The single best way to avoid receiving a tainted cannabis product is by purchasing from a state-licensed dispensary. While the FDA does not regulate cannabis products, most medical marijuana states do and these products have been tested for safety before hitting dispensary shelves. Furthermore, following your state’s email alert system can notify you about recalls on dispensary products as soon as they occur.
Some patients find that hemp-based CBD products complement their cannabis treatment well. It’s thought that CBD can help reduce the anxiety and paranoia reported in some high-THC strains. While marijuana-based CBD products may be available in your dispensary, many do not carry them or only carry a limited selection. Many cannabis patients prefer the hemp-based CBD widely available outside of dispensaries and chemically, they are identical. However, caution should always be taken when purchasing cannabis products outside of a dispensary. There is no evidence that popular head shop isolated cannabis products such as Delta 8 THC and THC-O have any health benefits and have not been scientifically studied.
If you have children in the house, identifying a safe place to store cannabis products when you arrive home from the dispensary is of critical importance. Processed products like chocolate bars and medicated sodas can be especially enticing to children, so it’s best to keep them locked up. Here are a few products recently reviewed by Fatherly to help parents safely store their medical marijuana.
You may also consider locking up your cannabis if you live with roommates or family members, or in a rental unit. Even if you own your own home and live by yourself, purchasing a lockable container for your medical marijuana might be worth considering.
Did you know that cannabis flower that isn’t stored properly can affect quality, flavor, and even the effectiveness of your medicine? Most cannabis flower has a stable shelf-life of up to a year or more when it’s been cured and stored properly. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
Edibles and other forms of administration have their own guidelines about storage. Some need to be refrigerated; others don’t.Tinctures and concentrates can degrade from exposure to light, heat, and humidity as well. State recommendations include using all cannabis products by the stated expiration date and keeping them in their original container.
If you’re new to using medical marijuana and have additional questions about purchasing and storing your cannabis, you may find these additional resources helpful:
Tips for keeping your cannabis fresh and away from the kids
Cannabis Storage: The Dos and Don’ts
You may also want to ask your local dispensary budtender for additional purchasing storage tips and advice specific to the products you have purchased.
Have questions about obtaining a legal cannabis card in your state? Make an appointment to be evaluated by a Duber Medical doctor today.
Author: Gabrielle Dion Visca
Gabrielle has been writing and editing professionally for the medical and wellness industries for more than 20 years. She’s held positions with The Journal of Pediatrics, Livestrong, The Cincinnati Enquirer, and Patient Pop. She currently writes articles about medical marijuana for Duber Medical, and is the founder of the Ohio cannabis journalism non-profit, MedicateOH.