It’s Christmas! The festive season is upon us, and also the long summer holidays.
Here at Harmony Gardens and Grub, it is also our busy season. We are continuing with building our new gardens, and planting out in them, we are continuing to develop products in our kitchen, and we are continuing with our work as a Green Fairy service.
Part of our Green Fairy service includes education. When we are educated about our health conditions, and about the medication we are using, it helps us to make good choices about the healing options available. Health is in our control, not the control of doctors or hospitals. It is up to us to decide how we want to manage our own health, and it is up to the medical services to support us in our choices.
Medicinal cannabis is a medicine, and there are some situations where it is not suitable for use. It is important to know about this medicine, and how to use it safely, so that you get the best results for your health condition, and so that you don’t get any adverse effects.
Our education services include monthly zoom classes, phone consultations and reviews for people using our products, and Green Fairy Pop-Up events and product parties.
A Green Fairy product party is the perfect way to get together with a few friends, learn about medicinal cannabis, ask any questions, and sample some edibles and drinkables, all in the comfort and privacy of your own home. We are also available to talk at other events, eg health fairs, conferences. Please get in touch if you would like us to attend your event.
We also wanted to take this opportunity to answer some frequently asked questions, and give you the opportunity to ask any new or burning questions! If you have a question that is not covered in this post, please get in touch.
Cbd and Frequently Asked Questions
Is medicinal cannabis legal?
In New Zealand, as of 2023, medicinal cannabis is legal when purchased from a government clinic, with a prescription from one of the clinic’s practitioners or your GP.
In New Zealand, It is not legal to purchase from any other source, including Green Fairies. However Green Fairies choose to provide this service, because there is a genuine demand for wholesome products which are made using the whole plant. Green Fairies also provide a variety of options for taking medicinal cannabis, eg oils, balms, edibles, drinkables, suppositories. These options are not available from the regulated government clinics.
There are plenty of countries in the world which have completely legalised cannabis.
Do I need a prescription to purchase medicinal cannabis?
You need a prescription to purchase medicinal cannabis from one of the legal government clinics.
You do not need a prescription to purchase from an outside source, eg a Green Fairy. However, all Green Fairies work differently and some do require that you have a doctors prescription, or complete a health assessment process with the Green Fairy before accessing their medicinal cannabis products.
Can I purchase products from you directly?
You can purchase medicinal cannabis products directly from us here at Harmony Gardens and Grub. You need to complete a phone consultation with us first. This is a 20-30 minute consultation over the phone, to establish your current health status, discuss any medications you may be taking, and establish your health goals. We will also recommend the product which is most suitable for you.
Do I need a prescription to purchase from you?
You don’t need a doctors presctiption but you do need to complete a phone consultation with us first.
Why do I need a consultation?
Medicinal cannabis is very good for most people, but there are some people who do not do well with medicinal cannabis. There are some health conditions which can affect the medicinal cannabis benefits, and there are some medications which should not be taken when using medicinal cannabis. We provide a phone consultation so that we can discuss your health condition, and properly establish what you would like to achieve by using this medicine - eg pain relief, sleep, anxiety relief. This is for your safety, and also to ensure that you are getting a good result from your products. Everyone is different and everyone has a different tolerance, so it is important that we review your progress once you have started using the products. The phone consultation is also an opportunity for you to ask any questions, and discuss any specific concerns.
I want to give medicinal cannabis to my elderly mother. I have been recommended your products. Can I buy this from you and give it to her?
No. Your mother will need to book in for a phone consultation, so that we can assess her specifically, and ensure that we are prescribing products for her specifically, with the utmost safety. We also need to make sure that people are consenting to take this product, and that they understand what it is, so we need to speak to the specific person who will be using it.
I want to give medicinal cannabis to my 7 year old son who has been diagnosed with ADHD - is it suitable?
Medicinal cannabis in children is a very specialised area, and it should be done under strict medical supervision, with a suitably qualified cannabis practitioner.
Does medicinal cannabis contain THC?
Medicinal cannabis, in a nutshell, is broken down into CBD and THC. Drug tests screen for THC, so it will show up on a drug test - however the CBD will not show up on a drug test unless it is contaminated with THC.
It is your legal right to take medicinal cannabis, containing THC, as a medication, if you have been prescribed it by a recognised, regulated medical practitioner. I recommend that you discuss your prescription with your employer, and ask them how their Occupational Safety and Health policy can help to support you with taking this medication in your place of employment.
Can I take medicinal cannabis with my antidepressants?
It is not recommended to take medicinal cannabis with antidepressants, or tranquillisers, or sleeping medications.
Can I take your medicinal cannabis products on a plane?
Various countries allow people to enter with medicinal cannabis. Various countries also allow people to fly on planes with medicinal cannabis. You will need proof that it is a medical product, and it will be best to do your own research according to where you are going.
Will medicinal cannabis make me stoned?
Medicinal cannabis will not make you stoned if used in the correct amounts, according to recommendations.
If you use medicinal cannabis incorrectly, or if you use medicinal cannabis which is meant for someone else, you may find that you get adverse effects. This is also the case with regular pharmaceuticals, eg if you took some codeine, and you were not in pain, you would get ‘stoned’.
Will I get addicted to medicinal cannabis?
Medicinal cannabis is not addictive. Studies have shown that sugar is more addictive than cannabis - in fact, sugar has been shown to be more addictive than cocaine.
If you have any history of addictions, it is a good idea to properly discuss this with your medicinal cannabis practitioner.
Why do I get a different effect from my friend, when we both take the same dose?
Everyone is different, and everyone has a different tolerance. There are many factors that influence what effect you get - these include height, weight, age, gender, health status, existing tolerance level, and many more
How long do I have to take medicinal cannabis for?
Everyone is different, and it depends what you are taking it for. However, generally people find the best effect when they take it consistently, as recommended, for a minimum of 1-3 months. If you have a severe health condition, it may be longer. Some people are lifelong users, as they prefer to use medicinal cannabis rather than pharmaceuticals, eg antidepressants, painkillers, immune suppressants.
What are edibles and how are they different from oral oils and inhalation method?
Edibles are foods made with medicinal cannabis. There are many different strengths, and varieties of foods available. Generally people use fan leaf from the cannabis plant, rather than the bud, when making edibles, but there are products which contain THC. It is important to know what your edible contains, eg leaf, bud, thc etc, as the effects can vary widely, and it is very easy to overdose accidentally.
Edibles take a lot longer to kick in than smoking does, so it is important to wait for the appropriate time, and see what effect you are getting, before you redose. Edibles stay in your system a lot longer than either inhalation, or oral oils. They go right through your digestive system, which allows the medication to come into contact with all of your endocannabinoid receptors. This means that you get a deeper effect, eg pain relief, sleep, anxiety, and it lasts for longer.
A lot of edibles contain sugar and butter, as well as chocolate, and other inflammatory ingredients. Here at Harmony Gardens and Grub Ltd, our edibles are free from gluten, sugar, dairy products, caffeine, alcohol, any artificial ingredients or preservatives, and any known carcinogens.
What is ‘topical application’?
Topical application refers to any product which is applied to the skin. With medicinal cannabis, you will use things like balm and salve to rub onto your skin for relief from symptoms. Uses include pain relief, help with skin problems, relaxation, help with muscle strains, sprains, bumps or bruises, headaches, menstrual cramps or bowel issues, backache, and help with sleep.
What is ‘the Entourage effect’?
The entourage effect is where the effect of the medicine is enhanced, and made more effective, when used in a variety of ways, therefore exposing the cannabinoids receptors to more of the medicine, all over the body, from inside and outside.
It also applies to the fact that medicinal cannabis is more effective when the whole plant is used in the preparation, therefore giving access to all the other cannabinoids that are present, apart from just CBD and THC, and all the other necessary chemicals for healing, eg chlorophyll, phytonutrients.
How do I become a Harmony Gardens Green Fairy customer?
Please book in for a phone consultation using the form on our website, or reply to this email.
We hope that has answered some of your questions. Please feel free to get in touch if you want to know about anything else. Please also get in touch to register for our next zoom class, or to enquire about booking us for your event / Green Fairy product party or pop-up.
