Cannabis Oil Product Information

What the product may be used for?

Your health care practitioner may have authorized the use of cannabis for the relief of one or more of the following symptoms associated with a variety of disorders which have not responded to conventional medical treatments. These symptoms (or conditions) may include: severe refractory nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy; loss of appetite and body weight in cancer patients and patients with HIV/AIDS; pain and muscle spasms associated with multiple sclerosis; chronic non-cancer pain (mainly neuropathic); severe refractory cancer associated pain; insomnia and depressed mood associated with chronic diseases (HIV/AIDS, chronic non-cancer pain); and symptoms encountered in the palliative/end of-life care setting. This is not an exhaustive list of symptoms or conditions for which cannabis may be authorized for use by your health care practitioner. The potential therapeutic and adverse effects associated with cannabis use may vary depending on the amount of cannabis used and the concentration of cannabinoids in the cannabis product, the frequency of cannabis use, the patient’s age and medical condition, previous experience with cannabis or cannabinoids, and the use of other prescription or non-prescription drugs.

What the product does

One of the principal active ingredients in cannabis (THC) acts on very specific targets found in the body known as cannabinoid receptors. Other cannabinoids, such as CBD, may also have targets other than the cannabinoid receptors. Cannabinoid receptors are found throughout the body, in most tissues and organs, but they are especially numerous in the brain and nervous system. Cannabinoid receptors are involved in the regulation of many bodily functions including: brain and nervous system activity, heart rate and blood pressure, digestion, inflammation, immune system activity, perception of pain, reproduction, wake/sleep cycle, regulation of stress and emotional state and many other functions.

When the product should not be used

Cannabis products should not be used if you:

• » Are under the age of 25
• » Are allergic to any cannabinoid or to smoke
• » Have serious liver, kidney, heart or lung disease
• » Have a personal or family history of serious mental disorders such as schizophrenia, psychosis, depression, or bipolar disorder
• » Are pregnant, are planning to get pregnant, or are breast-feeding » are a man who wishes to start a family
• » Have a history of alcohol or drug abuse or substance dependence

Talk to your health care practitioner if you have any of these conditions. There may be other conditions where this product should not be used, but which are unknown due to limited scientific information.

Dosing Information

There is no scientifically defined dose of cannabis for any specific medical condition. If you have not consumed cannabis before, it would be prudent to have someone with you the first time you use it. Dosing remains highly individualized and relies greatly on titration (i.e. finding the right dose where potential therapeutic effects are maximized while adverse effects are minimized). Patients with no prior experience with cannabis or cannabinoids are cautioned to begin at a very low dose and to stop therapy if unacceptable or undesirable effects occur.

Administration Instructions

These cannabis oil products can be swallowed, or droplets can be applied under the tongue and absorbed through the mouth, they cannot be smoked or vaporized. For consistent effect, you should administer each dose in the same way as directed by your doctor.  An oral syringe should be used to measure the exact amount prescribed by your doctor. Cannabis oil can be taken with our without food.

Potential Side Effects

The information on side effects associated with therapeutic use of cannabis is limited. Some of the more well-known side effects are listed below:

• » Dizziness, drowsiness, feeling faint or lightheaded, fatigue,
• » Impaired memory and disturbances in attention, concentration and ability to think and make decisions;
• » Disorientation, confusion, feeling drunk, feeling abnormal or having abnormal thoughts, feeling “too high”, feelings of unreality, feeling an extreme slowing of time
• » Suspiciousness, nervousness, episodes of anxiety resembling a panic attack, paranoia (loss of contact with reality), hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that do not exist);
• » Impairments in motor skills and perception, altered bodily perceptions, loss of full control of bodily movements, falls;
• » Low blood pressure
• » Fast heartbeat.

Storage Instructions

Store the product at room temperature in a location out of reach of children.