How to get a CBD Oil Prescription
Tinctures (oral drops under the tongue) are the most common way to take Medicinal Cannabis
How to get a Prescription for Medicinal Cannabis
More and more doctors are prescribing Medicinal Cannabis. Here’s how to approach yours.
Since April 1st, 2020, the Medicinal Cannabis scheme has been in force in New Zealand. You may be surprised to learn that your doctor has been able to prescribe cannabidiol (CBD) since December 2018. Although more doctors are choosing to do so, in part at the request of their patients, there are still many doctors that are hesitant or have little experience. So what to do? Read on for a step by step guide.
Set your expectations
Medicinal Cannabis is not a panacea. However, it has been shown to be of use in some patients for a large number of different conditions. Start by educating yourself with medicinal cannabis information on this site and be clear what you want CBD to treat in your case so that you can have a specific conversation with your doctor.
Understand the likely cost
Medicinal Cannabis is not currently funded by PHARMAC or health insurers. This means you will need to pay for the product when you pick up your prescription from your pharmacy. The cost depends on both the brand of product you choose (some are much more than others) and the dose you will be taking (the higher the dose the more it will cost). Often brands will offer multiple package sizes which means that if you can afford it, you can pay more up front for a product that will last you longer and cost less on a per dose basis.
It can be useful to ask your pharmacy which products they have been dispensing and their costs. That way you may be able to request a particular brand from your doctor that you know is affordable for you and that you know is available from a pharmacy convenient to you.
Approach your GP
Tell your GP in advance that you would like to discuss medicinal cannabis and CBD in particular. Often you can do this by phoning the clinic or sending an email. That way your GP will know in advance and if for some reason they feel uncomfortable prescribing it for you, they can let you know before you have gone to the tie and expense of a consultation.
Many GPs won’t have been trained on cannabis as a medicine during their training so in some cases they will need to do some research of their own. It can help if you send through information you have researched but take care it is from credible sources. You can tell your doctor you have been on this site and even mention they can get specific medicinal cannabis information designed for healthcare professionals from this site too.
What to ask your GP
Be prepared for your consultation. Prescribing Medicinal Cannabis is the same for your GP as prescribing any other medicine with a few important distinctions. Most of their options are unapproved medicines meaning they don’t have all the evidence of their effectiveness or clear guidance as to what is the best dose for your condition. This means there will need to be some trial and error and a general approach known as dose titration.
Dose titration means you will start with a low dose and slowly increase it looking to find the dose which works for you. The best dose will be the lowest one that provides you with the benefits you are looking for. Going higher only increases the chance you may have a side effect and of course increases the cost.
Some questions to ask your doctor include:
Can I take CBD if I’m taking other medications?
What are the risks of CBD?
How often and when should I take CBD?
Refer to the product options you learned about when speaking with your pharmacy. Between this list and others your doctor may raise you should be able to find a product that will meet your needs and fit your budget. Your doctor will write a prescription with the brand of product. Most of the products will be tinctures which are drops you apply under your tongue. These are probably the best to start with as they make it easy to change the dose you take.
Getting your prescription filled
Once you have your prescription it will pay to drop it off to your pharmacy or have your doctor fax it through if that service is available. That is because your pharmacy cannot stock the product and will need to order it from their pharmaceutical wholesaler. Usually this means the product will be available the next day for you to pick up.
Ask your pharmacist for any advice they have. Pharmacists are the experts on medicines and they can share any information they have gleaned from dispensing medicinal cannabis to other patients.
Best wishes on your health journey
We hope you found this guide helpful. You can find more questions and guidance in our Talking with your doctor section elsewhere on this site.