Frequently Asked Questions
My hope is that this will cover some of the basic questions those new to cannabis might have.
Q: I’ve been hearing about medical marijuana, but I don’t know much about the subject. Can you give me the basics?
A: Sure, I’m happy too! Let’s start with how it can be used as a medicine. Cannabis, aka Cannabis Sativa is effective in management of neuropathic pain, spasticity due to multiple sclerosis, as well as many other conditions. (¹) Cannabis can cause many forms of tumors / cancer cells to undergo apoptosis, which means the cancerous cells destroy themselves . (²) The primary compound in cannabis responsible for apoptosis of cancer cells is currently thought to be THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), and the compound most researched for its abilities in pain management is CBD (Cannabidiol). CBD potentiates the apoptosis effects of THC, so it’s better to have both. (³) It’s worth noting that these are only the most commonly studied cannabinoids of the last few decades, and many other are not only present, but are being shown to have unique beneficial attributes of their own (such a CBDV, THCV, etc..). Cannabis with primarily high CBD, and less than 4% THC, in many cases will relieve the pain symptoms, without any of the “high” associated with cannabis.
Q: I know I can smoke it, vape it, or eat it. Will it make a difference how I take it?
A: Absolutely! While, some prefer vaping cannabis because it’s shown to be the healthier option, as opposed to traditional smoking methods, however some find vaping to lack certain sensation they’ve become accustomed to with smoking; In the end it’s best to find what fits your needs. Next, and I can’t stress this enough, eating cannabis will produce vastly different effects, in both scale and intensity, than if you were to have smoked the same amounts worth of cannabis. When eaten it is metabolised and eventually hydroxylated prior to being absorbed into the bloodstream. This hydroxylated form is known as 11-Hydroxy-THC, which is much much more potent(4). Also, if you are new to edibles, unlike smoking eating cannabis takes anywhere from 30 – 120 minutes to kick in, and will last most the day, so always wait and be careful with your dosage. 80 – 120mg edibles are a great start for newcomers. Once you feel it you can always take more, but you can never take less, so be careful! There are also other options, like liniment / balm, and dermal patches.
Q: Sometimes when I smoke it hurts my throat. What, if anything, can I do to avoid this?
A: First and foremost, make sure your cannabis is pesticide, fungicide, mold, and mildew free. If you’re buying from a shop, look them up online, see if they’ve been listed as using pesticides. Ask to see the ‘Grown With’ label printed on most container at point of purchase. Do your homework so you can be as certain as possible that what they’re providing you with is cured, and clean burning. If you smoke a bowl and the ash at the end is black, then it’s not clean burning, and wasn’t grown correctly. In simplest terms, the whiter the ash will be, the better it’s been grown. Correctly grown cannabis should have snow white ash. If the cannabis smells of hay / grass clippings, it was improperly dried / cured. And remember, to always choose the smoking method that makes you most satisfied; some people may want a water piece with a perc to bring down to temp of the smoke, some may want to just vape.
Citations and References
¹ – Medical Marijuana: Clearing Away the Smoke
² – Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol induces apoptosis in C6 glioma cells
³ – A tale of two cannabinoids: The therapeutic rationale for combining tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol
4– Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), 11-Hydroxy-THC, and 11-Nor-9-carboxy-THC Plasma Pharmacokinetics during and after Continuous High-Dose Oral THC