Tracking medical cannabis use is a very good idea. So much so that the state of Utah offers residents a free and downloadable form designed to make tracking as easy as possible. Experts should always encourage customers to follow the state’s recommendation. They say it just makes sense for every patient to track what they are doing.
Remember that medical cannabis is not prescribed in Utah. Rather, it is recommended to patients by way of a medical cannabis card. It is an important distinction that explains why tracking is so important.
When doctors prescribe medications, they are pretty much in control of the chosen drug, its dosage, and how it will be consumed. Pharmacists can also intervene to make sure patients are getting the most from their medications. But in the medical cannabis environment, doctors and pharmacists can only recommend. Patients ultimately decide for themselves what to use, how often to use it, and what their dosages should be.
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3 Reasons to Track
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As a patient, you are ultimately in control of your medical cannabis journey. Whereas your doctor or pharmacist would track your use of traditional prescription medications, neither one tracks how you use medical cannabis. Tracking is entirely up to you. Here are three reasons to do it:
1. It Helps You
The first reason to track medical cannabis consumption is the fact that it helps you. Tracking helps you better understand how well the medicines you have chosen are actually working. That could influence future purchase decisions. Obviously, your ultimate goal is to find the medications that work best for you as explained by experts from Zion Medicinal, a medical cannabis pharmacy serving the Cedar City and St. George areas.
Tracking also helps you understand dosage and delivery methods a little bit better. Getting a handle on dosage and delivery can help you better plan your day and your medication schedule.
2. It Helps Your Doctor
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It is your doctor’s responsibility to make sure that medical cannabis is helping as intended. They also need to evaluate your use of medical cannabis at renewal time. Data you compile by tracking your use informs the doctor at that time. It is valuable information that guides your doctor in future recommendations.
3. It Helps Your Pharmacist
At the pharmacy, medical cannabis pharmacists are available to answer questions, make recommendations, and assist patients in other ways. Like your doctor, your pharmacist wants to be an informed professional. Providing records of your medical cannabis use gives a pharmacist more information to work with. As a result, you should get better advice and answers to your questions.
Tracking Is Easy
Tracking medical cannabis use helps you, your doctor, and your pharmacist make better decisions. For that reason alone, tracking is a good idea. I don’t know of any patient who has tracked and regretted doing so. But I have met patients who wished they had started tracking from day one.
The good news is that tracking is easy. You simply record the medication you use, the dosage you consume, the date and time you consume it, and how it makes you feel. You can write the information on a standard piece of notebook paper or enter it into your phone’s note taking app. You can download and print the free form from the state. It is entirely up to you.
Tracking is a way to create a record of how medical cannabis is helping you. It is a way to better understand whether you are getting maximum benefit out of the medicines you take. Tracking is something every medical cannabis patient should consider doing.
