Taking the time to find your “just right” Medical Marijuana dose will make your experience with the cannabis plant more enjoyable and help it work better for you, regardless of your condition. Medical Marijuana is plant-based medicine at its most sophisticated. It isn’t like a typical prescription medication that’s given to reverse a particular symptom or illness. Medical Marijuana dosing is unique.
Marijuana, like any strong medication, has risks. Just because your neighbor can take a 200 mg THC edible does not mean you should, or that you could even handle that amount. Though nobody has ever died from an overdose of marijuana, it’s still a very intoxicating substance at moderate to high doses and should be treated with respect.
The most commonly reported side effect of marijuana is dizziness. Other common side effects can include sleepiness, anxiousness (from too high a dose of THC), dry mouth, dry eyes, poor balance and coordination, decreased short term memory function, and reduced motor skills. Safe marijuana use starts with learning your tolerance to the plant, the method you wish to take it (oral, sublingual, or vaping), and the duration of its effect with that delivery method and dose. All of these things take some planning.
New marijuana users may get absolutely no effect from the first one or two times they use it. Recreational users know this and often cite personal experience of not getting “high” the first time they tried marijuana.
The endocannabinoid system needs to be primed first to be able to react to the medication. Sometimes this takes one or two days of micro-doses before trying to find a dose to treat a patient’s condition.
To keep things simple, I usually recommend planning a 3-5 day sensitization period no matter the delivery method the patient chooses. Typically, a sublingual or oral product will give them the ability to keep the dosing low or even take it drop-by-drop if needed. I also always recommend taking a quality CBD product once or twice daily. I recommend 10-25 mg CBD in any form, like a capsule, liquid, or vape. Look for a full-spectrum CBD product with 0.3% or less THC.
The patient should plan to take a dose of 1-2.5 mg THC orally in the evening when they are in a safe and comfortable location. It’s always a good idea to have someone they trust available and nearby. Keeping a mindful approach with each experience will make the relationship with marijuana all the better. Write down your plan in a journal with the dose of CBD along with the planned dose and time for the THC.
Finding a therapeutic dose of marijuana is the next step. The process follows a similar path to sensitization, but at higher doses more regularly during the day or evening.
The delivery method starts to make a considerable difference depending on whether you vape flower, take a sublingual preparation, or take a capsule by mouth. The onset of action for vaping might be 2 minutes, while the capsule may take 2+ hours to take effect. Also, the duration of the vape might be 1 hour and the capsule may linger for the whole day (10+ hours). This article discusses a sublingual tincture, which 
typically has effects beginning as early as 45 minutes to one hour after ingestion.
I offer specific dosing protocols for each new patient individually because each person is different and has different goals and tolerances. Check with your provider or contact me for detailed information. Utahmarijuana.org is building comprehensive dosing protocols for all products based on my experience with patients, current research, and known best practices.
On the morning of Day 1 of finding a therapeutic dose, the patient takes a small dose 1-2.5 mg of THC when they’re ready to begin. I suggest the afternoon or early evening to allow for the onset of action and enough time before sleeping. For this example, let’s use 2pm as our starting time.
At 5pm, if the patient doesn’t feel the effects of the marijuana plant in their body, they can try to take an additional dose of 1-2.5 mg of THC. This is it for today. Wait a few hours and take an assessment of how you feel. Awareness of the effects of marijuana is the key to establishing a good relationship with the plant as medicine.
If the patient finds that around 7-8 pm they feel more relaxed and separated from their pain, that’s a good sign. They’re close to finding their “just right” dose. If they found themselves feeling anxious or uncomfortable, they may have taken too much and need to find a middle ground on Day 2. If the patient felt nothing or felt only mild effects, but didn’t feel improvement in their symptoms, move on to Day 2.
Day 2 of finding a therapeutic dose starts with the dose you left off with from Day 1. If you’ve already noticed that 2.5mg of THC allows you to feel better and you’re tolerating the side effects without any trouble, congratulations! You’ve found your “just right” dose.
If the patient is tolerating the side effects well and isn’t quite getting beneficial results, they’ll start this day with the dose they left off from Day 1, 2-5 mg of THC. Three hours later, it’s best to take a mental inventory of how they feel. Are they starting to feel relief from pain? Are they able to relax into their pain and notice that it’s still there, but not as bothersome? If the answer is no, and the side effects aren’t noticeable or are tolerable, try a different dose.
At this point, the patient can add 1-2.5 mg of THC and record the effects in their journal. This will help them remember the dosing and the impact on their body that they felt. It’s important to list the side effects and the level of pain the patient is feeling as well.
Start low and go slow; Do what works for you.Day 3 follows the same plan. The patient takes the dose they did the day before to start, whether that was 1, 2, or 3 doses of 1-2.5 mg. It’s important to make each dose the same. If they’re taking 1mg doses and don’t feel the effects after 3 mg, it’s important they don’t jump to 6mg out of frustration. It’s a commitment to find the right dose for you. Trust me, it’s worth building a solid knowledge of how this plant affects you, and the more care you take in the early stages, the better your long-term relationship with marijuana.
The patient can take another dose about three hours later if they still feel that the side effects are small and the therapy isn’t working. They’ll continue this daily practice until they find that the pain is improved and the side effects are tolerable.
Two things may happen when a patient follows this type of protocol. On the positive side, they’ll find a dose that helps their pain level decrease with tolerable side effects. Alternatively, they may find that the side effects become the dominant force, making them uncomfortable. Nobody wants that.
If you find that the side effects are strong enough to outweigh any benefit from the medicine, you’re not alone. Many of my patients report that the psychoactivity of THC bothers them during this first phase, or that some other effect bothers them. Try not to lose hope.
It’s well known that humans develop tolerance to marijuana through studies of recreational users. Medical patients, mine included, typically report that the adverse side effects lessen over time, but the therapeutic benefits remain. All the while using the same dose of THC!
This is excellent news for Medical Marijuana patients. They’ll simply lower the dose they’re taking until they find the side effects are tolerable, maintain that dose for 3-4 days in a row to build up a tolerance to the 
undesirable side effects, and return to finding that dose that works for them.
Remember the CBD they take daily? CBD acts as a buffer to some of the psychoactivity of THC and can lessen the adverse side effects at higher ratios. You may also increase the amount of CBD during this exploration phase of treatment to help blunt some of the side effects if you’re feeling them.
Therapeutic dosing with marijuana follows a bell curve distribution. Too low a dose may not give you enough benefit to make sense and too much may cause bothersome side effects and negative impacts. Consistently overdosing THC levels makes it so that you may need to keep increasing the dose of THC for the same effect. If 10 mg of THC is an ideal dose to help you decrease your medication or sleep better and avoid pain meds altogether, and you consistently take 20 mg in order to get that “high” effect, you will eventually need to take 20 mg of THC in order to treat your condition. The cost of your medicine per month will continue to increase. You can typically avoid this by using the correct dose found by following the above protocol. Evidence suggests that the endocannabinoid system will maintain balance long-term with the right dosing strategies.
Sensitizing your body to marijuana and finding the perfect dosing strategy for you can be an exciting journey. Check your mind and your body, keep a journal, and talk to your medical provider about questions and concerns. You can never have enough good advice from trusted sources.
As always, if you have comments or questions about any of my articles, or want more information on individualized dosing strategies for any condition, don’t hesitate to reach out to me.
A Medical Cannabis consultation isn’t a lot different from a traditional medical visit. Providers need to understand the chief complaint or reason you want to explore Medical Cannabis as a therapeutic option. That being said, you still may wonder what this visit will look like. Let’s go through it together.
All medical consultations, regardless of the type, begin with you signing a consent form. Medical Cannabis is different only in the fact that it’s still considered federally illegal. Therefore, you must sign a liability waiver to discuss and receive a recommendation.
Medical Cannabis providers can only give recommendations for the use of Medical Cannabis within the state that they practice. They cannot give prescriptions for Medical Cannabis because prescriptions require FDA approval and cannabis is still considered illegal federally. This is confusing to many patients and providers, but just know that as a patient, you’re accepting liability for your own use of Medical Cannabis according to state law. You can still lose your job or not be hired if your private employer has a zero-tolerance policy.
In many cases, medical clinics provide you with a questionnaire, either online or in person when you arrive, to list your current medical issues in detail as well as some of the history of your condition. Secure, online intake forms can streamline the process because it gives the medical clinic information on your condition prior to you arriving so they can request medical records from you if needed. This is where you can list not only the issue you are requesting a Medical Card for but other health issues you may be suffering from.
Providers need to understand the comorbidities, or other health conditions, that you have. For example, if your main complaint is lower back pain, do you also have obesity? Do you have sleep apnea or another condition that affects your ability to exercise? Often, a comorbidity like insomnia will relate directly to a pain complaint. For example, a patient with lower back pain might have trouble sleeping because of the pain. Or, they may get anxious when they are in pain. All of these issues should be discussed with your medical provider in a Medical Cannabis consultation. Give as much detail as possible, even down to the time of day that certain symptoms occur. This helps us decide how and when to use cannabis as an effective treatment for your condition.
It’s also necessary to discuss previous treatment attempts, like physical therapy or different medications that you have tried. It’s very important to discuss and list all of your current medications in order to determine whether any of them will interact with Medical Cannabis. While most medications don’t interact with Medical Cannabis, there are some that can be dangerous and it’s best to keep an open dialogue during your Medical Cannabis consultation.
Because Medical Cannabis is typically recommended only after other medications or treatments have been tried and failed, it’s not always necessary for a physical examination. This varies from patient to patient.
Medical Cannabis consultations and recommendations typically take place in an educational setting and feel more like visiting a counselor. You’ll review medical records and discuss Medical Cannabis in a comfortable and safe setting.
The first question medical providers need to answer is whether or not you qualify for a Medical Cannabis Card in Utah and if they are willing to issue the recommendation. This decision is likely going to be based on your condition and if your provider thinks it’s safe to initiate Medical Cannabis therapy despite your other health issues and current medications. Your provider must also document this decision-making process in your chart in a detailed fashion.
I usually categorize patients into one of four categories, based on the experience they have with cannabis use. This categorization helps me determine the level of education and support you’ll need in the initial 30 days. It also helps determine the dosage that I recommend you use daily.
Level 1: A level 1 patient is a newbie or has never used cannabis in their life. I spend the majority of my time explaining the basics of Medical Cannabis. After that, I will work with you to find your “just right” dose. In our clinic, level 1 patients also leave with instructions, helpful tips, and a dosing protocol worksheet.
Level 2: A level 2 patient has used cannabis once or twice. Level 2 patients often need a review of Medical Cannabis basics and a conversation about which products to try. These patients usually find a dosing protocol worksheet helpful, too.
Levels 3 & 4: A level 3 patient uses cannabis occasionally and is already familiar with the effects of cannabis. They’ll usually spend most of the time reviewing products they have used. If requested, I’ll give additional clinical research data on their condition and delivery methods or dosing suggestions to help these patients find what works best for them. Maybe they’ve been using vape cartridges for years and a tincture or edible may work best for their condition. With all patients, a “just right” dose and method is crucial to effective treatment. In a level 4 Medical Cannabis consultation, I’ll often learn more than I teach.
The concept of ratios in cannabis medicine is becoming much more popular as science reveals its benefits. CBD is widely popular for various conditions, but not strong enough on its own for a lot of Medical Cannabis patients. A provider that is educated on various delivery and dosing methods will be able to assist you in choosing CBD to THC ratios for your specific condition. In my experience, patients should never go under a one-to-one ratio of CBD to THC. Patients with low tolerance to THC require a higher ratio of CBD, acting as a buffer to the psychoactivity of THC. You can find some of this information online or through a pharmacist at the dispensary. However, we feel it’s best to have your medical provider help you with these issues in-clinic. They already have an understanding of your condition.
New patients generally start with a sublingual or capsule form of delivery. A dropper or a capsule formulation is easy to understand as medicine. Most people have taken a liquid medicine or a pill before trying Medical Cannabis treatment. A sublingual tincture is probably the easiest dosing method to use for beginners because it can be measured out in the smallest quantity, even drop by drop if needed.
Vaping oil concentrate with a cartridge or cannabis flower with a dry herb vaporizer can also be a very effective method of delivery. You’ll feel the effects almost immediately. In the case of raw cannabis flower, you’ll also get the benefit of the entourage effect. The entourage effect is the activity of over 100 cannabinoids and terpene’s, which make up the cannabis flower, working together to provide you a therapeutic experience.
Most people, in Utah especially, have preconceived notions about using Medical Cannabis. We here at Utahmarijuana.org are doing everything we can to end the stigma surrounding cannabis use. If you do decide to give Medical Cannabis treatment a shot, follow the recommendations of your medical provider and start low and go slow. You can always take more cannabis later, but not less. A mindful approach will help you develop a good relationship with plant-based medicine and all of its complexities. Poke around our website for more about dosing considerations and your Endocannabinoid system.
When I worked as a pain and addiction medicine specialist provider here in Utah, way before Medical Cannabis came around, I encountered many patients who were dependent on their opioids and struggling to find adequate relief for their complicated chronic pain conditions.
“If only cannabis was medically available here. I would prefer to use it over these pain pills,” one of them told me during our regular monthly visit. I believed him and felt his frustration.
Gradually I became aware of a handful of patients who were obviously turning to the occasional use of cannabis for pain relief. Some stated they were able to reduce their opioid use because of it. Generally, they had obtained this from other states where it was legally available, or via family and friends.
Unfortunately, this placed me in a difficult position as a clinician. While I was actively working to reduce patients’ reliance on opioids and find non-opioid alternatives, I was still prescribing controlled substances. I 
was informed that if I continued to prescribe such medications for patients that were illegally using cannabis, I could possibly put my license at risk.
These were always difficult conversations with patients and a source of great cognitive dissonance. Truth be told, I would much rather people use cannabis than opioids for obvious safety concerns. I’ve seen lives destroyed by the effects of opioid addiction. I’ve done chest compressions on patients who had overdosed on opioids when I worked in a local Emergency Department. Never have I had to worry about these things with a patient who only uses Medical Cannabis.
Yet there I was, a strong proponent of this non-opioid option to treat a variety of medical conditions, yet I was pulling away needed support for these patients. Per clinic policy, if patients continued to use cannabis, I stopped prescribing for them.
I am very pleased to see the laws in Utah changing as more patients are speaking up and being heard. Clinicians and patients will improve their therapeutic alliances as they will finally be able to utilize Medical Cannabis as an option. This makes sense not only on a scientific basis, but also upon the principles of medical ethics which are ingrained in healthcare providers; patient autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, dignity, and fidelity.
Utah’s Medical Cannabis program
has been an uphill battle. There are many reasons for this, including moral opposition, conflicts of interest, blatant lies and propaganda, dispensary issues, and a general misunderstanding of the medical science of cannabis. Having now gained this right, it is incumbent upon healthcare providers and patients alike to educate themselves about the law and the options that they now have available.
One topic which is worth mentioning is the inclusion of both oral, transdermal, and whole flower cannabis options in the law. Many patients across the country use tablets or edibles, but others prefer smoking whole flower. They have their preferences and their reasons. However, in Utah smoking Medical Cannabis is NOT permitted by the law. It may be vaporized but not smoked.
“The route of administration matters for any medication”, a professor once informed me in one of my pharmacology courses. Whenever I prescribe or administer a medication I carefully consider this truth. Medical Cannabis is not an exception.
One of the difficulties with cannabis, if we may call it that, is that the whole plant contains many more active compounds than just THC and CBD. To say otherwise is an oversimplification. The additional cannabinoids present may contribute to the varied effects of different strains as reported by patients. These may also be felt differently depending upon how the medicine is administered.
An oral or transdermal route will have a much slower onset and a prolonged duration, while an inhaled route will have a significantly more rapid onset and a shorter duration. An inhaled route may be easier to dose, while an oral route may be more difficult “to find the sweet spot”, which is also dependent on when and what the patient last ate. Obviously, this matters when we consider the nature of a patient’s symptoms. Do they need quick and on-demand relief for abrupt onset of pain, or something entirely different? Each patient should have the freedom to explore options, and providers should encourage this as well when appropriate. We need to remove any presupposed moral objections to any specific route of administration. Just as bronchodilators can be given orally or inhaled, so too can Medical Cannabis.
Who is Pedro Padilla-Martinez? [00:08]
How WholesomeCo’s online ordering system works [00:53]
What is a pharmacy agent? [03:37]
Pedro’s senior thesis on arrests in Utah [07:10]
What Pedro is able to recommend to patients [14:57]
How Pedro uses medical cannabis [15:46]
Pedro’s favorite types of patients to help [17:46]
Pedro’s thoughts on high-THC products [24:01]
What Pedro considers to be the biggest hurdles for patients [25:57]
Pedro’s continuing cannabis education [31:12]
Where Pedro sees himself in five years [33:28]
Pedro’s favorite cannabis strain [33:59]
Pedro is a pharmacy agent at WholesomeCo dispensary. WholesomeCo is located at 580 W 100 N in Bountiful.
Pedro is a recent graduate of the University of Utah, with a degree in political science and sociology. When he first started college, he did not know what he wanted to do after graduation. While in college, he became interested in the history of cannabis and cannabis policy. In fact, he completed an internship for Proposition 2 in Utah, collecting signatures for the petition. Pedro also interned for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).
To use WholecomeCo’s registration system, you will need to first register with them as a patient. You can begin the process by emailing them at hello@wholesome.co.
A pharmacy agent is similar to a “budtender” role in other states. As a pharmacy agent, Pedro directly interacts with patients, helping them choose products and walking them through the transaction process.
When a patient initially chooses a dispensary, they will meet with a pharmacist first to discuss dosing, delivery, and their Qualified Medical Provider’s (QMP) recommendations. After this visit with the pharmacist, patients will begin working with Pedro.
While in college, Pedro wrote his senior thesis on what arrests look like in Utah. Pedro felt that racial disparities with cannabis and medical cannabis had not been properly addressed in Utah. The question he set out to answer with his senior thesis was if there are indeed racial disparities with cannabis arrests in Utah.
Pedro sourced information from the US Census Bureau, FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program, and Utah’s Department of Public Safety.
Pedro found that African American communities and native American communities are especially disproportionately affected by marijuana arrest rates.
While researching Hispanic or Latino arrest rates, Pedro found that the data was harder to gather. The FBI classifies the Hispanic or Latino community as an ethnicity, not a race. Thus, Hispanic or Latino communities are typically classified with whites. This becomes problematic in states like Utah with a large Hispanic or Latino population.
As a pharmacy agent, Pedro cannot provide specific recommendations to patients. Instead, he relies on the pharmacist for recommendations. For example, if a patient has a specific recommendation from their pharmacist, Pedro will stick to that recommendation.
However, Pedro will provide his own personal experience with products by explaining to patients how a product has helped him with certain symptoms.
Pedro uses medical cannabis for chronic pain, specifically for pain in his knees from years of skateboarding.
Pedro really likes helping new patients of WholesomeCo. He initially thought he would have a hard time with new patients, but enjoys helping new patients understand what information is accurate or inaccurate. He also enjoys explaining products to patients, breaking down how it may help their symptoms. For example, he may suggest a new patient use a product with Delta-8-THC instead of the typical Delta-9-THC, as Delta-8-THC can provide a more mellow experience.
Pedro has worked with patients who have the belief that the higher the THC amount, the better the product. Pedro will show patients that even though a product may have a lower THC amount, it may have additional cannabinoids that could provide better relief of their symptoms.
Pedro believes the two biggest hurdles are the bureaucratic process of becoming a patient and issues they have with MJ Freeway software system. They have experienced issues with the system going down, or not having accurate patient information, making it difficult to order products for patients.
Recently, Pedro has been learning more about processed products. Many of his new patients do not want to inhale or vape flower when first using Medical Cannabis, and processed products such as gummies and cubes can be an easier way for them to consume cannabis.
An issue with processed products is they typically lose their cannabinoid and terpene profile. However, recent full-spectrum products have been developed that keep these profiles intact, such as products from Boojum.
Pedro still sees himself in the industry, becoming more of an expert on cannabis.
Pedro likes Sundae Driver from Dragonfly Wellness.
Chris’s experience on Facebook [1:08]
How Chris believes he got the virus [2:51]
How cannabis helped Chris while he was sick [09:56]
COVID symptoms for Chris’s kids [14:23]
What doctors told Chris about leaving quarantine [15:01]
Chris and Tim’s thoughts on the need for cannabis delivery in Utah [22:04]
Tim’s thoughts on medical cannabis letters [26:32]
After being diagnosed with COVID-19, Chris decided to share his journey on Facebook and Instagram. He quickly began to receive messages from other Facebook users, claiming that he was lying or that his symptoms were just a “bad cold.”
Chris has three stepchildren who were in Texas during the summer. He believes that the virus was brought into the home when his stepchildren came back home after their summer in Texas.
His symptoms began as fever and chills. He was scheduled for a doctor’s visit, but because he was not feeling well he decided to reschedule his appointment. When he called to reschedule, the doctor’s office suggested that get a COVID test. Chris received the diagnosis 24 hours later.
After his diagnosis, the COVID-19 virus began to hit him hard, especially in his lungs. He was experiencing shortness of breath. His wife was able to get him oxygen tanks to help him breathe. His whole body ached and he was experiencing sweats at night, so much so that he would have to change his shirt often because it would be drenched in sweat.
Chris had a nurse call him every morning to check on him. He was told that if his lips start turning blue, to call an ambulance.
Chris says that what he was most worried about was that he did not know which direction the virus would take. His young children also became sick. Although Chris and his wife assumed that they contracted the virus, they did not want them to go through the painful testing process to get an official diagnosis.
For Chris, he found cannabis helped with reducing the anxiety he was having about the virus. Also, using cannabis tinctures helped him to sleep better and to open up his airways.
Chris experienced extreme exhaustion while he was sick. It was difficult for him to just walk up the stairs from his basement. Cannabis also helped ease his aches and exhaustion.
One of Chris’s kids had congestion. His other kid had a sore throat and a fever.
Chris was told by doctors that 8-10 days after initially showing symptoms he would no longer be contagious. He was also told that he would be immune to the virus after 90 days.
Chris’ COVID experience has highlighted the need for cannabis delivery in Utah. For cannabis patients who are required to quarantine, without a delivery option there is no way for them to get access to their medicine.
WholesomeCo dispensary will be offering home delivery. Curaleaf will also be offering home delivery.
The obstacle to home delivery is payment options. Most dispensaries run on cash. However, WholesomeCo has implemented a system called Hypur, which provides electronic payment options.
Tim is seeing an increasing amount of letters being issued to patients. Unfortunately, these letters expire at the end of the year and will have to be converted to cards. This potentially will leave thousands of patients without access to cannabis. Learn more about how to convert your letter to a card here.
The problem, as Tim sees it, is a lack of education with Qualified Medical Providers (QMP). Specifically, the EVS system is a complicated system and QMPs are unfamiliar with how to use it properly to get their patient’s cards.
The team at UtahMarijuana.org will be creating educational events for QMPs to help them use the EVS system and get their patients set up with cards. Follow UtahMarijuana.org on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to learn more about these events.
I’m going to my first Utah dispensary today. A dispensary in Utah, I can’t believe it. I guess I should say pharmacy — that’s what I keep hearing from those in the biz. That’ll be a hard one to shake. Anyway, yesterday I went and got my recommendation letter from Utah Therapeutic Health Center. It was like that scene in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory walking out of their office with that letter in hand. It really felt like I had a golden ticket. No longer a criminal, baby! I’m still on a bit of a high as I drive to the pharmacy today. Because this is my first visit to a Medical Cannabis dispensary, I have to meet with a pharmacist before I can buy anything. This seems like a waste of time to me — I’m not a newbie, but hey, I can buy cannabis from a dispensary in Utah? I’m so elated it’s legal that I don’t care much about the hoops I have to jump through.
I walk in, and it’s nothing like I’d expect. It’s super modern and clean looking. I’ve certainly been to my fair share of shady dispensaries in other states. In Utah, they’re not like that. This place looks like Apple and Starbucks joined forces and sold cannabis. I check in and take a seat on a chair in the lobby. To take my mind off my nerves, I admire the tree to my left and wonder how they keep it so green, thinking back to the half-dead, browning leaves on everything in my own home. After a few minutes, I hear my name called by a woman in a white coat. She greets me warmly and introduces herself as my Medical Cannabis pharmacist. I take a deep breath. Here we go.
She leads me to a desk and I sit across from her. She asks me my name and birthdate and starts typing on her computer. When she frowns slightly, my fight-or-flight kicks in, thinking I must be about to be kicked out. Before I can bolt, she asks me if I have a card or a letter. I hand her my letter and she smiles. “You have a great QMP.” I breathe a sigh of relief and agree wholeheartedly. She then tells me that she’ll have to start from scratch since she can’t see my QMP’s notes in the system until I have my card. Of course, I worried for nothing. I’m still getting used to this legal cannabis thing, can you tell?
When she asks me if I have ever used cannabis before, my palms get a little sweaty. I’ve used cannabis daily to treat my colitis and anxiety for years, but every time I’ve
told a doctor that, I’ve been chastised. Since this is the whole point of the dispensary consultation, I swallow my fear and say, “Yes, every day for more than six years,” and quickly try to read her face. She seems completely unfazed and asks me how often, what form, etc. She’s clearly heard it all before. It’s pretty freeing to talk openly about this. She mentions that anxiety is not a qualifying condition but that she’ll keep it in mind when we create a treatment plan for my colitis.
I tell her about the one medication I am still taking for my colitis and all the nasty side effects that come with it. She brings up the possibility of tapering off of that and moving completely to cannabis. That’s always been a pipedream of mine, but I’m not always in a place I can smoke a bowl, so I’m tied to the ease of a pill. My pharmacist tells me about cannabis capsules they sell in this location and I’m intrigued. Anything to get off this brutal pharmaceutical that’s eating away at my insides.
While we finish up, my Medical Cannabis pharmacist asks me if I have any questions about the laws in Utah. I work in a public school, so I ask her if it’s okay for me to bring my medicine 
with me to school. She tells me that Utah law prohibits any Medical Cannabis use on or within 100 feet of a school campus. Geez, glad I asked! It makes sense, I guess. I make a mental note to draw up a schedule to medicate so that I won’t have to bring my cannabis to school with me.
My pharmacist starts to tell me about cannabinoids and terpenes, and my brain starts to hurt. She must have been able to tell because she quickly goes on to say that terpenes are what I taste and smell and that cannabinoids are the chemicals in the cannabis plant that make it so awesome.
She then goes on to tell me that smoking is not allowed. What?! Then why even sell flower?! She pulls out something called a dry herb vaporizer, this little metal bar that heats flower into vapor. I’m skeptical, but she assures me that this is the safest way to inhale flower. Apparently, I’ve been burning off some of the good therapeutic stuff with my lighter! I figure it’s worth a shot and do some mental math — I decide to pick up cannabis capsules next time and trade it out for a vape. I keep my eye on the one in my favorite color as my pharmacist goes over my treatment plan.
We decide that since I already know flower helps my condition, we’ll stick with that. My Medical Cannabis pharmacist gives me a few pamphlets and documents that go over the medical use of cannabis and more about the dry herb vaporizer I’m going to buy. She asks me if I know what happens if I take too much THC. I laugh and
tell her yes, thinking back to a time in my early smoking days. Back then, I just waited it out, but my pharmacist tells me to try adding some CBD to the mix. I make another mental note to find the CBD vape I lost in my car a few days ago.
I thank my pharmacist for her time, and she tells me how I can reach her if I have any problems. Very nice touch! My QMP said the same thing. It makes me feel good knowing that I have all of these people I can call if something doesn’t feel right. I feel supported entirely by my little team of Medical Cannabis professionals.
Finally, I head up to the counter. I can’t believe I’m actually about to buy cannabis legally in Utah. At a dispensary, no less! I thought we’d be the last state to legalize this. I see smiling faces at the registers and I pick the budtender closest to me. They’re all so friendly and helpful right away. I don’t know why I was ever nervous about this.
I buy a 3.5 oz jar of Sundae Driver and a 3.5 oz jar of Karat Cake. I have a sweet tooth, and these both sounded delicious. I’m excited to see what they taste like in my new vaporizer. My budtender recommends I try popcorn buds: smaller buds for a fraction of the price. It’s all going in my grinder anyway, why not save some money? I’m grateful and a little surprised at the tip — I expected to be upsold at dispensaries, but these guys seemed to be looking out for me.
As my budtender tells me the cost of my cannabis, I freeze. Oh no. I forgot dispensaries only take cash! I’m going to have to come back, how embarrassing. As I explain my dilemma, they tell me about a digital way to pay called Hypur. They explain that it’s like Venmo for cannabis purchases, and that’s all the justification I need. I hate carrying cash anyway. After creating my account, I pay and am back out in my car within a few minutes.
It’s crazy, I couldn’t believe how easy this all was. I have to admit, having been to a dispensary before, I was initially a little irritated I had to meet with a pharmacist. But I’m so glad I did! I feel very informed and empowered after speaking with her. I’m armed and ready to take control of my own health for the first time in years. It feels so good, I tear up a bit on the freeway on my way home. I’ll definitely be back here soon.
Are you ready to make a change? Give us a call at 801.851.5554 or schedule online today.
How Vanessa deals with frustrated patients [03:02]
More about Vanessa’s role as a Wellness Associate [05:11]
The product selection at Dragonfly Wellness [07:04]
Dragonfly’s new payment system [10:07]
Dragonfly’s drive-thru sales [13:28]
How Vanessa helps letter holders get their Medical Cannabis card [15:11]
Patients dealing with law enforcement [20:53]
Spending habits at Dragonfly Wellness [21:41]
Vanessa’s thoughts on adult-use [23:29]
More on Vanessa’s background [28:15]
Vanessa’s future in the cannabis industry [30:21]
Vanessa is a Wellness Associate at Dragonfly Wellness. She has been in this role since February 2020 and was there for the grand opening of Dragonfly Wellness.
Vanessa has a background in customer service, so she has experience dealing with frustrated customers. She also understands that even though patients may be frustrated, they will be “leaving with a bag of sunshine.”
Vanessa considers her work at Dragonfly Wellness more than a job. She has firsthand experience with Medical Cannabis improving her own issues with joint inflammation and sensitivities and has found it to be more helpful compared to other pharmaceuticals. She loves that she is now able to help others on their own journey.
In Utah, Wellness Associates are not to provide recommendations. However, as a patient herself, she can share from firsthand experience how the medicine works for her. For example, she can say that an indica strain helps keep her alert, relaxed, creative, and in a good mood. Or, she can refer a patient to another co-worker who may have an experience different from hers. However, legally she cannot recommend a product to treat a patient’s condition.
Although there are struggles with maintaining inventory, Vanessa has seen more consistency in the past month. The team at Dragonfly Wellness is for the ability to be a vertically integrated company, where they can grow their own product. This has allowed them to supply other pharmacies in the area with much-needed products.
The system is called Hypur and it provides an ACH transfer for pharmacies across the country.
When you enter the pharmacy, you will log in on your phone with a secure access code. Once the system has authenticated your phone and verified your location, your customer info is sent to Dragonfly’s POS system. At checkout, you can easily pay with Hypur. Or, you can split a payment between Hypur and cash.
This information can also be used for online ordering, which will make the online checkout process easier.
Dragonfly Wellness has not seen significant sales from their drive-thru option. The majority of sales are still from walk-ins.
When Vanessa sees patients who have medical letters, she reminds them that their letter is only valid through the end of the year. She will encourage them to talk to their medical provider about getting their letter switched to a card (check out this article for more info).
Vanessa has heard stories from patients about getting stopped by law enforcement and having their medicine confiscated, despite having all the necessary documentation with them. Vanessa believes that the solution is more education to remove the stigma from Medical Cannabis.
Vanessa believes that spending habits vary by person. But, typically she sees patients spending at least a couple hundred dollars a month. For patients looking for more variety, their costs can be higher than someone who buys similar products each visit.
Whether it’s for a severe life-changing condition, depression, anxiety, or sleep, because of the many benefits cannabis has, Vanessa believes that it should be available to everyone.
Her personal experience with cannabis involved in treating psoriatic arthritis. Instead of getting injections with bad side effects, she used cannabis to control her condition.
Vanessa always wanted to be involved in the cannabis industry. She started her career in customer service, which provided the insurance and benefits she needed to treat her medical conditions.
After Medical Cannabis became legal in Utah, she began to talk more about the benefits of it to friends and family. This led her to create an Instagram account (@loch.ness.toker) to get more involved in the community.
After her third FMLA leave of absence last year, she decided to leave her customer service position and go all-in with the cannabis industry.
Vanessa will be starting a community program that provides education to help remove the stigma of cannabis use. She will also advocate for adult-use legalization in Utah.
News about a pharmacy opening in Provo [00:37]
What is the Compassionate Use Board [05:07]
More about Jack’s back pain and nausea [07:53]
How Jack’s parents feel about his use of Medical Cannabis [10:53]
UtahMarijuana.org’s partnership with Empathetix [17:36]
Jack’s advice for someone considering cannabis [27:58]
Deseret Wellness is a new Medical Cannabis pharmacy in Provo. For new patients with medical letters, you may register with Deseret Wellness to use their products. For patients with letters and who are already registered at another pharmacy, you’ll need to convert your letter to a card before visiting Deseret Wellness.
Jack is a 19-year-old Medical Cannabis patient. Jack and his family moved to Utah from California when he was 17.
Jack uses Medical Cannabis for back pain and nausea. He was introduced to cannabis in California. While in California, Jack became interested in the medical benefits of cannabis, consuming content, and watching videos of kids who have been helped by cannabis.
Jack was able to get a Medical Cannabis card in California. The process of getting access to Medical Cannabis in California was easier than in Utah. In California, the process is all online. There is no need to get approval from a Qualified Medical Provider (QMP). In Utah, Jack had to see a QMP to get approved for a medical letter. He will still have to get approval from Utah’s Compassionate Use Board for a full Medical Cannabis card.
The Compassionate Use Board is a board of seven physicians. Some of them are advocates of Medical Cannabis and some are not. The board reviews cases of people seeking Medical Cannabis cards who are either (1) under 21 or (2) looking to use cannabis for a non-qualifying condition.
The team at UtahMarijuana.org has been helping patients go through the process of a Compassionate Use Board review. Providers create petitions on their patient’s behalf and provide the board with the necessary medical documentation.
Jack wakes up in the morning with nausea. Jack has also been diagnosed with scoliosis, causing daily back pain.
Jack’s father had a medical card in California. He explained to Jack the benefits of cannabis and that it could be something that helps him. However, Jack’s mother had a difficult time dealing with his use. However, as Jack continues to provide his mother with education about Medical Cannabis, she has begun to see its benefits.
Jack’s parents will have to be more involved in Utah, as patients under 21 must have a parent or guardian purchase Medical Cannabis from a pharmacy.
Empathetix has partnered with UtahMarijuana.org to provide all of their QMPswith education and resources. They will also help Empathetix patients complete their 90-day card renewals through Utah’s EVS system.
Jack primarily uses concentrates when consuming THC. Concentrates are made from a fresh plant that is frozen and pressed. This compression process produces a light oil, which can be vaped. Concentrates typically have higher amounts of THC. There is also less smell when vaping concentrates compared to flower.
Locally, you can find concentrates at WholesomeCo while supplies last
Jack will also use indica flower for pain. If he is looking for mood improvement, he will use sativa flower.
Jack thinks that cannabis is a good alternative to taking opiates, especially because you cannot overdose on it.
Mandi’s thoughts on the lack of cost protections in the cannabis industry [03:07]
Why CBD is classified as a drug by the FDA [06:54]
Why Mandi is looking to transition to focus on hemp [08:20]
How hemp fiber is grown [12:04]
Even though hemp is legal in the U.S., why isn’t there more widespread use? [14:12]
Why Mandi started the Associations of Hemp Associations [21:41]
How to ensure you’re purchasing quality CBD [33:53]
Mandi’s hemp education efforts [38:50]
Tim’s thoughts on the demand in Utah for Medical Marijuana [46:00]
Utah CBD Collective on YouTube
Mandi is the co-founder of Utah CBD collective. Mandi is passionate about the hemp and cannabis space. While spending the last four years at B2B networking and events for lead generation, she became aware of the pain points in the cannabis and CBD industry such as access to banking, payment processing solutions, and advertising options.
Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) provides protection in the agricultural industry and acts as an insurance policy for farmers. For example, if you agree to buy 500 bales of hay at $300 a bale, but later come back to the farmer wanting to change the contract because the market price dropped to $90 a bale, the PACA act would protect the farmer from those losses.
However, in the cannabis industry, there are no protections for either side.
CBD is classified as a drug because CBD is used in Epidiolex, which is now FDA approved. This defaults all CBD in the U.S. to be classified as a drug.
Currently, CBD has a strong national representation. However, where Mandi believes that industrial hemp representation is lacking, which is why she is transitioning from Utah CBD Collective to the Association of Hemp Associations.
Mandi sees an opportunity with hemp helping drive economic growth with sustainable uses of building materials, building homes, plastics, fibers, etc. Thus, a goal for the Association of Hemp Associations is to lobby for the hemp industry.
An example of a use for hemp is “HempCrete”, which is a concrete alternative that can burn at 7,000 degrees Fahrenheit under direct flame with no damage. Hemp is also mold-proof, making it a useful component for products such as drywall.
Other benefits of hemp include lower growing costs and a smaller carbon footprint (it requires one-twentieth of the water that cotton does.)
A hemp stock grows tall like bamboo. Thousands of plants can be grown on a single acre. Once grown, it is broken down, processed, and bailed like hay. Hemp can be further processed into fibers, plastics, oils, or construction materials like “HempCrete” or drywall.
While it is inexpensive to grow hemp, the cost to process hemp into usable materials can be higher due to the lack of processing facilities in the U.S., which is why the lobbying efforts of the Association of Hemp Associations are important.
The issue is the lack of manufacturing facilities in the U.S. Farmers can easily grow hemp on their land, but because there is nowhere for them to sell their crops, it does not make sense for them to invest in hemp.
Another issue is the lack of access to banking and advertising. For example, Google and Facebook prohibit advertisers from promoting cannabis-based products on their platforms. Without the ability for companies to sell hemp products at scale, not enough demand can be generated to incentivize farmers to grow hemp.
Mandi realized that cannabis and industrial/manufacturing industry associations and groups were divided by either product, region, or type of processing. An organization that brought together everyone involved with hemp was necessary
The goal of the Association of Hemp Associations is to provide support from the ground up for everything in the hemp industry, including building supplies, infrastructure, economic development, sustainability, and diversity. The Association of Hemp Associations will also focus on grassroots education on traditional broadcast and digital platforms.
Much of the textile and fabric manufacturing is done out of the United States. The low manufacturing costs come with a trade-off of child labor and human trafficking in those countries.
Bringing our supply chains back to the U.S would improve our economy and improve global child labor and human trafficking.
Products should have a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) and lab tests that show the quality of the product.
Mandi has done daily shows on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram with Utah CBD Collective, interviewing over 100 people. She has begun making the shift to hemp education with the Association of Hemp Associations.
Mandi also posts events on Eventbrite and LinkedIn.
Tim believes that the state will not be able to keep up with the demand for Medical Marijuana. Specifically, he believes that it will take 2-5 years for the state to catch up. Potential solutions could be opening up control to the cities or federal decriminalization.
