The legalization movement has brought medical marijuana to Oklahoma! While some applicants and card holders have experience, there are still a number who will be trying cannabis for the first time. The amount of information on medicine types, ingestion methods, and finding what fits your tolerance can be overwhelming in the beginning; hopefully, this information will help provide some insight and bring confidence to the new cardholder in beginning their medical journey.
Cannabis, or marijuana, is a flowering herb that is divided into three subspecies: Indica, Sativa, and Ruderalis. Ruderalis plants are rarely talked about due to being much smaller and producing lesser amounts than the other subspecies, and what they do make isn’t very potent. For the medical industry, growers tend to focus on Indica and Sativa strains. There are so many different strain varietals and each one produces its own unique effect, maximizing the benefit a medical marijuana user can extract for their specific medical condition(s). Therefore, choosing the right strain for your personal needs is so important. Don’t be afraid to sample new strains to find the right fit for yourself. The biggest starting point is finding which subspecies most benefits your condition(s) and exploring from there.
About Indica:
Indica subspecies produce CBD dominant strains that are known for improving appetite, relieving body pain, used as a sleep aid and stress reliever. A common saying among cannabis users is “Indica is also known as “in-da-couch””, and for good reason; CBD heavy strains can cause lethargy, weighted sensation, and drowsiness, making normal daily function more difficult. These effects make this type of medication most beneficial for use in the evening, after work, and after completing the day’s tasks. Common illnesses and disorders treated by this type of medication include, but are not limited to:
• Insomnia
• Chronic and/or Severe Pain
• Anorexia/Cachexia
• Anxiety
• Inflammation (musculoskeletal and digestive)
• Stress
Please note: the above information is for informational purposes only and is not to be considered medical advice. Always consult with your physician or qualified dispensary employee when choosing your medication.
About Sativa:
Sativa subspecies produce THC dominant strains that are known for increasing energy and alertness level, relieving body pain, providing a happy and uplifted feeling, and stimulating creativity. THC heavy strains can cause mild dizziness but won’t produce the heavy body feeling like the CBD dominant strains. These effects allow for more daytime function, but highly concentrated THC strains can still cause intense experiences that would interfere with normal daily function, so proper dosing to your tolerance level is another important point to learn about yourself. Common illnesses and disorders treated by this type of medication include, but are not limited to:
• Fatigue
• Chronic and/or Severe Pain
• Depression
• Headaches and Migraines
• Stress
Please note: the above information is for informational purposes only and is not to be considered medical advice. Always consult with your physician or qualified dispensary employee when choosing your medication.
About Hybrids:
Nowadays it’s common to find hybrids in the dispensaries to produce a more functional, medicated state with each strain bringing its own benefits to the table. By achieving a better balance between the alertness of Sativa with the relaxation of Indica, many medical marijuana users can stay functional throughout the day while medicating. Your personal needs will determine which variety of hybrid may work best for you; some strains are even bred to treat a specific illness. Consult with your local budtender and find out if they carry targeted strains in your area.
Please note: the above information is for informational purposes only and is not to be considered medical advice. Always consult with your physician or qualified dispensary employee when choosing your medication.
How to Take Your Medicine:
The myriad of ingestion methods provides a medical marijuana card holder with a widely accommodating dosing spectrum and each dispensary carries slightly different stock, so their medication offerings may differ slightly. The most used consumption methods for medical marijuana include, but are not limited to:
• Smoking flower products
o not advocated for some medical card holders due to their personal conditions
• Vaping appropriate concentrates
o In home vape machine or a vape pen
• THC and CBD oils and tinctures for topical and oral use
o each tincture/oil will indicate the intended use
• Edibles
o premade, ready to consume with proper dosage markings
o infused cooking material such as cannabutter or infused coconut oil in both THC and CBD
It’s important to note that the effects of inhaling marijuana will be felt much sooner than applying it topically or ingesting marijuana-infused foods with a shorter-lasting effect. Consuming edibles properly causes a stronger reaction that will last much longer, but takes longer to be felt as well, making inaccurate dosing a common occurrence in new users. It’s important to read dosing instructions correctly and to wait the indicated amount of time before consuming more of the product.
Please note: the above information is for informational purposes only and is not to be considered medical advice. Always consult with your physician or qualified dispensary employee when choosing your medication.
We will be posting a more expansive series on each of the above topics soon. Community education is an integral part of our mission at Oklahoma Consults and we want to ensure that our clients have the best experience possible and can make educated decisions about their treatment. If you’re researching applying for your card, or if you have any questions, please contact us at 405-416-2788 and we’ll be more than happy to assist you!