You might imagine that the Chief Medical Office of HelloMD would be an
authority on dispensaries. I’m not. It makes me sound like Dr. McCoy,
but "I’m a doctor, not a distributor." Well, eventually I came to
realize that being a good doctor means that sometimes you have to be a
patient. Though I am quite familiar with, and have written about, the
benefits of cannabis as part of a health and wellness program, I have
never been the recipient of a recommendation for cannabis. That is,
until now.
While I am in relatively good health, I do have difficulty with chronic
stress, as many in the medical community do these days. I also suffer
from insomnia quite regularly. These are classic symptoms that we
encounter here at HelloMD on a regular basis. I decided that it was time
for me to see a doctor other than myself for a change. I wanted to know
for certain if medicinal cannabis could help alleviate my symptoms. I
can tell you now, I’m tremendously glad I did.
How I Learned To Do the Opposite
The entire process, beginning to end, was extremely illuminating for me.
It helped me see things from the patient’s point of view. First of all,
I was relieved to find that it was fairly simple to fill out the online
application on our site and enter my medical history and other
information. Next, I scheduled an appointment with one of our physicians
for the online face-to-face interview. I was glad to see that, when I
was speaking to one of our physicians, the training and expertise that
we ask of our doctors really paid off. In the end, it felt more like a
video call with a knowledgeable friend, only the subject was my stress
and insomnia.
The result was that he agreed with my assessment. He said he believed
that cannabis would make sense in my situation and so he issued me a
recommendation. My next task came in finding a nearby a dispensary. In
the California county that I live in, there are no dispensaries close
by. The HelloMD site was helpful there, too. There’s a Dispensary menu
link along the top of the page, so I clicked it and was brought to a map
search. I used my zip code to find several dispensaries within a few
miles from my home.
Not What I Expected, At All
I’d heard stories that these dispensaries tend to be found in bad parts
of town and are surrounded by beefy, armed guards. Some comments online
mentioned triple security entryways, unprofessional workers and people
hanging around outside. None of that was true. Yes, it turns out that
people posting comments on the Internet can be unreliable, to say the
least. Shocking, right?
Security at the dispensary was tight because it’s a cash business and
(guess what) they are selling marijuana!Bank transactions like credit
card purchases are not permitted at most dispensaries. Even that is
changing, though. The Department of Justice said it wouldn’t pursue
banks processing legal marijuana purchases, so 47 percent of
dispensaries in
Colorado
now accept credit cards or ATM purchases. Although California was the
first state to legalize medical marijuana way back in 1996, our state is
sadly still behind the curve on this one.
One thing I found to be true was that the dispensary I chose was not
located in the prime business district. However, I was glad to park in
the secure lot and go through the front door beside a friendly security
guard.
Approximately One Million Questions
I didn’t have any idea what to expect when I went through that door.
Would it be an Amsterdam coffee shop inside? Would it be an empty
industrial warehouse? What I found was practically identical with just
about every medical waiting room I’d ever been in. It was a clean,
well-lit space, not too creative in terms of dรฉcor, but functional. At
the counter, a vast array of choices lay before me.
The "Budtender" behind the counter didn’t know me and I didn’t mention
that I had any connection with HelloMD. I assailed this specialist with
every single question I could imagine that a new patient might ask. What
exactly is medicinal cannabis? What’s THC? What’s CBD? What’s involved
in vaping and is it safe? What are edibles and are they less effective?
What are my best options if I want relief from insomnia or pain or
anxiety?
My questions went on and on. Perhaps he had his own prescription filled
for patience because he was honest, informative and friendly throughout
it all. Clearly, this was not his first rodeo.
The Moral of the Story
I’d say my first dispensary experience was full of surprises, but it was
also a rewarding journey for me, both personally and professionally. For
one thing, now I’m much more comfortable about discussing the next steps
after a recommendation is given out. I can also understand a great deal
more about what patients might be thinking when trying medical marijuana
for the first time. If you’ve recently encountered some surprising
experiences along your medical journey, or have questions about the
process, we’d love to hear from you. Remember, there’s a first time for
everything!
If you are new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our Cannabis 101 post. HelloMD can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it’s 100% online, private and efficient.
