The cannabis industry is like many others in the sense that it has its own terminology and language. To the recreational user, knowing the terms is not so important as long as the cannabis continues to flow freely. But to the medical user, understanding the terms is important to finding safe and effective symptom relief.
If you are a new medical cannabis user, do not be surprised to find yourself overwhelmed at first. There is a lot to learn. If you can learn the language spoken within the cannabis community, you will find that the rest of it comes fairly easily. With that in mind, here are terms every new medical cannabis patient should know:
1. Cannabis
Believe it or not, the term ‘cannabis’ is probably the most important and misunderstood term in the entire cannabis community. When most people speak of cannabis, what they are referring to is marijuana. We use the term because it sounds nicer than ‘marijuana’, a term that has negative connotations.
Cannabis is a plant, not a drug. Furthermore, it is a plant with many varieties. Marijuana is one such variety. Hemp is another. Both marijuana and hemp can be utilized to make medicine. So medical cannabis can be either marijuana or hemp plant material, or products derived from either one.
2. Cannabinoid
Cannabis plants contain cannabinoids like THC and CBD. The cannabinoids are what medical cannabis patients are after in terms of symptom relief. For the record, THC is the cannabinoid that produces feelings of intoxication. CBD produces no such feelings.
3. Medical Cannabis Pharmacy
The medical cannabis pharmacy is a marijuana dispensary that specializes in medical-grade cannabis products. States allowing both medical and recreational consumption might also have both types of retail outlets. In a state like Utah, where only medical use is permitted, sales are made through medical cannabis pharmacies.
Beehive Farmacy is one such outlet in Utah. The company has two locations, one in Salt Lake City and the other in Brigham City. They say that state lawmakers prefer the term ‘pharmacy’ over ‘dispensary’ because it maintains the state’s medical focus.
4. Dosage
When a medical cannabis pharmacist speaks of ‘dosage’, they are referring to the amount of THC in a given product. It is similar to the dosage you see printed on a prescription medication label. Dosage tells the user how potent the medicine is. This is crucial to medical cannabis patients for two reasons: they don’t receive their medications via traditional prescriptions and the various products they might buy will vary in potency.
5. Delivery Method
The term ‘delivery method’ refers to how medical cannabis is delivered to the body. For instance, a medical cannabis vape delivers THC to the body via inhalation. Gummies deliver THC by way of ingestion. Delivery method matters because it influences how a particular product makes a patient feel.
6. Qualifying Condition
Cannabis is not an appropriate therapy for every physical condition under the sun. As such, the states have developed qualifying conditions lists. Only those diagnosed with conditions on a state’s list qualify from medical cannabis treatment.
7. Medical Provider
In the medical cannabis community, a medical provider is a professional who consults with a patient to recommend medical cannabis therapy. This is usually a doctor. But in many states, nurse practitioners and physician assistants with prescribing authority can also recommend cannabis.
There are many more terms within the medical cannabis language that are worth learning. If you are new to medical cannabis, these seven will get you started. Learn the language and you will find medical cannabis is easier to navigate.
