Patriot Care - MA Medical Marijuana Dispensaries

Premier dispensaries offering the finest cannabis strains, concentrates and edibles for Massachusetts patients.

Patient Questions

Indications of Symptoms of Substance Abuse

7_HEADER[1]Some patients, regardless of medication, may experience issues of abuse or addiction. The following indicators could be signs of an issue.   Tolerance: Prolonged or excessive use will result in a need to use a larger dose to produce the same effect.   Dependency: Escalating symptoms resulting from a reduction in the amount of drug normally consumed by a person experiencing tolerance to a drug.   Withdraw: When a dependent patient discontinues all use of the drug, more severe symptoms will occur.   Patients using medical marijuana may begin to feel experience feelings of dependence or addiction to this form of treatment. If you begin to feel that you are experiencing a problem with your treatment we recommend that you administer yourself the following questions and adhere to a policy of absolute honesty:
  1. Are you using marijuana more than your physician has recommended or for reasons other than your approved course of treatment?
  2. Have you reduced your activities due to your use of medical marijuana, or replaced activities specifically to use marijuana?
  3. Are you continuing to use marijuana to escape from problems?
  4. Do you depend on marijuana to increase your creativity or to relax and enjoy yourself?
  5. Do you continue to use the product despite the adverse effects it is causing to your life?
  6. Do you choose relationship or activities based on a need for them to include the use of marijuana?
If you can answer yes to one or more of these questions you may have a dependence or addiction to marijuana. If you are worried about substance abuse issues please contact your physician immediately or speak to a licensed substance abuse counselor or program. Although Patriot Care does not endorse, and is not affiliated with, any of the following resources we provide this list as a starting point for patients in need.  

Local Substance Abuse Programs

  (SAMHSA) The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Substance Abuse and Mental Health Hotline 800-662-HELP (4357)   Lowell Community Health Center Counseling, medication and substance abuse treatment 161 Jackson Street | Lowell, MA 01852 | 978-397-9700   South Bay Mental Health Center Provides individual, couples, family and group therapy 77 East Merrimack Street | Lowell, MA 01852 | 978-453-6800   CAB Health & Recovery Services, Inc. Residential treatment home for women and children P.O. Box 477 | Tewksbury, MA 01876 | 978-851-0969   HKD Treatment Options Substance abuse program 99 Market Street | Lowell, MA 01852 | 978-710-9877   (Unity Hope Alliance) American Caring Services Inc Home Care Assistance 199 Revere Street | Revere, MA 02151 | 781-286-6916   All medical marijuana is to be used only by the patient that the individual product was dispensed for. Do not share any of these prod- ucts and ensure that all marijuana products are kept away from children and stored in the child proof containers that the product was dispensed in. If you believe that a child, or someone not individually recommended marijuana or marijuana infused product, has consumed or is experiencing conditions similar to an overdose please contact a poison control center at (800)-222-1222.

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Using Marijuana & Contraindications with Other Drugs

6_HEADER[1]   This product has not been analyzed, tested, or approved by the FDA. There is limited information on the side effects of using this product and there may be associated health risks as a result of using medical marijuana as a treatment option. While under the influence of medical marijuana, do not operate a motor vehicle or any heavy machinery pursuant to Massachusetts General Law, chapter 90, section 24.   Medical marijuana may react with other drugs. Use these products cautiously, and call your doctor, or the poison center if you have any negative interactions or adverse events independently or with other medications.   If you experience any negative symptoms including, but not limited to, sore throats, headaches, sinus issues, nausea, or skin irritation please contact your recommending physician immediately as some patients may experience an allergic reaction to various compounds contained within product.   Medical marijuana has been approved for use in Massachusetts to patients with a qualifying condition, a recommendation from a certified physician, and a state issued patient card. Medical marijuana should be used exactly to the specifications of your physician who is aware of all medications you are currently prescribed.   Side Effects: Medical marijuana side effects may include sleepiness or drowsiness. However, some patients can experience the opposite effect including an increase in energy or restlessness. Other common side effects include short-term memory loss and increased appetite. Please consult your physician with any concerns or issues about what kind of medical marijuana is right for you and report immediately if you are experiencing a side effect that is adversely effecting your treatment.   Patients should treat medical marijuana like they would any prescription and avoid operating a motor vehicle or heavy machinery, performing child or elder care, and making important decisions while under treatment.

A Recommendation on Dosing

MA medical marijuana The potency of marijuana varies by genetic and individual harvest and each patient may have a unique and different response to an individual batch of marijuana. Consult your certifying physician for medical advice about what genetics may be right for your treatment and make sure to record your indications with individual genetics, potencies, and frequencies of usage of medical marijuana. Please feel free to ask general questions to any Patriot Care RMD Agent for general information about particular strains, strengths, and dosage.

ISOLATING YOUR DESIRED ACTIVE INGREDIENTS AND DOSING

For simplicity we recommend that all patients pick a starting dose of THC or Cannabi- noids (CBD) of between 5 and 10 milligrams (mgs). Each patient should prepare and take their first dose and record its effects and determine whether or not the individual dosing amount is too high or low, or is effective to attain the desired effect. Each gram of medical marijuana contains a certain percentage of active ingredients (THC & the collective Cannabinoids). When using flower the active ingredients represent the medicine and the flower’s biomass the delivery vehicle. When you, and your certifying physician, determine an effective dose you can calculate the total number of doses in each gram by following the following equations. Note: Each gram of medical marijuana flower is composed of 1000 milligrams of mass which when multiplied by the total cannabinoid profile will yield the number of mgs of active ingredients. The total number of active ingredients divided by your chosen dose will provide you with a guide to how many uses, and what proportion of the flower, needs to be used.
4_CHART
Inhaled Products: With any product that is inhaled we recommend waiting a minimum of half an hour prior to taking an additional dose, or increasing dosage. Edibles: It is our recommendation that all patients wait at least two hours prior to taking another dose of any edible product.

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Methods of Consuming Medical Marijuana

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3_INHALATION_ICON INHALATION OF MARIJUANA

Patients may elect to use medical marijuana through traditional methods of inhalation including smoking the product in rolling papers, a pipe, or a water pipe. Additionally, patients can medical marijuana via flower (the dried leaves), oil, or premade cartridges in a variety of commercially available vaporizers or dispos- able units. These products heat, without burning the medicine, until it vaporizes and allows for the patient to separate the cannabinoids from the plant material. Patriot Care will dispense several different types of commercially available vaporizers and a selection of custom designed single use applicators.

3_EDIBLE_ICON EDIBLE MARIJUANA

Marijuana Infused Products (MIP’s), or edible medical marijuana, are products that have been prepared with oils made from supercritical CO2 fluid extracted marijuana flower. For patients who wish to avoid inhaling the product, eating a MIP is an alternative that provides effective treatment and for some patients necessary additional calories. In addition, oral ingestion increases the available amount of cannabinoids to the body. Consequently, you may need to consume only 25% of the amount you would normally smoke or vaporize. In addition; edibles take longer to take effect, 20-60 minutes at least. Thus, it will take much longer to feel the effects of edibles. If you consume edibles be patient and wait; don’t over medicate.

3_CONCENTRATED_ICON CONCENTRATED MARIJUANA

Concentrated marijuana oils and extracts are another alternative format that patients can choose for medicating. These products are produced through a solvent-less extraction process that separates, and concentrates, the essential oils from the marijuana flower. Concentrates allow a patient the ability to select a form of medica- tion that accentuates and intensifies the particular cannabinoid qualities they are looking for. Concentrates can be inhaled either by smoking or through vaporization.

3_TOPICAL_ICON TOPICAL APPLICATION OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Topical treatments can feature both THC and CBD and come in a variety of different forms including lotions, ointments, and balms. These products can be used to treat a specific medical need or can be used, in conjunction with other topical regimes, as a preventive. All topical products produced will have undergone the necessary formula- tion to ensure that all the active ingredients will work in their transdermal form.
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