The way our society has treated cannabis over the years has done a disservice to people who would like to try medical cannabis but are terrified of doing so. They stay away due to unfounded fears that they will end up using marijuana for the rest of their lives. But medical cannabis doesn’t require a lifetime commitment.
Using medical cannabis is no different than using any other medications. No one is forced to start taking it. No one is forced to continue taking it either. And as far as addiction is concerned, any potential for developing it can be managed with the help of an experienced medical provider or pharmacist.
More About the Addiction Issue
There has been considerable debate over the years about just how addictive marijuana is. In fact, one of the reasons the federal government added it to the list of Schedule I controlled substances back in the 1970s was the belief that it was highly addictive – in the same league as drugs like heroin.
If marijuana is addictive, and some studies suggest it is, the potential for addiction is not in the same league as narcotic drugs. It doesn’t produce withdrawal symptoms nearly as unpleasant as some other drugs. To tap things off, withdrawal is not nearly as difficult or uncomfortable.
On the other hand, there are studies that seem to suggest marijuana is not addictive. It can create tolerance when used for long enough periods of time, but tolerance and addiction are two different things. What’s more, tolerance can be managed by taking controlled breaks from the drug every now and again.
Temporary Use Is Legitimate
Moving on, there is nothing to say that a medical cannabis patient must continue taking cannabis for the rest of their life. Temporary use is perfectly legitimate. For example, consider a patient who prefers to use medical cannabis rather than prescription opioids following major surgery.
Surgical pain would be considered acute pain. And in many states, Utah included, acute pain is a legitimate condition for which medical cannabis can be recommended. In Utah’s case, acute pain needs to be pain that would otherwise be controlled with prescription opioids.
The people behind the Beehive Farmacy in Brigham City, UT say that acute pain was added to the state’s qualifying conditions list in 2022. It is not clear how many patients anticipating acute pain as a result of surgery have applied for medical cannabis cards. At any rate, it is now an option in the Beehive State.
By the same token, you might also have a cancer patient who seeks to get a medical cannabis card to help treat the side effects of radiation or chemotherapy. Assuming the cancer therapy succeeds and the patient goes into remission, there may be no need to continue consuming medical cannabis down the road. That patient could allow their card to expire.
You Are in Control
The point of all of this is to say that you are ultimately in control of your health. You decide whether to see your doctor or not. You decide whether to heed your doctor’s advice or not. You even get to choose whether you will use the prescription medications your doctor recommends. At least that is the way it should be.
You may have a very valid reason for using medical cannabis. That does not mean you have to use it for the rest of your life. Don’t let any such fears keep you from trying a medication that could ultimately offer you a level of relief you haven’t found any other way.