In every state that allows medical cannabis, there are two types of users: legacy users and those who are brand-new to the whole cannabis arena. An experienced cannabis pharmacist or qualified medical provider (QMP) can easily tell the difference. Can you?
For purposes of clarification, a legacy user is a patient who was self-medicating with cannabis before it became legal. It is assumed that most of that first wave to apply for medical cannabis cards, when a new program launches, are legacy users. New users are patients medicating with cannabis for the first time.
Legacy Users Know the Lingo
There are lots of ways to tell the difference if you know what to look for. For starters, legacy users know all the lingo. They are not confused when a Beehive Farmacy pharmacist starts discussing different strains. They fully understand the pharmacist’s references to specific products, brand names, and devices. And by the way, Beehive Farmacy is a Utah organization with locations in Salt Lake City and Brigham City.
Legacy Users Know What They Want
In addition to fully understanding the lingo, legacy users know what they want whenever they visit the pharmacy. A legacy user may consult with his Beehive pharmacist as required by law, but the consultation is pretty much cursory. He and the pharmacist already know what products and dosages work best. It is really just a matter of replenishing the patient’s stock.
New Users Need a Full Education
By contrast, new users enter the medical cannabis arena knowing virtually nothing. They need a full education in everything from delivery methods to the differences between hemp and marijuana. Needless to say, there is a lot to learn. It is one of the reasons many states require first-time patients to consult with a pharmacist before any purchases can be made.
New Users Are More Easily Frustrated
According to Beehive, not every medical cannabis product works the same way for every patient. Pharmacists must work with patients to figure out the best products and dosages for them. That can take some time. New patients tend to be more easily frustrated when they do not achieve the desired results as quickly as expected. They go in thinking that a single cannabis pill will solve their problems. When it doesn’t, they get frustrated.
On the other hand, legacy users know full well that different strains of cannabis do different things. They know it’s not unusual for a patient to use multiple products to treat different symptoms.
New Users Are More Cautious
Yet another characteristic of the new medical cannabis user is an abundance of caution. This is completely understandable. We have all been raised to believe that cannabis is bad across the board. Such attitudes are not changed overnight, nor are they changed simply because a patient is issued a medical cannabis card. It takes some time for new patients to warm up to things.
Legacy Users Are More Open
Finally, legacy users tend to be more open about their use. They come to terms with the fact that medical cannabis is a legitimate option for whatever conditions they suffer with. They see it as no different from any other prescription medication. As such, they feel less of a need to hide the fact that they are cannabis patients.
Every new patient will eventually adopt the mindset of a legacy user so long as the qualifying conditions they suffer from persist. And for many, it doesn’t take all that long. It is like anything else. The longer and more often you use medical cannabis, the more comfortable you become.
