Medical cannabis has a whole host of incredible benefits. It provides invaluable pain relief for sufferers of many chronic illnesses such as arthritis, glaucoma,
back ache, cancer, muscle spasms, and cramps. It also calms anxiety, aids with sleep, improves appetite, and can ease the symptoms of depression and PTSD. But like with anything good, it is possible to go overboard.
It is easy to become reliant on anything that brings physical or psychological relief, such as painkillers, coffee, wine, food, sex, or pornography. And weed is no different. Being dependent on something means that you are vulnerable, so it is always best to make sure that you, and not your 420 card, are calling the shots.
So with that in mind, here are a few tips on how to recognize if you are wearing out your cannabis card too quick. Monitoring your use of weed is important, and here’s how to do it.
Firstly, you need to be your own scientist and keep a close eye on the effects of your medical cannabis use. How are you feeling? Do you feel different when you are using compared to when you are not? And do you feel different in between sessions when you are not under the immediate influence of medical cannabis? If you are feeling groggy and lethargic, or are finding it hard to get out of bed in the morning, then it could be that you are availing of your medical card California a bit too much. Some people can function very well while using cannabis regularly, while others find that it makes them tired and unproductive. Keep a close eye on how your energy levels are reacting to your weed consumption.
If you consume medical cannabis regularly, it’s best to keep an eye on how often you reach for the MMJ.
Another important question to ask yourself is; are you becoming reliant on medical cannabis to function socially? People often enjoy being out and aboutamongst others while feeling a little weed buzz, and it sure is enjoyable to be mellow and relaxed as you go about your business. But if you are becoming dependent on your mm card to feel OK about being amongst crowds and interacting, then maybe you need to cut back a bit because, as I said before, relying on something other than your own mental faculties to be OK is never ideal.
Weed is not physically addictive, but like many non-physically addictive things, such as sex, porn, and gambling, it can certainly be psychologically addictive. If you are getting tetchy and irritable, just counting down the minutes until you can hit the bong, then you may be getting a bit too reliant on your sweet, sweet California medical cannabis. If you feel you couldn’t go a day or two without, then maybe going a day or two without is exactly what you need to do.
An indirect sign that your medical cannabis consumption could be too high is weight gain. Marijuana increases appetite, and if you are getting heavier than is healthy for you to be, then perhaps you need to be aware of how much your medical marijuana is indirectly causing you to become overweight.
A good way to keep your consumption within reasonable limits is to borrow a strategy from the intermittent fasting crowd. The 16 – 8 fast is a way of eating that allows people to eat within an 8-hour window only, and requires them to fast for the remaining 16 hours of the day. This is easier than it first sounds because we are usually asleep for 8ish hours of the 16-hour fast. This method of eating means that it’s very difficult to eat too many calories due to the relatively small eating-window. You can apply this method to your cannabis consumption by simply deciding that you will not smoke until a certain time each day, and then smoking within a strict window of time from then. This guarantees that you will have a chunk of weed-free time every day.
Similar to the intermittent fasting idea is to have a No Weed Day every once in awhile (weekly, monthly, or whatever). A day of no marijuana can give your system a little rest and also make the weed taste and feel all the better when you go back to using it.
Keeping a ‘weed diary’ can really help you monitor your medical cannabis consumption.
Another way to make sure you are not overdoing your consumption is to stick to a strain that is not too potent. Bring your cannabis card down to the dispensary and ask for some recommendations for a nice, mellow strain. ‘Harlequin’ is a pleasant hybrid with a 5:2 ratio of CBD to THC, so it’s good for pain relief but doesn’t have too strong of a psychoactive high. ‘One to One’ has a CBD to THC content of 1:1, and it is a very practical strain for many situations. Choosing a modest strain of medical cannabis will help you moderate your consumption.
A final suggestion is to keep a ‘weed diary’. This can be a great idea with any number of things – food, alcohol, and even your thoughts. Simply write down how much you smoke each day, or week, or whatever works for you. When you jot something down you can keep track of it. If you flick back through the pages of your weed diary and you see that the amount you consume is going up and up, maybe you need to be aware of the trend and cut back. Knowledge is power!
So, medical cannabis is an amazing addition to the lives of many thousands of people, and long may it continue. But, like every good thing – too much can be too much, so it’s best to keep track of your consumption.