Safety and Responsibility in Medical Cannabis Use

Cannabis has gradually changed through the years from being a taboo subject to something that has now been investigated and documented extensively. As the legalization of cannabis increases across large parts of the globe, more people are accessing medical cannabis than they ever thought possible for numerous types of chronic conditions. Individuals seeking relief from chronic pain, or those struggling with severe anxiety, have found opportunities to benefit from the therapeutic properties that cannabis naturally provides.

However, with greater access to cannabis comes a need for increased caution because cannabis is a very complicated substance that has numerous interactions with our bodies’ nervous systems. Because cannabis depends greatly on how people individually respond to it for relief, it is important not to treat it like any other medication and interchange it with any other medication for the same condition. You must be careful with your treatment plans so that you will maximize all of the benefits associated with cannabis while concurrently minimizing the risks associated with its use.

This article will discuss the reality of medical cannabis and the importance of having a trained professional supervise your cannabis treatments and provide you with information to use in creating your journey toward a lifetime of well-being with cannabis.

What is Cannabis as Medicine?

The term cannabis as medicine means there are both unprocessed, whole plant cannabis products and extracts of the cannabis plant that can be used to alleviate the symptoms associated with an illness or health condition. The plant contains a number of different compounds, but THC and CBD are the most well-known.

Medical vs. Recreational Use of Cannabis

The same cannabis plant can be used by both medical and recreational consumers; however, the motivations and regulations surrounding these two types of cannabis use are different:

Recreational consumers are using the cannabis plant to be entertained and enjoy their leisure time. They select which products to use based upon what they personally enjoy or value, or based upon their personal preferences regarding how potent the product is.

Healthcare professionals create structured medical plans for their patients using carefully selected cannabis strains and/or products with specific recommended ratios of THC-to-CBD in order to help the patient mitigate specific symptoms brought on by their medical condition. Most, if not all, medical cannabis consumers are not interested in the psych activity nor the “high” associated with using cannabis; their goal with using cannabis is to regain their “functional” quality of life.

Cannabis Use Safety: Why It Matters?

Most people incorrectly think that all natural products are safe to use. While cannabis is natural, it does not mean that cannabis is safe for all people at all times. Safety when using cannabis is very important for many reasons.

Everyone’s Reactions to Cannabis is Unique: The effects of cannabis vary from person to person. Different people will respond differently to cannabis based on their gene make up, body weight, metabolism and other factors, including what mental state they are in at the time they use the cannabis.

Self-Medication Can Be Dangerous: If you do not have a plan when using cannabis, it is easy to use too much cannabis or select a product that worsens your condition (for example, high-THC products may increase anxiety).

Cannabis may Affect Other Medications: Cannabis may interact with various medications including anticoagulants, antiepileptic, and even many common OTC medications. Anyone using cannabis, including those using the drug for purposes related to pain management, should get professional guidance to ensure that their use of cannabis does not affect the other medications they are taking.

Importance of Medical Oversight

You should never treat a medical condition with marijuana on your own without the guidance of a qualified health care professional. The health care professional plays a key part in your success with marijuana.

Assessment by a Physician

When a physician gives a “recommendation” to use marijuana for something, he/she does so based on an assessment of your entire medical history and the likelihood of any contraindications (e.g., a history of hypertension or certain psychiatric disorders) that could make it dangerous for you to use marijuana.

Setting up Baseline

A qualified health care professional is able to assist you in identifying the “therapeutic window” for you (the range of dosages where you get relief from your condition but do not experience unpleasant side effects). In general, the health care industry advises to “start low and go slow.”

Review and Revision

Health status is not a static condition; therefore, the treatment that works for you during the first month of using marijuana may be required to be adjusted six months later. Regular appointments with your chosen health care professional enable you to make any necessary adjustments to your dosage level, to change from inhalation to tinctures or other delivery methods, and to monitor whether or not your treatment still meets your health care goals.

Proper Dosage and Administration

Medical cannabis does not have “standardized doses,” so there is no single best way to determine its proper dosage and administration.

This is where following the “start low and go slow” advice is important for patients using medical cannabis. Since it usually takes time before the full effect of cannabis is experienced, and consuming too much too fast may cause some level of anxiety and discomfort, starting with the smallest amount of cannabis possible (e.g., as little 2 to 5 mg) is advisable.

Once you have started with this low dose, it is suggested that you take the same amount consistently over a period of time (usually a week) until you are able to identify how it affects you, before you begin increasing the amount consumed. Following this approach will ultimately help patients find their lowest effective dose while minimizing their cost of treatment and minimizing the risk of developing a strong tolerance.

Different Forms of Administration

Depending on the form of administration you choose for taking your medication, the time until you feel the medication is working and how long the medication lasts will be different.

For example, with vaporizing the medicinal cannabis, you will usually experience relief almost immediately and, therefore, can potentially be a very effective method for treating acute symptoms (e.g. sudden nausea or pain), however, the duration of relief from vaporizing will be much less than from using other forms of administration.

With oils or tinctures, you place a few drops under your tongue and the oils will go directly into your bloodstream relatively quickly. This allows you to be much more precise in dosing compared to other forms of administration because you can apply the oil in drop-by-drop fashion.

They are also available as capsules or edibles. There are some differences with capsules and edibles because both of those forms of administration are processed through the liver. This is a major reason why capsules or edibles take so long to kick in (usually between 30 and 90 minutes), but they do provide long-lasting relief; therefore, they are often used for helping people who have difficulty sleeping or for chronic pain that lasts throughout the day.

With the topical form of cannabis (e.g. creams and balms), you will apply the cream or balm directly on the part of your body that requires relief. For example, you could apply a topical on your wrist joint if you had arthritis. With topical administration, you will not experience any psychoactive effects.

Possible Side Effects and Dangers

There’s no doubt that, given the powerful nature of medicinal marijuana and the associated side effects when utilizing medically, it can be a concern, especially during the period of initial concentration increased consumption (aka “Titration” phase).

Typical Short-Term Side Effects

Patients commonly report:

• Dry Mouth
• Dizziness
• Temporary changes in Heart Rhythm
• Trouble temporarily remembering things or Coordinating
• Palpitations from THC-based strains may create feelings of anxiety and/or “paranoia.”

Interactions with Existing Medications

Cannabis is metabolized in the same location as many prescription medications by the same liver enzymes. It will increase or decrease the effectiveness of many medications, including:

• Anticoagulants, e.g. Warfarin
• Anti-Seizure Medications
• Sedatives and/or sleep medications
• Certain Antidepressant medications

When You Should Ask for Help?

If you experience the following symptoms, stop using cannabis and contact your doctor as soon as possible. Documenting your effects on cannabis in a “Dosing Journal” will provide your medical care provider with invaluable information for future evaluation.

Laws Relating to Medical Cannabis

Local and State Laws on the Use of Cannabis for Medical Purposes differ substantially from Country to Country and State to State. Therefore, as with any medication, it is critical to carry your medical identification card/documentation at all times, and purchase only from Licensed Dispensaries, which provide Assurance that any products purchased have been tested for Dangerous Contaminants, such as heavy metals, pesticides and mold.

Safe storage & Use of Cannabis

Store and handle your Medical Cannabis in the same manner you would treat any other medication prescribed by your doctor.

Child-Proof Containers: Lock up all products in a locked container or cupboard; particularly Edibles, because they resemble many of the same types of foods children and pets consume.

Original Packaging & Labeling: Keep products stored in the original containers with pharmacy labeling to prevent confusion and to comply with local laws regarding product labeling.

Negative Activities

Driving or Operating Heavy Equipment while Under the Influence or with any amount of Cannabis in your system is against the law and may result in death or serious injury. Even though you “appear fine” to yourself, your reaction time and your ability to perceive distances may be impaired. Therefore, it is important to schedule when you will take Cannabis, so that you do not have to drive after taking it, while it is still having its greatest effect on your Mental and Physical Performance.

What to Keep in Mind When Using Cannabis as Medicine?

We have discussed the basics of how medical cannabis works, how to safely dose yourself with medical marijuana, and the importance of careful consideration when determining whether or not medical cannabis is appropriate for you. This article will focus on who should consider the risks associated with using medical cannabis and provide guidance on how to minimize those risks.

Who Should Be Cautious About Medical Marijuana Use?

There are several biological and psychological factors that may put certain individuals at higher risk for experiencing negative side effects from taking medical cannabis, even though the positive effects can outweigh the negative effects for many. Pregnant Women and Women Who Are Breastfeeding

Research on how cannabinoids affect a developing fetus is still emergent. However, it is known that THC crosses both the placenta, via the mother’s bloodstream, and enters the body of a breastfeeding infant through the mother’s milk. This could lead to long-term disruptions of an infant’s development of attention, memory and problem-solving abilities, as well as other issues later in life. In addition, the majority of medical organizations discourage use of medical cannabis during pregnancy and/or breastfeeding.

Individuals with Certain Mental Health Conditions

Cannabis, especially high-THC strains, is a mixed bag when considering mental health issues. It may provide relief from anxiety for some patients but will create worsening anxiety for others. Care should be taken by anyone with any personal/family history of psychosis/schizophrenia; in certain circumstances, consuming large quantities of THC can lead to the triggering/worsening of psychotic episodes.

History of Substance Abuse

Although some patients have used cannabis as an exit drug for more dangerous drugs such as opioids, individuals with a history of substance abuse (including Cannabis Use Disorder) should only work with an addiction specialist when using medicinal cannabis. This will allow for treatment to remain therapeutic and prevent the need to revert to substance abuse/addiction patterns.

Guidelines for the Alcoholic Use Disorders

To keep your medical marijuana as a positive part of your life, and not a negative burden – we recommend you follow these professional “best practices”.

Where to Get Weed: Weed from the street can be very dangerous, because it is not federally regulated and can have synthetic cannabinoids, heavy metals or fungus present. Always get your medical cannabis from a dispensary which has a licensed product, and gets their products lab-tested for purity and potency.

What to Take: Medical Cannabis is very easy to take too much of, and many patients go through the same problem of not getting enough relief from cannabis after time has passed since they last took their medicine, and will try to use more. This can lead to problems and complications, especially if you switch your strain and/or increase the dosage, without consulting your physician. Your physician will be able to tell you if it is in your best interest to add a different cannabinoid profile (i.e., switching from THC to CBD) or to increase the volume of your dosage.

Tracking Your Symptoms: It is important to keep track of the time of day, dosage and changes you have noticed in your symptoms (pain level, sleep quality, anxiety) during your follow-ups. This information allows you and your physician to better assess what medications and dosages are best for you.

Final Thoughts: Safety Comes First

The safe and responsible use of medical cannabis is essential for achieving its potential benefits. Informed and supervised use, guided by licensed healthcare professionals, ensures that treatment is tailored to individual needs while minimizing risks. Above all, education should take precedence over self‑treatment—empowering patients to make thoughtful decisions and approach cannabis as a legitimate part of their healthcare journey.