Recreational or Medical

I have reached the point where I believe distinguishing recreational from medicinal cannabis is unhelpful. I don’t even think a patient’s intent tells the story. As cannabinoids are involved in so many preventive health areas, one could argue that all cannabis use is medical. One could also argue that if someone just “feels better” that it is medicinal. As I have said before, this is fine, but it then makes cannabis use and alcohol use look and feel more the same; I feel better, so that is medical. We all know this is nuts.

We struggle with this issue all the time because we all know how safe cannabis is and deep inside we all feel that the “consumer/patient” should just be educated as to what ALL the options are with regard to cannabis and they decide. Period. Just Cannabis. Just a plant that can be grown and used in so many ways.

What if an 80 y/o man requires a lot of THC in addition to CBD to control his pain and he becomes stoned and giggly? What if he likes it? What if his pain then goes away but he insists upon continuing it; is this now recreational? Do we really care. Let’s keep it silly stupid.

Consider a patient receiving a prescription from their physician for narcotic pills. They go to Walgreens and go to the counter and ask for their prescription to be filled. The pharmacist then asks if it is for pain or just for recreational reasons? You ask, “Why is this important now?”. You are told that the payment and taxes are different whether you are snorting it or just using it for pain. Yes, another SNL skit.

This is as simple as it should be:

1. There are different strains with different effects and methods of consumption. They all are different. Tell patients about them and offer
intelligent and properly labelled medications in the collectives.
2. Tell patients about CBD and not HAVING to be stoned to feel relief. Tell them they can smoke it, eat it or take it in drops under their tongue.
3. Give all citizens the options to choose what they need and want.
4. Remember, this all starts from a little tiny beautiful seed.

Author

Allan Frankel, MD Dr Allan Frankel is one of the few physicians in the US who truly understands Cannabis as a medicine. All treatments suggested have been well studied. Every patient seen by Dr Frankel is given a personally created Treatment Plan created with the patient's specific issues defined. Plant medicine requires "tuning" of the dosing. Dr Frankel works with his patients thru a messaging portal. The use of this portal, allows quick and simple follow up contact with Dr Frankel. Patients are not charged for these messages, as this is how Dr Frankel has learned what he has learned. Follow up appointments in person or by phone/video are also available when needed