How to Talk to Your Doctor About CBD

As the national conversation about cannabis, marijuana, and hemp continues to develop, more and more healthcare professionals are being drawn into it. Even the practitioners who don’t live in states with legal medical cannabis are aware of CBD and its uses.

With so many people turning to CBD as a natural alternative for a wide variety of other treatments, it’s more important than ever to include your doctor when you consider using CBD for the first time or as a supplement to another healthcare plan. But because of the stigma behind cannabis products in general, talking to your doctor about CBD can be challenging at best and downright uncomfortable at worst. Fortunately, this conversation is easier to have than you might realize. Use this primer from Axis Labs to start a dialogue with your doctor.

Start By Checking the Legality of CBD in Your State

As a blanket statement, CBD is legal for purchase and use in all 50 states when it is derived from legal, industrial grown hemp. This means that the THC content of the hemp is less than 0.3%. CBD derived from other cannabis plants, like marijuana, is not legal in every state, and may only be legal in the states that have made marijuana legal for recreational and/or medical use (Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Colorado, Michigan, Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts).

If you live in a legalized state, your doctor is likely well aware of the medicinal uses of cannabis products already, and this will make the conversation much easier to have.

Do Your Research

Going to your doctor and just asking to use CBD without any supporting reasons will result in a brief conversation that ends with no support from your doctor. Make sure you have a clear sense of why you want to include CBD into your health and wellness plans. For instance, if you’re concerned about your testosterone levels, struggling with sleep, or suffering from frequent aches and pains, CBD has shown promise in helping these issues.

If you want to use CBD to supplement or even replace some of your existing prescription drugs and medications, take a look at what the side effects of the medications are, and also measure your reaction to them. Talking points like these can create a natural segue into how to taper off one medication while you start to use CBD.

Get a Second Opinion If You Need One

The fact is, even in states with legal cannabis, not every doctor is going to be aware of the nuances and research that has gone into the production and use of CBD and other hemp-derived products. If you find that your conversation with your primary care provider did not go as you planned, don’t be afraid to seek a second opinion. If possible, connect with a doctor who has a background in cannabis treatments, as they can offer you a more accurate assessment about using CBD.

Stay Connected and Willing to Compromise

Even if you get the OK from your care provider to use CBD, you’ll need to continue to monitor your use of the compound and its effects on you. If you're not experiencing the results you were hoping for, or if you feel that your CBD is interacting negatively with your other medications, it’s important that you go back to your care provider. They might adjust your medications or your recommended doses of CBD in order to keep you healthy. They may even suggest that you stop using CBD entirely. It’s important to remember that your care provider is looking out for your best interest and has the skill and knowledge to do so.

Find Your Lab Tested CBD Products Here

One of the easiest ways to help you and your care provider build trust in CBD products is to use the highest quality ones available. At Axis Labs, we work with a third-party lab, Botanacor, to test all of our products for potency and purity, ensuring that you’re only getting natural and safe ingredients. We proudly share the results on our website so you can rest easy knowing you’re using a premium grade CBD product.

Explore our line of CBD products and order your pain relief creams, tinctures, gummies, and more today.