There’s more than one way to start the conversation with your doctor about using cannabis therapeutically. Try using these steps to get the conversation started about adding medical marijuana to your treatment plan.
Prepare Before the Appointment
You can open in a straightforward but respectful way:
• “I’ve been reading about medical marijuana as a possible option for my condition, and I’d like your opinion.”
• “I’ve been struggling with [symptom], and I want to know if cannabis could be a safe part of my treatment plan.”
Be Honest and Specific
• Share your full medical history and any cannabis use (if applicable).
• Ask directly about safety with your current medications.
• Explain any concerns you have, like dependency, cost, or legal issues.
Ask Key Questions
Some helpful questions include:
• “Do you think cannabis could be effective for my condition?”
• “Are there risks or contraindications with my current treatment that I should know about?”
• “Would you be willing to work with a specialist?”
• “How would we monitor progress and side effects if I start?”
Not all doctors are up-to-date on the latest medical cannabis research. Many primary care physicians have not even been taught about the endocannabinoid system (the neurotransmitter system that cannabis affects for results) or the medicinal value of cannabis (the plant matter), cannabinoids (the molecules).
You shouldn’t assume that your doctor is well-versed in current medical cannabis literature. If your doctor would like to speak to another physician who can explain more about medical marijuana, please give them the number for The Healing Clinics, LLC, and we will be happy to speak with your primary doctor.
Research already shows cannabis increases the appetite and decreases nausea, which is essential for those unable to maintain proper nutrition because they can’t sustain nourishment. Cannabis also lowers intraocular eye pressure in glaucoma patients and relieves peripheral neuropathy pain better than traditional painkillers. It also doesn’t cause unpleasant side effects like narcotic pain medications.
If you would like to add medical marijuana to your treatment plan, know that the law does not require approval from your primary care physician. However, the physicians at The Healing Clinics prefer to work with your PCP to ensure there are no contraindications with medications or other treatments that could make usage complicated or risky. If you speak to your primary care physician and they still aren’t comfortable including medical cannabis, be sure to ask your doctor why they feel that this is the best decision. The following are the most frequent responses from PCP who decline to support cannabis use by their patients that might prove helpful in your discussion.
1) There’s not enough research. Granted, because of the legal status of marijuana, research is limited. But there is a growing wealth of information regarding marijuana and its medicinal properties. In fact, entire databases have been established to house all the existing and new information being submitted by researchers. Refer your doctor to the Journal of. Cannabis Research, Cannabis Compounds Database, or the Medical Cannabis Library, which is specifically curated for physicians and research specialists in the field.
2) There is not enough clinical research. The answer would be the same as above, except now the physician is referring to the abundance of anecdotal data available from patients as not being as reliable or as relevant as results from studies based on scientific principles. However, depending on the condition, the patient might be able to add cannabis without disrupting other treatments or just schedule a temporary respite from other treatments. For example, if a patient has tried several prescriptions for insomnia without relief, a short break might be in order so that medical marijuana options could be explored before starting a new regimen of prescription medications.
3) We have not explored all the proven available options. While this is certainly a typical response, if a patient reaches the point of trying alternative medicine, that usually means their treatment plan is not working and their symptoms have not abated. Unless it’s contraindicated, patients can consume medical marijuana while on prescription medications. Also, depending on the condition and if a majority of pharmaceuticals have already been explored without any success, it would be the decision of the patient whether to pursue alternatives.
If you’re ready to get started, the physicians and staff at The Healing Clinics are ready to help. Click the button below or call (318) 227-4088.
