By Katherine Golden, RN
Leaf411 CEO
Each month, I’ll share insights on questions we receive at the Leaf411 cannabis nurse hotline. While the hotline is anonymous, we keep track of the types of questions we get so that we can continually improve our services.
A Surprising Cannabis Question
One issue I hear all the time, including when we’re out at events like our Veteran’s Day booth, is that people think they have to inhale to get the medicinal benefits from cannabis. It’s surprising to me that this misconception is still prevalent across all age groups.
For those of us in the industry, we know that many different THC and CBD product types are out there—edibles, tinctures, transdermal patches and gels. Sometimes we assume that everyone else knows about these options as well. But when I discuss ways that cannabis can be consumed, people are surprised and have a lot of questions about which route might work best for them.
For example, I recently had a caller who wanted to try cannabis for a specific health concern but was worried how it might impact their liver issues. They had no idea that transdermal patches were an option. When I suggested a transdermal patch, they responded, “Oh, like a pain patch!” It was a medication delivery method the caller knew how to use, and it offered a safe alternative. Transdermal patches deliver THC, CBD and other cannabinoids directly to the bloodstream, bypassing the liver.
I also educated the caller about transdermal gel pens which are used on the venous areas like the inside of the wrist. They were just blown away that these types of advanced products exist in our market. Calls like this really underscore the need for education.
At Leaf411, Our Priority Is Always the Public
Our priority at Leaf411 is always the public, helping people find the best information and resources for safe cannabis use.
When I get a call, my first priority is to listen and understand why the caller wants to go down this road. I’ll ask questions about products they’re already using. If they haven’t tried cannabis yet, I’ll ask why they want to start and what their goals are.
I also spend a lot of time discussing balance. Cannabis by itself is not a magic bullet. I ask questions about callers’ activities of daily living, diet, exercise and sleep as well.
Cannabis is a plant that is shown to have benefits. However, it’s only one part of lifestyle changes that I and the other nurses encourage callers to consider.
I recently talked to someone who thought they would need to move to a different state to access legal cannabis. In fact, their home state has legalized medical cannabis, and hemp CBD products are available to be shipped to most states. They had not considered these options before our conversation.
My goal is to offer solutions that are financially sound and accessible, based on each caller’s unique situation and needs.
When it Comes to Cannabis, More is Not Always Better
We tend to think more is better. Based on my conversations with callers, that attitude has extended into cannabis and hemp CBD as well. But the latest science is showing that sometimes just a small amount of cannabis can provide symptom relief. We don’t need to flood our systems, when it comes to what most people are trying to treat.
Also, there is a point where you can take too much marijuana, or even too much hemp CBD. I educate callers about precautions they need to take when using cannabis, just like there would be precautions with any other medications.
We want to create the best service possible at Leaf411. It was important for us to get the phone hotline up and running, making sure it was a positive experience for people who contacted us, before adding other options to connect.
Last week, we launched the chat function on our website, providing an additional option for people to contact us.
When someone begins a chat with me, I bring the same level of attention to their concerns. I may start off chatting with someone online and then ask them to call the hotline to talk if at all possible.
People have so much to say, and tone of voice is so important to understanding someone’s needs and concerns. My hope is that the human touch that I and the other nurses provide through the phone hotline will reassure callers, even those who initially reached out to us via chat.