Medical cannabis is somewhat unique in that doctors don’t write prescriptions for it. Instead, medical cannabis cardholders visit a pharmacy or dispensary and choose products off the shelf. It is a lot like shopping at the grocery store. If you are a medical cannabis patient, how do you choose which products to try?
If you were to visit the Beehive Farmacy in either Salt Lake City or Brigham City, UT, you would have access to a number of well-known brands. The Cookies cannabis brand is just one of them. Cookies is known worldwide as a cannabis lifestyle brand. Would their products appeal to you?
If I were a betting man, I would be willing to place money on the prospect that Cookies chose its brand name based on the appeal of the tasty treats so many people know and love. People love chocolate chip cookies, for example. They associate them with good things. Why not use a similar name for your cannabis brand?
Brand Names Mean Very Little
Brand names mean very little when it comes to the medical aspects of medical cannabis. Branding a product with the name Cookies’ doesn’t tell a patient anything about its medical benefits. But should it? That is one of the conundrums in medical cannabis marketing.
Along those same lines, strain names are largely meaningless. Many cannabis producers develop strain names that also become brand names. But those names are created primarily for marketing purposes. They do not help patients understand the medical aspects of what they are buying.
It is About Cannabinoids and Terpenes
The experts at Beehive Farmacy say that medical efficacy is all about the cannabinoids and terpenes. THC is the primary cannabinoid in medical cannabis. Products can contain other cannabinoids, like CBD. They can also contain terpenes. Terpenes are the compounds that give plants their unique odors.
Cannabis cultivators and processors both work very hard to create unique cannabinoid and terpene profiles. There is some evidence to suggest that different combinations of cannabinoids and terpenes can be more effective for treating certain types of conditions. So in the end, a product’s cannabinoid and terpene profile is more important than its brand name or strain designation.
Reading Labels Is Key
Beehive personnel advise their customers to read labels. In fact, reading labels is key to understanding the benefits of any medical cannabis product. Patients really need to know what they are taking before they take it. Not only that, but it is also wise to track consumption, especially in terms of how well a particular product works.
There is a tremendous amount of variability built into medical cannabis. Patients have access to a variety of products with different cannabinoid and terpene profiles. They also have access to multiple delivery methods including vaping, topical applications, and placing tinctures under the tongue. Each delivery method creates its own experience.
Don’t Obsess Over a Brand
The main lesson here is that patients should not obsess over a particular brand. For that matter, they shouldn’t obsess over strains either. If everything you have purchased from the Cookies brand works for you, great. Keep using those products. But if they aren’t helping you feel better, it’s time to move on.
Your priority is cannabinoid and terpene profile. Ask your cannabis pharmacist or medical provider what types of cannabinoids and terpenes would work best for your condition. Then search out products accordingly. Track your usage for the purposes of making better decisions in the future.
When it comes to medical cannabis, brand names are mere marketing tools. The most important thing to you is the actual medicine you are using.