Even though medical cannabis has endless wellness benefits, it does in fact have some known side effects. Last month we expanded on some of these less-than-desirable side effects from medical marijuana, and how to handle them. For the sake of brevity, we only discussed a few of the most well-known medical cannabis side effects in the first article. Today’s post will focus on the next couple side effects with high user reports.
How To Prevent Paranoia From Your Prescription Pot
It’s common for someone who had a single bad experience with marijuana, often associated with paranoia, to condemn the magical green plant. If you have one bad experience with cannabis, you shouldn’t assume all results will be the same. Sometimes you can consume the same strain for years and not have paranoia, and then one time it pops up. Even though paranoia is not always avoidable, since it’s not often expected, there indeed are some strategies to decrease the risk of it.
If you’re experiencing paranoia with medical marijuana, the best strategy is to try alternative strains with more CBD than THC, or with an even ratio. The lower THC percentage will still deliver the medicinal benefits, while the CBD part will cancel out any paranoia. Additionally, it’s smart to control doses to eliminate that variable. Vaping or smoking cannabis can be hard to dose exact amounts from “puffs”. Alternatively, patients can try tinctures, edibles, and capsules to precisely measure consumption. Start small and work your way up to avoid paranoia.
Handling The Munchies From Medical Marijuana in St. Petersburg
Another very well-known side effect from cannabis is extreme, fast onsetting hunger. This is also known as ‘the munchies’ among many medical marijuana patients. Much like drowsiness or fatigue, the munchies may be a positive or a negative side effect for users, depending on the patient’s individual needs / qualifying condition. For patients currently in chemotherapy, or those with eating disorders, getting the munchies is the desired outcome from medical marijuana to help encourage eating. For those who aren’t looking to increase appetite, getting the munchies can lead to binge eating and making unhealthy meal choices.
If you fall under the category that does not want to increase appetite, there are some strategies to ensure you don’t ruin your diet every time you medicate. The most highly effective and recommended preventive measure to take is to regularly consume meals and snack throughout the day. If you don’t eat well all day and then use medical marijuana, you may find yourself binge eating from not having balanced meals in your routine. Another highly recommended strategy is to eat your meals before you dose, so the temptation isn’t there and you are already satiated. Following these methods, the munchies should not be too much of an issue.
The above mentioned side effects may be troublesome at times, but obviously they do not outweigh the benefits of medical marijuana. If you’re experiencing paranoia from your medical cannabis, try the strategies of strict dosage and CBD to THC ratio products. To prevent getting the munchies, you can try eating regularly and only medicating after meals. If you have not yet obtained your medical card, schedule your appointment at one of our 3 office locations today. Canna Doctors of America is here to help provide you with compassionate care!