How To Talk To Your Doctor About Marijuana

Do you want to have a medical marijuana card? Or maybe you want to discuss marijuana with your new doctor. Either way, you may be feeling anxious about the conversation!

Asking for a medical marijuana prescription and disclosing self-medication or recreational use all benefit from the same three approaches. So below, we’ll discuss how to talk about marijuana, in any capacity, with your healthcare provider.

Be Honest About Usage

Honesty is always the best policy. You should tell any healthcare provider if you use marijuana in any capacity. They never report it- even if recreational marijuana is illegal in your state. The only time your doctor would report drug usage is if:

• There are serious concerns about you harming yourself or others.
• There is a criminal matter being investigated.

So, be honest with your doctor if you self-medicate for headaches, or smoke recreationally. Most doctors only want to know so they can treat or suggest medicines accordingly.

For future reference, this is true for all healthcare-related fields- paramedics, therapists, dentists, etc.

Come Prepared

While you may assume otherwise, it may be the case that your doctor is unfamiliar with the benefits of medicinal marijuana. Some doctors require extra information before giving you your medical marijuana card, or they may want to know if there’s a specific reason you are using marijuana. For example:

• “I’ve been dealing with side effects from chemotherapy and read that marijuana use can help. It’s something I’d like to try.”
• “I have been using marijuana to help with my stress and anxiety. I prefer that it is a natural medicine.”
• “I have been using marijuana to help my chronic pain. I’d like to discuss making it official with a medicinal card.”

Keep it straightforward, but be prepared to have deeper discussions if your doctor wants to know more. It’s always better to come overprepared rather than underprepared. In all likelihood, they’ll appreciate your honesty.

Keep Track of Your Results

Whether you’re self-medicating or are utilizing medical marijuana, keeping track of your consumption and results is important. Doing so allows you to share your findings with your doctor (which may help future patients!) and unlock insight into your preferences, reactions, and trends. This information can also come in handy when you go to your dispensary!

You deserve high-quality marijuana and marijuana products. While we’re not a medicinal dispensary, 253 Farmacy has you covered for all of your recreational cannabis needs. Our staff is highly trained and can answer any questions you may have, and our convenient online store ensures you can order all your cannabis goods right for pick up at our store.

If you’re not located near us in Turners Falls, Massachusetts, don’t worry. We have a product finder to ensure you find our products near your neck of the woods! As always, if you’re traveling with any of our goods, make sure you follow regulations. For more information, check out our information here.

We want to make sure you purchase the best products for your needs, so please, don’t hesitate to give us a call at 413-863-5765 to ask any questions before purchasing!