prescription. They can be granted permission to smoke cannabis if a doctor deems their condition to be terminal. Also, they must get a second opinion from another physician who is a pediatrician.
Other Options May Be Available Where You Live
According to WebMD, medical cannabis comes in other forms too. Therefore, if you don’t like smoking, vaping, or taking pills, there may be other alternatives. For instance, some places offer edibles such as cookies, brownies, or lollipops. The patient can consume these goodies without having to worry about things like second-hand smoke or lung cancer. In some cases, the consumer can get the extracts in lotions or creams. They apply the solution to their skin, and it seeps into their body through their pores.
Last, but certainly not least, medicinal marijuana can come in liquid form. The user can place a few drops under their tongue to manage their symptoms. One example of this type of medication is Epidiolex. Right now, it is the first and only FDA-approved prescription cannabidiol. The solution is used to treat seizures in patients two years of age or older with Dravat or Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. The liquid comes in a medicine bottle, and the user must use a syringe with a plunger to get the correct dosage. Then, they just place the needleless syringe on the inside of the cheek and disperse the medication.
There are new tests and studies happening all the time, so don’t blink, or you may miss the evolution of the medical cannabis industry. It might seem like a pain in the neck to have to wait for such medications, but it is the FDA’s job to make sure these substances are safe for humans to use. The organization’s website says they understand that patients and caregivers are looking for solutions for their unmet medical needs. Thus, the entity will continue researching marijuana-derived products to see if they can meet those needs. Of course, you don’t want to give your loved one something unsafe, so be patient, and allow them to discover whether the alternatives are safe or not.