Cannabis Cans, Can'ts, and Quandaries: From Curious to Patient User

Read the beginning of Jeffrey's experience trying medical cannabis in Cannabis Cans, Can'ts, and Quandaries: Changing Perspectives.

Cannabis versus opioids

The gummy and mint products I procured had a combination of THC and CBD ingredients, and these proved to be quite effective at inducing a deep sleep. Orally ingested THC tends to be more psychoactive than inhaled THC, but it also takes longer to take effect (about two hours instead of the ten or fifteen minutes expected from smoking or vaping). Because I took my dose an hour or so before bed, I never had to contend with being "high" at all. One of the biggest advantages over the opioids that I had been taking (although the pain management was far stronger with the opioids), was that cannabis does not affect respiration at all. Opioids slow respiration and too much of an opioid is dangerous because it can cause a person to simply stop breathing. I am not concerned about this for myself at the low doses I take, but over time cannabis may be a much safer option for some patients.

Learning more about the benefits of medical cannabis

I was fortunate enough to sit in on a Q and A with a team from a medical cannabis consultation firm. I readied some questions that I had attempted to get answered in both the online forums and the dispensary. What I got was more verification and a bit of caution. The consultants, one of whom was a medical doctor, were clearly very passionate about advocating for the use of medical cannabis. But they were also careful to stick with scientifically verifiable claims. Different forms of cannabis products have varying degrees of efficacy with regard to controlling pain, fighting depression, stimulating appetite, mitigating nausea, and aiding with sleep. They highly recommended using products that could be absorbed sublingually because the effect would be much quicker and with less psychoactivity (the liver metabolizes THC into an even more psychoactive form, which is avoided by absorbing it directly into the blood via inhalation or sublingual absorption).

Always keep this in mind...

But these professional consultants were very clear on two major points. First, always work with your oncologist or primary physician when integrating any form of medicine into your routine, even something "natural" like cannabis. Regardless of how it is sourced, cannabis is still a collection of active chemical compounds that may react differently depending on many factors, including other medications that a patient is taking. Second, there is no conclusive evidence that cannabis has any anti-cancer effect that would be measurable in a human body -- studies in Petri dishes and mice have shown the potential for some future applications, but nothing has yet shown that cannabis is a viable replacement for conventional cancer treatment. This includes decades of studies in Israel and Canada, where there have been far fewer restrictions than in the USA. Now, however, research institutions in the United States are heavily involved in researching the benefits of cannabis and most likely the results of these new studies will begin shedding light on its potential over the next few years.

In the meantime, it is best to stick with consulting doctors that are open to the benefits of cannabis as a palliative option, while remaining pragmatic with regard to the actual science. In some states, where medical cannabis is not an option, it is still possible to procure hemp oil that is rich in CBD. This non-psychoactive substance still has many of the benefits of medical cannabis and is widely available. Buyer beware, however, as many products sold over the Internet may not be from reputable manufacturers. Some background research into the brand is always worthwhile.

Finding what works for me

My personal experience with these products, ranging from pure THC to pure CBD, with various proportions of each in combination, has shown that for me they are best used as mild sleep aids. I have had limited results using them as pain medication, where they could not compare with opioids for the pain I had, but they seem to allow me to take less of the opioid and still sleep when I have taken them together. I have not tried using higher doses of cannabis to control pain, though that may be a future option. I have not needed to use cannabis for either nausea or appetite stimulation, though I will try them if the need arises. But considering the cost, which is high compared to most medications covered by insurance, I doubt that I will make cannabis a primary form of medication for my personal needs. Still, it is good to know that it is an available option, and because of the nature of human biology, all patients will respond somewhat differently.

Editor’s Note: We are extremely saddened to say that on October 21, 2018, Jeffrey Poehlmann passed away. Jeffrey’s advocacy efforts and writing continue to reach many. He will be deeply missed.