Medical Cannabis Education

When most of us think of cannabis, we think of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. It’s the compound responsible for the psychoactive ‘high’ of cannabis and many of its medicinal benefits. But what if you don’t like the psychoactivity? What if you want the positives of THC, without the euphoria or intoxication?

For patients new to the Florida program, and those who have been in it from the start, the intricacies, logistics, and volume of information can become tiring and overwhelming. This post rounds up the most important need to know info, resources, and links to help cut down on the headache and get you feeling better quicker.

Vaporizing, or vaping, cannabis is a cleaner alternative to smoking the plant and allows you to really stretch your dollar. Over 75% of the plant is destroyed when smoking. This doesn’t happen with vaping and you can even reuse the left over already vaped bud. It’s the ultimate medicating method!

Cannabis can be taken in a variety of forms - each with slightly different onset and effects. Learn more about which might be right for you.

Bringing the Hemp CBD world and medical cannabis world together by blending my own flower ratios has allowed me to gain better control over my medicine effectiveness and costs. It’s a great way to save money and feel better!

Learn the main ways to save money by vaporizing Florida medical cannabis concentrates instead of purchasing MMTC pre-filled cartridges. This is a must learn for Florida Medical Cannabis patients. 

Even the most experienced users are surprised to hear that the cannabis plant doesn’t actually produce THC and CBD. I know….you probably just said to yourself, “What? What the hell is she talking about. Of course cannabis produces THC.” In reality - it doesn’t. Instead, the cannabis plant creates cannabinoids in their raw state, called cannabinoid acids. While similar, these cannabinoid acids have different properties than the THC and CBD we know and love.

As research and our understanding of cannabis advances, we see a wider variety of medical cannabis products available on dispensary shelves. From gels, capsules, inhalers, to powders that dissolve in water the options are seemingly endless. While these products help to improve access and break down barriers, they are also far different than the natural, whole plant, many of were first attracted to. 

In October 2019, I wrote a blog post giving an overview of Florida smokable options and the information is already outdated - things change all the time! Today’s blog is meant to serve as an update to that information, but instead in a way that I can hopefully keep updated regularly for you much like my dispensary discount page.

We’ve probably all seen stories of “weed tampons.” Truth is, they aren’t tampons, they are suppositories made from cannabis and they can be a game changer for people with chronic pelvic pain such as that experienced with endometriosis. They are also super easy to make - saving tons of money from pre-made dispensary versions.

Patients sometimes find themselves frustrated with the availability of medical cannabis flower in Florida. The demand is high and medicine sells quickly. This post covers the available flower options here in Florida, as well as some tips for purchasing stress free.

The Make It Legal Florida campaign showed up in mailboxes across the State, propelling the cannabis legalization argument forward. While no initiatives have yet made it to the genera election ballot, there’s been a lot of confusion over what each Florida cannabis initiative does and the impacts they would have on the Florida landscape. My hope with this post is to provide some clarity on your options, as well as encourage you to make the choice that’s best for all citizens over the long term.

There hasn’t been a single day in the last week where I didn’t have a patient stop me, call, message, text, or email with questions regarding the safety of cannabis vape oil. The news is on fire about vaping concerns after a rash of vaping related illnesses and a handful of confirmed deaths. My response to these questions - we just don’t know. That’s the real truth. But that also doesn’t mean we need to panic and throw away all our medicine.

Endometriosis deeply impacts my sex life. Sex, and sometimes even just the thought of it, causes debilitating symptoms. Sick of the pain and uncomfortableness surrounding something that should be fulfilling and enjoyable, I made a batch of cannabis lube and asked my husband if he wanted to experiment. He didn’t object…and neither of us were quite expecting the results.

Saving money is a priority for many cannabis patients. Medications can be expensive and the trial and error process adds up quickly. Use these 10 tips to help you save money and get the most out of Florida’s - or any - Medical Cannabis program.

Every cannabis enthusiast has their favorite tools and accessories. When my cannabis friends and I get together there is at least an hour of showing each other our newest find and gadgets. I mentioned in Methods, Tools, & Accessories that I’d delve a little deeper into accessories in another post and today is the day!

Dysautonomia includes POTS, neurocardiogenic syncope, and other disorders affecting the autonomic nervous system. Symptoms can be completely debilitating restricting patients from many day to day activities. Cannabis can be a helpful tool for managing symptoms of dysautonomia and POTS, but there are some things to be aware of.

Whether it be pain and symptoms or missing out on events, some days with chronic illness just plain sucks. As a community wee talk a lot about the medicinal benefits of cannabis, but we tend to focus on all the physical aspects. What we don’t talk about is how the euphoria - or high - can be a big part of the healing process. For me, it’s a regular part of my self-care routine, that I quite look forward to.

Health & wellness coaching uses evidence-based practices and strategies to help people make health changes that stick. Cannabis coaches empower patients to build confidence and become active participants in their cannabis care so they can meet their health and wellness goals. They teach clients how to integrate cannabis as a tool for larger health and wellness, and not just as a bandaid to cover symptoms.

Cannabis is an amazing medicine with potential healing properties that are still far beyond our understanding. While we do know it is a safe substance, every person and situation is unique. Over the course of the last 2 plus years I’ve been witness to some miraculous health improvements, but I’ve also seen some cannabis inspired set-backs . As a cannabis community we don’t always like to discuss these - it’s taken us a long time to get to level of acceptance we have now and no one wants to jeopardize that further. But in reality, it does us a much larger disservice, to ignore situations like our guest writer, Sally, shares in this post.

Rolling joints is half art, half skill, and a lot of patience. While learning how to roll can be a frustrating process, once you get it down, it’s a handy tool to have in your toolbox. It can also be relaxing and fun. One of my favorite things to do after a long day is sit down and roll up medicine for the upcoming days. Many patients turn it into an art hobby- creating all sorts of different types of rolls and designs.

Smoking medical cannabis is a fast and efficient way to consume medication. It’s also a relatively easy way for patients to “get their feet wet” before trying more advanced delivery methods. There are a variety of ways to smoke cannabis, with a multitude of related accessories and tools for patients to choose from.

Choosing quality medicine is step one to effective symptom management and a positive cannabis experience. Patients are often faced with a wide array of options and little guidance on where to start. This post covers some of the basics of what to watch out for when choosing quality flower.

In March 2019 Florida’s Medical Cannabis program took a huge leap forward with the legalization of smokable cannabis flower for qualified patients. At the urging of Governor Rick Desantis, the Florida legislature passed forward Senate Bill 182 redefining the medical use of marijuana to include in the form for smoking. The bill also provided clarification for the possession and use of smoking devices purchased outside of a MMTC (dispensary).

Last month I sat down with Christopher Ray and Aaron Wiltshire for the launch episode of The Cold Start Sessions podcast. To say we had a blast is an understatement. We talked about living with chronic illness and the life changing role that Medical Cannabis has had on my health. I also shared a bunch about my experiences as a Cannabis Health Coach, seeing patients and running operations at Florida Medical Cannabis Clinic.

Once you cold start dab you won’t go back to traditional hot dabbing. It provides for quick and efficient dosing with superior flavor and smoothness.

Questions about concentrate delivery devices are common place in Florida Medical Cannabis Patient communities. With new products like shatter, crumble, and many patients are literally scratching their heads with where to start. I partnered with the go to guy for all things devices - Christopher Ray of Green Street Vapor - to bring you an overview of the best devices to get you started with concentrates!

Every day that I work with cannabis patients is a day that someone asks me about dried bud, “real marijuana,” or any other name for dried cannabis flower that one can come up with and the legal status in Florida. This post covers what you need to know as a Florida cannabis patient.