This is Utah in the Weeds, episode 28. It features a very special guest, Zac King, who is a Medical Cannabis patient. Zac is a regular listener to the podcast.
He had been listening to other podcasts while working as a plumber, but Utah in the Weeds just caught his attention. As he lived in Utah, he loved the fact that the podcast was about Utah, particularly as a cannabis user in Utah.
He wanted to be legit, and when he saw that they were looking for patients who had had experience with the program, he felt that he would love to share his experiences on what he regarded as a very neat podcast.
Though there are six pharmacies open in Utah at the time of this podcast, Zac has only bought from Wholesome as allowed by his authorization letter. Zac loves the very friendly and knowledgeable staff at WholesomeCo who could answer all his questions about terpenes, different minor cannabinoids and Delta-8, substances that had helped to change his life. He’s found it great to be able to do so legally.
Zac refers to the proposed bill in Utah that will deal with Delta-8 and the total permissible THC levels. He believes that it is in reaction to a ruling by the DEA about including Delta-8 as it was not something they necessarily approved of. He points out that had the MORE Act been passed, this would not be an issue at all.
Unfortunately, the negative and outdated ‘Anslinger mentality’ still informed stereotypical attitudes to the use of cannabis and problematized people’s access to the plant and its beneficial health products.
Zac got introduced to cannabis in 1997 when he was 13 years old. He heard different things from different people about the ‘herb’. A paintball injury to his eye left him with major migraines and continual pain. He had at that stage joined a new group of friends who used cannabis. He tried it and enjoyed it.
However, when he went to seminary, he stopped using it, but at college he was introduced to more liberal attitudes and freedom and the rule of law. And he started to rethink his decision to stop using cannabis, as it helped for all sorts of things like his pain.
He’d heard of Medical Cannabis before, but having grown up in the small town of Lewiston, Utah, was still influenced by the stigmatized view there of cannabis as a bad, dangerous, and scary thing. In reality, he found it helped with his pain and stress levels and had no negative side effects like other medications he had been prescribed.
He went to school to be a nurse. He was a CNA for five years, and worked with people that were quadriplegics, as well as hospice patients. Because he had suffered so badly with his eye injury, he felt that he wanted to take away the suffering of others.
He started to learn a little bit more about cannabis, and when Colorado legalized cannabis, he started using cannabis again. However, he was also drinking. The suicide of his wife spiraled him down into becoming an alcoholic.
He was given the opportunity to become a plumber, which he did, but he was still drinking and struggling to figure out his life. Then, on an occasion when he was using mushrooms, he had an epiphany. He realized that he had lost his true self and needed to completely change his life, and he started doing that.
On 4/20 of this year, he had been three years sober from alcohol and was also off all prescription medicines. He had been taking six different pills for pain, nausea, and PTSD. All he uses now is Medical Cannabis. He really feels that he wants to be ‘free’, and that this wonderful plant with all its amazing benefits has changed his life and helped him find his Savior.
Zac says straight out that he would be dead. He was suicidal. The dreadful migraines that he had were never really helped by pills and compresses, but with certain strains of cannabis the relief is amazing. It enables him to live his life and function without being ‘high’.
Zac is convinced that he owes his life to his family, his Savior, and the remarkable properties of this beautiful plant. He feels very strongly that the life-changing potential of Medical Cannabis MUST be made available to patients because it’s so remarkably effective. He believes that is why God gave us the plant.
Zac says that having developed some tolerance actually works to his benefit. He uses a 50/50 balance of CBD flower and THC flower, which helps with his pain and also with his PTSD, but he is not overwhelmed. He gets his CBD flower from the farms, because it can’t be bought in Utah even if the plants have been tested and found to be lower than 0.3 THC in content.
As a Medical Cannabis patient, it puzzles Zac that he is not allowed to grow his own cannabis, or have access to a grower in Utah that is ordained by the State, and is allowed to legally supply him. Home-growing probably scares the authorities because they would not have control over it.
Zac no longer smokes cannabis. He bought a Pax 2 vaporizer that he uses with a tincture. He still gets all the terpenes and medical benefit for pain and anxiety relief from his cannabis without having to combust it.
Being sober enabled Zac to create a really in-depth study of the Hampton cannabis world lately. He has used online sources like Leafly and Weedmaps to good effect. Whenever he encounters a new strain, he researches it and the effects it has. So far, he has only encountered positives regarding the cannabinoids he’s come across, with even things like flavonoids being three times more potent than aspirin.
Even though the law has been passed, there are still problems about pharmacies dispensing Medical Cannabis – as Zac discovered when he was trying to find alternatives to using IHC. He had to ‘shop for a doctor’ to obtain a letter authorizing his use of Medical Cannabis alternatives. He very much appreciates being able to be honest now about using Medical Cannabis.
In conjunction, he is also just trying to live a healthier lifestyle with pro- and prebiotics, multivitamins, CBD, mushrooms, and other healthy microbes. He emphasizes the benefits of producing one’s own food and wishes that this could be extended to hemp and cannabis as well to everybody’s mutual benefit.
Zac believes that it basically just boils down to knowledge and education. He first had to come to feel okay about using cannabis himself before his family came to accept it. Now his church has actually come out with a stance saying that they support the use of Medical Cannabis. This seems to hold true in general as well, though recreational use is still discouraged, with some stigmatization still prevailing.
At this time availability is also still an issue, though there is a great need for Medical Cannabis. Medical Cards and letters should be accepted without any problems. The relevant knowledge and science needs to be shared widely which should make for more acceptance and less prejudice.
Zac confirms that cannabis is very unaffordable, which is very unfortunate particularly in view of the fact that there is a black market out there. Zac believes that the biggest issue is that the supply is not nearly adequate.
The growers, like Tryke, Wholesome, Zion, etc., should be encouraged to commit to higher levels of production. Dragonfly is rumored to have sold their license. There are simply not enough growers in Utah. The story behind well-known Redbeard Farmer no longer producing should be established.
Zac says that he would love the chance to let ‘this herb teach the world’ and find out more about different phenotypes and varieties, like hot lavender, to establish just what this herb can offer.
So if the law would permit it, and the opportunity presents itself, he would take up growing in a heartbeat, but understanding and building one’s knowledge is the biggest key, and he would love to hear what the different growers say about it. He emphasizes the amazing potential of the cannabis plant for improving people’s lives.
Zac says that Lamb’s breath and Durban Poison are amazing, as are the Kushes and Chemdog. He’d love to try some of the older landrace strains, like a Thai Stick would be amazing, as would the sativas and the indicas.
Zac’s in-depth knowledge about cannabis is clear in his discussion of the different cannabis varieties. It is also clear that he is serious about the use of Medical Cannabis and that he uses it as a tool and as a medical device. For instance, he uses it to relieve his severe migraines and restore the balance of his endocannabinoid system.
Yes, it did. It took him three years to figure out how to use cannabis properly, but it helped him to give up alcohol. In this process, he utilized Plain Jane hemp cigarettes, but he stopped using those when he stopped smoking cigarettes. He also replaced vaping nicotine with vaping cannabis cartridges. Cannabis just gave him the boost to overcome his addictions and no longer need conventional medicines.
Zac would advise them to go to Google for information about where to buy legal hemp flowers and a wide variety of products all over America that can be shipped to Utah, though they are not available in Utah itself.
Zac started finding out about legal hemp through a guy who did reviews on Black Tie CBD. In this way, he discovered that a variety of legal hemp products were available, including CBD oil and CBD flower.
Zac would like to see Utah become the new Mecca for Medical Cannabis with better utilization leading to lower prices. There will be hugely increased demand when all the authorization letters are converted to cards, and people become even more aware of the beneficial effects of Medical Cannabis.
They’ll look at people like Zac, and say, “Hey, this guy used to be a drunk, and now he is living a good life and he’s not a jerk. And he’s nice, and he works hard and he’s happy.” And they will want access to the same benefits. Zac confirms it’s an exit drug, it’s uplifting, and it can be used for good.
Tim can be reached here at utahmarijuana.org if anybody needs help converting from a letter to a card and how to register on the system.
Zac is on Facebook and Instagram. He can be reached at zacnking@gmail.com, and he also has videos on YouTube.
Chris can be found on his I am Salt Lake podcast website.
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in the “In the Weeds” podcast are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of KindlyMD or UtahMarijuana.org. The personal experiences shared in these episodes are for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as medical advice or endorsements of any specific treatment.
KindlyMD does not treat substance use disorder (SUD) and does not advocate for or promote the use of cannabis as a treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) or any other form of addiction. Any discussion of cannabis in relation to addiction recovery reflects the perspectives of the individuals featured in the podcast and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice. If you are struggling with addiction or seeking treatment options, please consult a qualified healthcare provider.
Introducing Trevor Ung, In Motion CBD, and Ung Family Farms [01:00]
Why Trevor came back to Utah and decided to focus on hemp [02:10]
Trevor explains the Hemp Pilot Project in Utah [02:50]
Trevor is asked what his views are now that he is in his second year in the hemp industry [04:31]
Trevor talks about the fencing needed around the new farm [06:45]
Trevor talks about proposed laws he’s concerned about [10:07]
How does the testing process work to establish if a crop is legal or not? [13:03]
Trevor sheds more light on the complexities of growing hemp [14:09]
What the situation is like now [15:37]
What products does Trevor plan to produce? [17:26]
What products is Trevor allowed to produce at this point? [18:36]
Trevor discusses the difficult situation further [19:49]
Is Trevor trying to get into other cannabinoids, or are the genetics too restrictive? [22:24]
Is Trevor able to sell to a dispensary? [23:50]
Trevor speaks about some of the beneficial hemp strains available [26:22]
How big are the hemp plants that Trevor has to process? [29:25]
Does Trevor have a way for volunteers to connect with him? [30:30]
What happens after harvesting? [32:22]
How has all this affected Trevor’s family? [33:13]
What keeps Trevor going and motivated? [34:18]
What are the effects of smoking a strong CBD strain or a low THC strain? [35:23]
What are the hemp products that Trevor would like to make? [37:09]
Trevor relates why he left Utah and went to Denver [40:55]
How can listeners find out more about Trevor’s products, or get in touch with him? [42:50]
Trevor’s hemp farm is located in Payson, Utah, and he is a grower-turned-farmer. He started growing in Colorado about ten years ago, working in large scale grows as well as on their marketing and advertising. Here he learned about the marijuana plant and how it’s grown, which has always interested him.
Trevor embraced the chance to move home and watch the industry take off in Utah. He started here last year in the pilot program, working on 3 acres of his father’s 5-acre property while he figured out the farming techniques. They are currently in the middle of their harvest.
Trevor was drawn to the Utah cannabis industry in general, and has an interest in the medical marijuana field as well, but felt navigating the rules and regulations of the industry would present a bigger challenge than getting his foot in the door with hemp farming.
Trevor says this program was the first year hemp was grown in Utah, so the Utah Department of Agriculture just called it a pilot program; it is now just referred to as the hemp industry.
There were about 240 licensed growers last year which included collectives, other associations, and a lot of lease farmers. Basically, everybody is joining up and trying to figure the hemp industry out together.
Trevor says that since last year he has got the rest of his family involved. The farm is licensed under the name Ungo Hemp CBD Farms. The name reflects a nickname that he had growing up.
After his first season, they found an 11-acre property a mile from his dad’s place and joined the two together, so now they are farming on 11 acres. They work hard, using specialized equipment, a lot of employees, and a lot of volunteers.
He points out that it’s a whole new animal growing hemp on a large scale. They experience a lot of curiosity from neighbors and the public, and they had to deal with some theft last year.
Last year their fencing was just basically pasture fencing, but they have since upgraded so they now have a 6-foot, no-climb fence with wood posts every 25 feet with T-posts in between, which was pretty expensive. Putting up the fence and greenhouses was their spring project. They’ve still had people cutting through the fence, so they’ve had to invest in cameras.
You have to be 18 or older, have a clean record (no drug charges in the last 10 years), pass an FBI background check, and go through the licensing process. The cost for the license fee was only $560, so not too crazy, and then you’ve got to build your business, your LLCs, etc.
Growing for your own use on a smaller scale is also subject to various rules. Trevor is more concerned about bigger laws that are threatening the hemp industry.
There are some proposed laws for a new cannabinoid, Delta 8, which might be added to the total TAC percent potency tests. One of their struggles as farmers is producing a crop that is not going to be over that 0.3% THC level. 0.3% THC is in fact very, very little, but there’s just not a lot of perfect genetic strains out there that will ensure the crop stays below the required level.
This means it’s very easy to grow a ‘hot’ plant that is just marginally over that limit and then becomes illegal. In short, if Delta 8 is added to the total THC contents, it would most likely push a lot of hemp farmers over that 0.35% threshold.
This could mean that a lot of crops might have to be destroyed, or go to a specialized extraction facility where they could extract or dilute those THC levels. The hemp farmers are currently having meetings with the Department of Agriculture about these proposed laws, as well as other matters.
Once the plant is about halfway through its flowering period, the farmer calls the State to come and take samples. If those samples come back at 0.3%, then the State will approve the crop for harvesting with 30 days to harvest.
However, if the test result comes back at, for instance, 0.37% THC, they will say the crop failed. The farmer will then get hit with a violation, and will either have to be destroyed – or it has to go through that specialized extraction route. Trevor is not sure whether that is even allowed yet. In the previous year, a lot of crops had to be destroyed.
When you get your test results back, they give you another 30 days to grow the crop, during which time the THC levels are still going to be rising. By the time you harvest, they might well be over that 0.35% THC level. You might see 0.4, 0.5% THC, which is still okay because your crop was deemed legal, which makes this a weird gray area.
Trevor believes they need to raise the acceptable THC level to 1%. This won’t get customers high, but it will mean farmers can have successful crops without being threatened by these very low 0.35% levels.
As regards the extraction process, they can take these crops and extract out the THC or separate them, or even come out with a CBD isolate.
The situation is very tough right now. Growing hemp is a brand-new industry and the 0.3% THC levels are very old school. Trevor believes that needs to be reassessed and set at something like 1% THC.
He also refers to the stigmas that still cling to the hemp plant. Hemp farmers are treated very differently. They can’t even sell their own flower anywhere in Utah to anybody else aside from licensed extraction facilities or other farmers.
Trevor would love to create a pack of smokes that can compete with the tobacco industry and give people who don’t want to smoke cigarettes another option. There are many things farmers could do with this plant, but their hands are tied.
The plan is to make his own products, but it isn’t happening at the moment. Currently, they have distillate products, and he intends their next product line to be more full-spectrum products. All four of their current products are made from the CBD isolate and don’t contain any THC.
Trevor believes that hemp farmers are only allowed to consume their own flowers in their own homes. However, smokable flowers are brought into Utah every day legally through the Internet, and all the other States outside are selling it in Utah as well. It’s really weird!
But as regards Utah hemp farmers, the Department of Agriculture will not give them a label, or approve a label for any kind of smokable or even vapeable flower. So Utah hemp farmers have to sell their flowers out of state to other people who are creating these smokable products, which are then sold back to Utah. It’s a crazy situation.
It is a struggle for the hemp farmers in Utah. Their products have to get tested multiple times. All of their products come with a QR code that you can scan with your phone which takes you to the CFA, a certificate of analysis that tells you exactly what its tested levels are. Trevor thinks that the Sheriff’s department just doesn’t want to see people smoking hemp flowers. There is just this stigma attached to it.
Trevor fully understands that the hemp industry should be regulated, particularly for stronger hemp products. But he would really like to be able to compete with the tobacco industry as hemp offers a ‘healthy smoke’ with medicinal potential and is safer than a cigarette. He would like to get people off cigarettes and smoking something that has some CBD benefits.
CBG is a really big cannabinoid that’s very popular right now, and he believes that’s going to be a very successful route for especially Utah growers, as they’re producing little to no THC. So CBG is definitely a great cannabinoid that they’re looking into.
That is one route they’re actually looking into right now, but he believes they are able to transfer their hemp flower to the Utah dispensaries. Their current abundant crop was all grown from clones to ensure that they had high-quality female seedless plants. They’re hoping to hit the medical industry.
Despite the perception that the higher the THC strain the better the medicine, many people would benefit from lower THC strains. Trevor says he has even heard that the CBD actually negates the THC, so it could possibly reverse some of those psychoactive effects. Apparently, it doesn’t take away the high but does have a ‘buffering’ effect.
There are some awesome genetics and growers out there who are producing true medicinal strains. One of his favorite breeders is out in Colorado, Scott Reach with Rare Dankness. He grows some true medicinal strains like White Rhino, which is around 18% THC, but also at least 7% CBD.
It is hoped that there will be more of that in Utah over time, though that will probably take a combined effort by Trevor and other growers to achieve.
Though they haven’t got into that too deeply yet, they have a lot of interest in doing fibers and textiles. Currently, the plant, (apart from the flower), referred to as biomass, is ground and milled in preparation for the extraction process to obtain the oils that they use in their vape cartridges, tinctures, and pain cream.
They are, in fact, currently learning how to utilize this biomass more effectively as they have a lot of plant material that has to be out of the ground by a certain date according to state regulations. But processing biomass requires specialized machinery and is very labor-intensive, so it is still a big learning curve for them.
The plants range from a foot high to even five, six, or seven feet tall. There are thousands of plants to deal with. Harvesting takes weeks and it’s a crazy time! Trevor would be happy for any volunteers to come and help, learning about the plants in the process.
So far they get volunteers via social media, especially Facebook. People send messages and Trevor has broadcast his phone number on there a few times. But they really have a lot of work to do so volunteers will be greatly appreciated!
They’re trying to network as much as possible. They have some groups they’re working with locally that have connections in Oregon. Trevor’s been talking a lot with a gentleman named Scott with a home base out of Oregon and some potential flower buyer connections, and hopefully, they’ll be able to work through their downline.
They will also be advertising on their own website to try and sell their smokable flower out of state. They will also be trying to lobby Utah to eventually allow them to do something with their flower.
Trevor says that they’re all in, literally! They’ve all supported him, and he wouldn’t be able to be doing this without his family. That’s where the name Ung Family Farms comes from. He has his older brother and little sister and both of their spouses involved, along with his girlfriend, dad, and mom. They don’t have fancy equipment, so it’s been a hard grind every day.
It’s been his dream. Trevor is passionate about hemp, and he’s been involved in the cannabis industry for about 15 years. He supports the medical and recreational use of cannabis and regards it as a safer option than tobacco and alcohol, with many benefits.
Trevor explains it’s relaxing and calming without the psychoactive high. When it gets to the concentrated side with dabbable CBD, though he hasn’t done it himself, he’s been told it feels like you’re putting on a warm blanket.
He takes CBD when his muscles are sore and his body needs relaxation. He has not yet obtained a medical card. The suggestion is made that they should do an onsite clinic day at Trevor’s farm to inform people about the process of getting approved for a medical card.
Smokable flower is Trevor’s big dream, especially as a farmer. He would like to one day run a ‘you pick’ style farm, where he and all the other farmers open up their doors, and where people can come and pick their own favorite nugs, and they’ll sell it to their customers by the pound. From there people could use it in whatever way they want.
There are so many people who want to know more about the plant and experience it, and they want to do it in a legal way, in a safe environment. Most of Trevor’s volunteers are people who use the plant and are excited about it, and they’ve been awesome.
Amongst them is someone with cerebral palsy. Trevor believes that everybody should have access to this plant medically or recreationally.
Because of the conservative nature of Utah, Trevor got in trouble for growing a single plant when he was 22 years old, and almost faced felony charges. So he went to Denver to follow his dreams. He waited until he saw Utah was coming around and it was safe for him to come home.
Trevor says that they have four products available right now, but are going to be releasing more as soon as they get out of the field and can start doing some product development.
Trevor’s website is inmotioncbd.com, or find him on Facebook or Instagram:
How Deseret Wellness deals with patients with letters [07:45]
Will Deseret Wellness be doing home-deliveries? [13:11]
What makes the current legal situation is still confusing [19:56]
Jeremy discusses Deseret Wellness’s products and supply and online menu [20:44]
Where Jeremy sees Deseret Wellness in five years’ time? And what he does for fun [24:15]
What Deseret Wellness tries to do for their patients and how to contact them [31:34]
Deseret Wellness’s goal in coming to Utah is to provide effective and affordable cannabis-based therapies in a safe and welcoming environment. Their dispensary is clean, bright, and welcoming. Jeremy Sumerix is their marketing president.
Jeremy Sumerix is a Utah native who was born and raised in American Fork. He attended Southern Utah University, whereafter a career in retail took him all over the country.
He was in the cannabis industry for several years, working for the national retailer MedMen in Florida, where the cannabis industry is vibrant.
When he was approached by Deseret Wellness to establish outlets in Utah, he leaped at the chance to come home and bring cannabis therapy to the patients in Utah.
Deseret Wellness was granted a license to open in Provo, and a further license to open in Park City which will happen later this year, or at the beginning of January 2021.
Their Provo site is really accessible to all parts of Provo as they are located right off the Center Street exit. They’ll be putting up a 35-foot green cross pole to signpost the dispensary soon.
In setting up Deseret Wellness, Jeremy found the Utah County Commissioner very easy to work with. Though the population is smaller, Utah residents are generally law-abiding and straightforward, which makes the illicit cannabis market weaker in Utah County. This bodes well for legal outlets like Deseret Wellness.
Deseret Wellness is pleased with how quickly they’ve been able to increase their number of patients, with a steady flow coming into the dispensary. Luckily, patient numbers have not been so large that they’ve had to turn people away.
Cardholders can walk in, and because preregistration is not required, they can have their product within ten minutes.
Jeremy acknowledges that patients with letters of recommendation are a bit more difficult. As per state mandate, letters have to be verified, particularly if they have been getting their product from another pharmacy.
Due to various factors, there may be delays in this regard, which makes it sensible for patients with letters of recommendation to preregister, because then everything can be verified. Within the course of 2-3 business days, they will be notified and will be able to collect their product without any delay.
Desert Wellness holds a strictly retail license and does not have a grow license. It sells whatever products are out on the market, but they consider themselves homegrown with Jeremy having grown up just down the road, and most of their employees being from Utah. The company is a member of the Utah Chamber of Commerce. They aim to be a friendly neighborhood pharmacy to the community.
The timing of their opening was challenging. The opening of the pharmacy was complicated by software and legal issues, with the State requiring that all verification be done by a pharmacist.
However, this has now been dealt with and is no longer an issue, though they are still working with the State and other pharmacies to streamline the process. Desert Wellness is the southernmost dispensary in the State of Utah, and will soon be opening an outlet in Park City as well.
Deseret is just about ready to launch curbside and in-store pickup for patients that have been registered and bought from them before. When the State finalizes the regulations on home delivery, that service will be included as well as it is envisioned to be big, especially in the Park City outlet.
Home deliveries will be big, particularly because the issuing of licenses for cannabis outlets has been capped. Jeremy understands the rationale behind this strategy and believes that these conditions might be relaxed once the industry has proved that it is safe and viable, something he is very keen to do.
They are very excited about their two different outlets and are hopeful that they’ve found a model that is scalable.
The second outlet, Park City, will be very different from their Provo dispensary with a more downtown vibe as it is smaller and expected to be busier.
Seasonality is expected to have an impact considering its proximity to the Sundance Film Festival.
Jeremy confirms that it is legal for out-of-state patients, who have a card authorizing them to obtain medical cannabis, to get their medication in Utah. However, the rule has not yet been established with the parameters being clearly set out.
Deseret has a lobbyist who is working directly with the state to figure out how to pin down those regulations, although it is not yet clear when that will happen.
People only have to be able to prove residency in order to get a temporary card so that they can get their medication. Their identity also has to be confirmed and there is a list online that clarifies this.
Jeremy confirms that Deseret Wellness has a significant number of out-of-state patients, and an out-of-state license does not disqualify them as long as they can prove Utah residency. Dual residency also simplifies matters in this regard.
There is a shortage of information pertaining to the establishment of legal outlets for cannabis products and the rules in this regard are very technical. This is bound to happen if it’s a new system where you have a controlled substance to which you’re allowing access for the first time.
Jeremy confirms that there is an ‘extra layer of careful’ in Utah, which he respects. Because there are a lot of people who don’t have much experience in the cannabis industry involved in making the rules, it is going to take a bit longer.
Regarding local supply, Jeremy says that he really can’t complain. They haven’t had any product issues with partners, growers, or processors. The only thing they haven’t yet been able to sell has been concentrates because so few processors are actually producing them.
In regards to flower, they have not run out in general, though the favorite strains tend to go quickly. They have a diverse selection of vapes. They also have CBD bombs, oral sprays, and tinctures.
Jeremy would love to be able to offer their patients gel capsules, but nobody seems to be producing those yet. He has seen those in different markets as they are very popular in some of the medicinal markets. In New York, for example, capsules are very popular and there is a notable demand for them as they are very effective as regards dose control and reliable time of relief compared to other intake methods.
Jeremy believes that if they could get concentrates and gel capsules for their patients, it would be very much to their patient’s benefit.
Jeremy emphasizes that they post a limited online menu, as they currently have a landing page. However, their fully operational website will launch in the next few weeks when they will have a more robust menu online.
They don’t want patients to see something online and then find it has been sold out when they come into the shop, so they are currently deliberately posting a limited menu that is updated every day to ensure availability.
Though he’s been too busy in setting up Deseret Wellness to think too far ahead, Jeremy says that to be in an industry where you can literally change somebody’s life has been enormous for him, and he sees himself working in the cannabis industry indefinitely.
Deseret Wellness is very specifically catered and tied to Utah, so he does not expect them to do something outside of the State. However, Jeremy himself would love to be involved in bringing cannabis products to other markets like Montana or Texas at some point. He emphasizes that establishing Deseret Wellness is very much still a learning curve for him.
Coming from Florida, he plays a lot of golf! He grew up skiing and snowboarding, which he has also taught, so he wants to get back into that.
Jeremy holds a different view than most people, in that he thinks that legalizing cannabis in Utah at the federal level will take much longer than expected. Federal Tax regulation 280E allows federally recognized business entities to write off certain expenses like payroll, rent, etc.
However, anybody that operates in the cannabis space doesn’t get those exceptions. 280E says that businesses in the cannabis industry have to pay the same taxes that every other business pays, but they get zero tax relief. This also affects the cannabis industry with things like COVID relief which was not extended to the cannabis industry.
Jeremy thinks that because the government makes a lot of money on the cannabis industry paying taxes, and not getting any discounts because of 280E, there is very little incentive for them to legalize it. They would make less money off taxing the cannabis industry if it were legalized and therefore qualifying for discounts.
Another difficulty lies in the fact that it is a difficult industry to regulate. When you legalize something, you’re going to get more regulation. So Big Pharma and other businesses will still fight the legalization of the cannabis industry and the rescheduling of a Schedule 1 product, he believes.
On being asked how California seems to have made legalizing cannabis work, Jeremy points out that there is a huge illicit market in California, with many dispensaries being illegal though they look legit. They are not paying taxes.
To address that, California is starting to give businesses a QR code to be displayed on the door, that customers can scan to verify that the business is a licensed dispenser. Getting licenses is expensive, and it brings regulation and taxes in the form of 280E with it, which pose further obstacles to legalizing it.
However, Jeremy does not want to be negative and points out that great strides have been made. The ultimate goal is to have a legalized cannabis industry at the federal level in Utah, but he does believe it will take longer than is generally expected.
Jeremy emphasizes how delighted he is to finally be here for the patients of Utah County. The clean and pleasant environment at Deseret Wellness has been created to make their patients feel comfortable. Deseret Wellness want to recognize that cannabis is medicine, without overtly reminding people that they are sick. When people walk in the door, they must feel warm and welcome.
Address: 22 North Draper Lane, just off the Center Street exit in Provo towards the mountain. In the next couple of weeks, they’ll have a 35-foot green cross pole sign right out front and they’ll be unmissable!
Their website is deseret-wellness.com, and they are also on Instagram and Facebook. They’re currently open Monday through Saturday, from 11am – 7pm.
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.
