This is not intended as advice, medical, legal or otherwise, and is to be used solely for educational purposes. See Program Agreement for further disclaimers and release of liability.
Dear People,
Countless numbers of people have found enormous pain relief, safely, using cannabis. We hear about others who have successfully healed their cancers. To my and the entire industry’s knowledge, no one has ever died from using just cannabis. They might have had a terrible, not-soon-forgotten emergency room experience. But they haven’t died. Before the 1920’s-30’s, it was regularly prescribed in small amounts for pain and nervous disorders by family physicians. In the 30’s it became demonized by the Rockefellers and the nascent pharmaceutical industry, eventually making cannabis so illegal and propagandized as evil, people were jailed for the rest of their lifetimes just for having the tiniest amount in their possession. However, it must be used responsibly and with mindful purpose. Some cancers it might aggravate instead of heal. Some people have allergic reactions of various types using cannabis.
So, you see all the disclaimers scattered around my cannabis topics. I hear you. Many are in so much pain, are desperate for relief, and have been around the medical establishments’ merry-go-round so many times that the disclaimers no longer matter. But here on this site, please know that in any of my cannabis topics as you review them and might start doubting again, hold your despair at bay a bit. I want to let you know that even if cannabis also ends up being not for you, this site is loaded with tons of alternatives that so many others have successfully used to reduce their pains WITHOUT any cannabis at all, or with just the slightest amount one time a day. I so encourage you to continue to explore the rest. Perhaps you too will be one of those truly free from all the drugs! Please give yourself a chance.
Medical Grade VAPORIZER used with dry cannabis flower
[The following device recommendation is considered a medical grade cannabis device in some countries that have medically legal cannabis status. This device below that I talk about is also for sale in the US but those US sellers make no mention of the “Medic” marketing term with it. I’ve linked to a couple of different sites and sellers about the device but keep in mind I believe the device is the same device across resellers.]
Many have found that a fast acting way to consume that I like to recommend to those with no lung or respiratory conditions but with pains that can be immediate, chronic or acute is to inhale the medicine by using a special gadget.
HOWEVER, regardless the immediate pain needs, anyone with any lung conditions of any kind, like asthma, emphysema or chronic Covid infections or injuries MUST NOT inhale cannabis vapor or smoke or USE THIS OR ANY SIMILAR DEVICE.
The following are recommendations from a reseller site about this unit:
“The MIGHTY+ MEDIC is not to be used, if the user has respiratory tract or lung conditions. Depending on the density, the vapor could irritate respiratory tracts or lungs, which can lead to coughing. Although the inhalation of vaporized cannabis causes much less irritation than smoking, inexperienced users initially need a habituation period in order to find the optimum temperature for the administration. The user should inhale consciously, and should concentrate while doing so. Laughter, yawning, and speaking during the administration should be avoided because this can lead to coughing.”
But if your lungs are no way an issue, then the ONLY way I recommend to inhale the plant is with a medical-grade device called a “dry” vaporizer unit. And there is only one recommended brand and type (a small handheld unit sold by many of the online vaporizer sellers) that fits this description and ONLY vaporizes the plant material when heated in their unit rather than combusting it.
Combusting plant material is what happens when someone smokes a joint or smokes through a bong (glass water bongs might somewhat cool the smoke but do NOT stop the bad smoke chemicals from getting to our lungs) or through any of the dozens and dozens of inexpensive, usually handheld “vaporizing” devices…the plant gets burned and enters our lungs harshly and with as much potential lung damage as lighting a joint on fire and inhaling that into our lungs.
A medical grade vaporizer device takes a microdose amount of dry, but properly cured and properly “fresh” cannabis material and heats it to a point just before combustion but to where it causes vapors of the medicine to twirl out in very faint smoke like wisps. These wisps are inhaled as medicine vapors, not as harsh smoke.
And people have found the pain relief is IMMEDIATE.
This method too is the only method I would recommend if all you have access to is CBD hemp plant ordered off the internet. With dry vaporizing in the correct unit, many can inhale the vapors of enough CBD to actually help with the pain. People have to still consume far more of it in grams than a THC-rich variety, but at least it can be done.
It’s possible someone can infuse an entire 28 grams (an ounce) of hemp plant into coconut oil and get a high-dose mg amount of CBD out of it. But otherwise, generally just homemade oil anything with just standard few grams of CBD-rich hemp usually does not match the efforts infusing it.
But there is a learning curve with an inhaler and a lot more experimentation for people to find the sweet spot using this device. And the medicine does wear off fast, usually in only 1 or 2 hours and another puff or two is needed.
If someone ALWAYS prepares the plant material the same way, having the same THC percentage, weighing out micro grams amount in the device, has the device always set at the same temperature and always uses the same type and strength inhale draw—it’s possible one might discover a more consistent dose over time.
However, the biggest hurdle with this is NOW the plant strain, type, harvest, quality of trichome medicine, genetics, what terpenes are still present, how the plant was stored and cured and how old it is…ALL this NOW MATTERS (where none of this matters with the coconut oil Recipe by the way).
When smoked in a pipe, joint, bong or inhaled as vapor, now all the above factors of the full plant cannabis is in the bowl. And for most people they all go directly into the body through the lungs with immediate interactions and reactions. And these reactions and interactions are unique to each individual AND each session.
For example, you might find a 10% THC only marijuana strain with a certain mix of terpenes (the flavor and smell molecules of ANY plant from lemon to a mango to cannabis hemp or marijuana), the terpenes are like essential oils and all of them cause effects—effects of healing and pain relief or effects of getting really really high with hardly any THC!
And this problem with such a huge amount of variables can be incredibly difficult for all but the most experienced users to wade through.
Even if someone were to grow their own plants, same date and batch of seeds, same strain, same bag of dirt and growing conditions, same water used etc.—the plant has a mind of its own and ALWAYS, every harvest and every plant in the harvest will be a unique individual.
Oh, they all “might” smell similar, look similar and maybe with fancy lab tests one might determine the terpene types and amounts “might” be similar, but they are not. Even when the plants are grown with clones instead of seeds.
The other problem if people don’t control growing their own, is the HUGE problem with buying cannabis by a strain name.
There is no regulation of strains. Unless you are buying a highly respected, expensive and well known specialty cannabis terroir farm strain, there is rarely any way to tell if one strain or another is as it should be.
And if all the hybrids everywhere weren’t enough to get folks confused about strain names, now hemp CBD-rich hybrid plants are taking the same names in marketing as marijuana strains. Yikes.
And to confuse people more, a lot of the dispensaries might buy from very small local growers who come into the shop to sell their harvest and because they know people want to buy, say “Blue Dream” strain, they say what they are selling the shop is “Blue Dream” even if it’s a hybrid mutt of some kind.
In Denver if you buy “Blue Dream” from 7 different dispensaries, you’ll have 7 different strains in front of you by the end of the day!
So it needs a bit of training to figure out what cannabis is good quality, what a fresh but cured flower should smell like and generally look like and what kind of blemishes to see or not (like mold), and try to assess just by sight and sense how any particular flower might make you feel once its lit on fire and inhaled.
The CBD flower market is doing some things correct. Since they can sell across state lines, they have been far more consistent in what they say they are selling and any effects any particular harvest might bring the consumer.
So using a medical grade device inhaler for some people can be a god-send for those times of immediate crushing pain, but there is a learning curve and one will really need to trust and have a good relationship with the dispensary to lead to a flower that will work well in a vaporizer for pain. Regardless of what the “name” of the strain is.
The higher quality dispensary employees will be better trained and can help people choose.
And remember, please do not try this device or ANY similar, or pre-roll to smoke or anything inhaled if you have even the slightest lung or respiratory condition. It would be really dangerous to your condition.
Chronic Pain Support: You may find that regular microdosing with cannabis with a balanced CBD:THC ratio and gaining the accumulative effects can help reduce your chronic pain, make flare ups less frequent or even eliminate it completely.
Make sure not to take one big dose (more than a light puff or 2 from this device) of cannabis all at once. This can increase side effects that are counterproductive to alleviating chronic pain. Taking too much THC in one dose can actually intensify pain symptoms. Taking cannabis regularly throughout the day and consistently has helped others.
As I’ve said, strain names are less important than the effects that are wanted. Talk with your dispensary for their recommendations of flower based on what effects you want from the flower instead.
That said, here are some traditional strains if you can still find them and find them as true strains:
Daytime Strains for Pain for Use in an Inhaler: ACDC (balanced CBD:THC Ratio), Cannatonic (2:1 CBD/THC Ratio), Harlequin (5:2 CBD/THC Ratio)
Sleep Support
When dealing with chronic or acute pain, a solid regular sleep schedule is crucial. Unfortunately, sometimes the pain just won’t quit when we turn off the lights. Check out the article on Insomnia for additional sleep support ideas. And luckily, a small amount of cannabis helps many.
In order to fall asleep soundly and sleep through the night, fat-based infusions are your best bet, like the Recipe. Start with small doses (3-5mg THC, less than 1/8th teaspoon of the Recipe) 1 hour before sleep. CBD can be energizing, so if you still experience sleep issues after taking oil before bed, stop taking any separate supplement CBD at least 4 hours before bed.
Night Strains for Sleep Support if using an Inhaler: Skywalker (High THC), OG Kush (High THC), Northern Lights (High THC)
Visit this website to find local dispensaries near you. See the article about dispensaries once you’ve looked around the internet a bit. But at this site, go to the very top of the right corner of the home page and click on “change” to put your approximate address or zip code in for the list of shops near you.
