Ulcerative colitis patients looking for a natural solution turn to medical marijuana for its anti-inflammatory properties. They may be delighted to find that they have many more medication options than just smoking products. But, the vast selection of medicinal cannabis items out there can also feel overwhelming and confusing. Each kind of product has its pros and cons, so it’s important to use the appropriate medication.
Patients who don’t want to smoke their medicine often try vaporizing or taking a tincture instead. Just like any other cannabis medication, each kind of product has its strengths and weaknesses. They also suit different lifestyles and patient backgrounds.
Vaporizing, also known as vaping, serves as a popular alternative to smoking. In fact, you may have already heard of vaping in the context of tobacco use. You can vape cannabis just like you would tobacco. But, since marijuana doesn’t have the toxins you’ll find in tobacco, vaping it doesn’t have the same health risks. When you vape cannabis, you use a device that utilizes water and heat to turn oil or bud into an inhalable vapor.
Tinctures come in the form of a medicinal extract combined with an alcohol or glycerin solution and have a multitude of uses. You can apply them on the skin, mix them in food or drop them under your tongue. The dropper that comes with a tincture bottle lets you measure an exact dosage.
When choosing a medical marijuana product, consider how accessible it is for you. Accessibility not only includes price, but also the effort and motor skills it takes to use the product.
Vaping has a wide variety of price points, depending on the equipment and cannabis you use. Tabletop vaporizers tend to cost more than portable ones. Plus, higher quality equipment lets you avoid lung-damaging charring, so you may have to spend more for the healthiest experience. It takes a lot of maintenance to vape regularly, and a vaporizer’s heat makes it unusable for children.
The overall cost for regular tincture use depends on the amount of your dosage and how often you use it. If you take a high dosage frequently, vaping may cost less. But, tinctures have a much easier administration method — you simply use the dropper.
The length of time it takes a medical marijuana product to provide benefits varies. Every medicine type also stays in your system for a different period.
As an inhalation method, vaporizing lets the components in marijuana absorb directly into your lungs. When the medicine makes contact with your respiratory system, you feel its effects fairly quickly. Inhaling cannabis also provides controllable and reliable effects.
The time it takes for a tincture to kick in depends on the administration method. Mixing it into food can take longer since you have to digest it, whereas using the dropper to place the dose under your tongue lets the medicine absorb directly into your bloodstream.
Considering all the factors listed above, whether one method works better than the other for colitis relies on:
Everyone is different — think about your specific needs when making a purchase.
Need more guidance on your choice of medicine? Marijuana-certified physicians can help you figure out which medicine will work best for your colitis. Dispensary staff members can also give you advice tailored to their products and your situation. Search our database to easily find experts near you.
