More than two-thirds of the states have approved the use of medical cannabis for certain conditions. Each of those states has its own rules regarding possession and consumption. Most of them do not allow smoking, with the understanding that the detrimental effects of smoking outweigh any benefits medical cannabis might provide.
It makes sense. But still, what is a medical cannabis user to do if their state has banned smoking? Fortunately, there are other ways to consume cannabis. They are known as ‘delivery methods’ within the medical cannabis community.
Zion Medicinal is a Utah medical cannabis pharmacy serving patients in Cedar City and St. George. Their people say that smoking is not allowed in Utah. However, other types of delivery methods are. Below is a partial list of those delivery methods. Note that most other states with medical cannabis programs allow the same methods.
1. Vaping
Vaping is extremely popular because it is the delivery method that most closely mimics smoking. Medical cannabis patients purchase vaping liquids infused with THC, other cannabinoids, and terpenes. They use a specialized vaporizer to heat their liquids until they are transformed into an inhalable aerosol.
If you are at all familiar with nicotine vaping, cannabis vaping works exactly the same way. The primary benefit of this delivery method is nearly instant symptom relief. Vaping gets THC into the bloodstream very quickly.
2. Dry Heating
Dry heating is similar to vaping in the sense that patients are inhaling THC. But instead of using THC liquids, the patient uses actual cannabis flower. The plant material is heated in a special device to a temperature high enough to release THC. However, it never gets hot enough to actually burn. Patients get the benefits of smoking without actually inhaling smoke.
3. Concentrated Oils
Next up are concentrated oils. These are offered mainly in the form of tinctures, a semi-liquid solution that is consumed by placing a drop or two under the tongue. Using a tincture offers effects that kick in almost as quickly as vaping or dry heating. The major advantage here is discretion. A medical cannabis patient can use a tincture without anyone being the wiser.
4. Edible Products
For slower, more even keeled symptom relief, some patients choose edibles. Edible products come in multiple forms including tablets, capsules, gummies, and snack foods. Edibles are also discrete, but symptom relief is not as quick. It can take several hours before a patient starts feeling the effects of THC ingested with an edible product.
The other side of the coin is that symptom relief tends to last longer and be more consistent. That’s because THC is delivered to the bloodstream at a more gradual rate.
5. Topical Products
Finally, medical cannabis is sometimes presented as a topical product. Creams and lotions come to mind. A topical cream for pain relief would be utilized the same way a non-THC product would be. You put a dab on your finger, rub it in, and let it do its thing.
Another option is the transdermal patch. A transdermal product is similar to the nicotine patch smokers used to quit. It slowly and consistently releases THC which is absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream.
Not being able to smoke medical cannabis may be inconvenient for some patients, but it is not the end of the world. All the states that have banned smoking provide multiple alternatives. It is a matter of the patient working with their medical cannabis pharmacist to figure out the best choice. It is not a big deal.
