Not too long ago, I decided that I wanted to give some medicinal marijuana products a try. I have stage IV endometriosis. This can contribute to chronic pain throughout the month, especially when I’m on my period.
But I hate taking the narcotics my doctors prescribed me. I want to believe there’s a better way. So, I’ve been looking into it.
Of course, one of the top hits is marijuana for chronic pain. Though there isn’t any research yet that conclusively proves marijuana is an effective medication, there are some findings that suggest it has positive results for chronic pain.
The thing is I hate smoking, and I don’t enjoy being high. So, I’ve been looking into what else is out there. I know about CBD oil and CBD pills, but I realized there are a lot of other cool medicinal marijuana products that I’d never heard of.
These are perfect for those people, like me, who want the benefits of cannabis without having to smoke, which can damage their lungs. It also means they won’t have to get high or take narcotics.
PlusGum promises a high for under five calories that takes effect within 15 minutes and lasts for four hours. The spearmint 6-pack provides 150 milligrams of THC, with 25 milligrams per piece of gum. But they aren’t the only gum product on the market. CanChew gum brings a high CBD-strain to the table that promises all the benefits without the high something that a lot of people using medicinal marijuana are searching for.
Because my periods bring on a heightened level of pain, I was especially curious about the weed-infused tampons I’d been hearing so much about. So, imagine my surprise when I discovered they aren’t actually tampons, but rather suppositories to be inserted vaginally when a woman is on her period. Foria Relief is the brand behind the product, and if you believe their online reviews, they seem to actually help.
A recently released study found that sipping your marijuana might be an effective way of dealing with chronic pain. Cannabis-infused tea is something you can actually make yourself, and it’s thought to be a method that provides slow-acting but long-lasting administration. Brands like Santé also have hemp tea ready for purchase.
To be clear, we’re talking about actual bath salts here — not the dangerous street drug you may have heard about. Whoopi & Maya have an Epsom Salt bath soak, which is meant to help combine the pain relief of medicinal marijuana with warm water, and according to their testimonials, it’s pretty potent.
If you’re looking to start your day with an extra special pick-me-up, these cannabis coffee pods may be right up your alley. They were just recently released and are said to be compatible with all Keurig coffee brewers. The pods come in different dosing strengths and strains and can be caffeinated or decaffeinated. They also make tea and cocoa pods and list new flavors coming soon. Not a fan of the plastic waste? They aren’t either. Their pods are 100% compostable for environmental health.
Medicated topical balms work by combining cannabis with other skin-soothing ingredients, which is rubbed into your skin to help relieve muscle pain. Leif Goods has balms that are available in cedarwood and orange, or lavender and bergamot. They use a mix of conditioning ingredients and cannabis extract to soothe both dry skin and muscle aches. Added plus: They’re bee-free and completely vegan!
What’s the downside of these products? Well, unless you live in a state with medicinal marijuana dispensaries and have a card to purchase, you may not be able to get your hands on them any time soon.
Even living in Alaska, where marijuana is 100 percent legal, I haven’t been able to find anything on this list. That’s because in Alaska we have plenty of regular marijuana dispensaries, but none for medicinal marijuana.
For the time being, states like Washington, California, and Colorado are likely your best bets for finding some of the more unique medicinal marijuana products you may hope to get your hands on. But until federal law catches up with the states willingness to decriminalize marijuana use, you won’t be able to travel across state lines with any product containing THC.
Precision Pain Care and Rehabilitation has two convenient locations in Richmond Hill – Queens and New Hyde Park – Long Island. Call the Richmond Hill office at (718) 215-1888, or (516) 419-4480 for the Long Island office, to arrange an appointment with our Interventional Pain Management Specialist, Dr. Jeffrey Chacko.
