Medical Cannabis is a life or at least quality of life saver for many, if you think you will benefit get the help you need to apply for patient status. The whole process is complicated because of the long arm of the law. Always be careful, follow the state laws. Understand that cannabis is not legal at the federal level. This week on the news was a story about a man who was put in jail for using medically prescribed cannabis because he was eating a chocolate rather than smoking his medicine. Approval for a medical cannabis prescription has more hurdles than your average prescription for blood pressure meds. Here is how it works in Massachusetts.
Qualifying Conditions
First you must show proof you are a legal resident of the state of Massachusetts to apply for Mass medical marijuana patient status. Second Mass State Regulations list health problems and debilitating conditions that qualify for cannabis use . Your doctor will need to confirm your condition . Most Lyme literate doctors see chronic Lyme as a debilitating condition that can be helped by medical cannabis.
Get A Prescription
Generally speaking your HMO primary care doctor does not deal in cannabis ha, ha. Doctors have to register with the state to prescribe medical cannabis and many choose not to. At this point some may depending on your condition. Now you probably will need to find and pay for a specialist to help you. There are many doctors that find cannabis helpful in the management of ongoing health conditions. You will need to see the doctor once a year based on their discretion.
Cannabis has many actives terpenes, terpenoids that interact with the endocannabinoid system in your body. The active contents in cannabis vary based on the strain of the plant. THC and CBD are two main components under study for helping manage Lyme symptoms. There is a lot of discussion underway to study the relative effectiveness of using a component like CBD versus whole plant medicine.
Register With The State
You register and the doctor confirms that you qualify and provides you a pin number for the registration process. Some of the doctors will answer questions about the process and help you if you need it. It takes a few weeks and if all goes well you will receive a patient identification card from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. You go online and rewew your registration and pay a fee each year.
Head To The Pharmacy
Bring the paper confirmation of registration or the card and another id for use at the pharmacy or they may not let you in. Some Medical Cannabis Dispensaries require an appointment, others are walk in ready. Here is a map with dispensary links.
You go in and fill out paperwork. A councilor will interview you and give you information about the products that are available and their benefits. You then choose and make a purchase. Be sure you bring your required identification, check the hours and understand the forms of payment your pharmacy accepts. A number only take cash.
Figure Out Your Dosage
Your doctor may give you a starting point for how much to take and the benefits of smoking, vaping tincturing or eating your medicine. Smoking and vaping give quick relief. Eating takes longer to get into your system and often the effects last longer. Some people use a combination to get the best effect, like a full nights pain free sleep. Your prescription will come with a list that shows the concentration of active components. Contact the doctor with any unusual effects or for help with the dosage math or dialing the correct dose in.
Why go medical cannabis?
· Medical Cannabis is a system in place and working. Recreational pot is still being worked out.
· Medical Cannabis Users are allowed more product based on medical need.
· Prescription Cannabis is tax free, so depending on how much you use each year, you may offset the doctor and registration costs.
· Finally the process helps you check in with a member of your health care team periodically to assess how much you use and how effective it is for you.
The purpose of this blogs is to share and educate on Lyme disease recovery strategies. The information provided on this website is not a substitute for professional medical care, treatment or advice. All the material here is for information purposes only. Always share strategy and work with your health care team.