There is a lot to learn about medical cannabis when one first starts using it. And of course, every user has his own advice and experiences to offer. It is not unusual to hear long term users suggest layering. They say layering medical cannabis can achieve better results. But is layering truth or fiction?

Like so many other things in the medical cannabis space, it depends on who you ask. Plenty of medical cannabis patients swear by layering. Others say it doesn’t help them at all. It is yet another aspect of medical cannabis that makes treating with the controversial drug such a personal thing.

The Basics of Layering

Medical cannabis layering is rooted in the understanding that there are different types of cannabis medicines and delivery systems. Layering the different products is like layering your clothing before going out in the cold. Wearing layers ostensibly keeps you warmer by creating pockets of air that act as natural insulation.

Likewise, layering medical cannabis is the practice of using different medicines and delivering methods to improve results. A patient might use an edible during working hours, then medicate with a vaping pen at home in the evening, finishing off with a topical medication just before bed. The end result is better symptom relief.

Some proponents of layering point to the entourage effect as one explanation of why it might work. In pharmacology, the entourage effect stipulates that the benefits of multiple drugs are enhanced when those drugs are combined. The same effect is observed in medical cannabis.

Some suggest that layering takes advantage of the entourage effect by combining the most attractive benefits of different types of medications and delivery methods. But again, others say the entourage effect has nothing to do with layering

A Pharmacist Would Know Bes

So what is a medical cannabis patient to do? Friends and family members can advise on layering all day long, but the best they can offer as justification is either their own experiences or what they have heard from others. A pharmacist could give solid answers based on their knowledge of medical cannabis and the human endocannabinoid system.

State law requires that a pharmacist be on staff whenever the dispensary in Salt Lake City’s Beehive Farmacy is open. The cannabis pharmacy Utah must always make a pharmacist available to patients for consultation. It makes sense. Due to experience and training, a pharmacist would know best. Indeed, a pharmacist would be the most qualified person to offer advice on layering

General Tips for Layering

Assuming that a cannabis pharmacist would recommend layering, he or she would probably offer some general tips as well. I am not a pharmacist. All I can do is report some of the more common tips I have found in my research. Here they are:

• Track Religiously – Tracking how different medicines make a patient feel can make a significant difference in symptom relief. Those who wish to layer should track religiously.
• Start Slowly – Patients should only begin experimenting with layering if they are willing to take it slowly. Starting slowly minimizes any negative consequences that might arise from inappropriately layering multiple medicines.
• Be Ready to Stop – Patients should only start layering if they are ready and willing to stop should it become necessary. Although layering is not likely to result in serious negative side effects, nothing is guaranteed. It is important to stop layering if anything goes wrong.

Is medical cannabis layering truth or fiction? It’s a personal thing. Some people swear by it while others say it does not help. Each patient needs to figure it out for himself.