Cannabis is a legal and regulated substance in Canada, through an ancient history and recent research many are discovering the medicinal benefits of cannabis. Cannabis can be a non pharmaceutical approach to helping alleviate pain, discomfort and help with mood disorders . It has been shown to restore homeostasis within your body through the endocannabinoid system by reducing inflammation and restoring balance.

You could use cannabis for a variety of therapeutic reasons from anxiety, depression, insomnia, arthritis, muscle pain, gut discomfort, IBS, pelvic pain and general rage disorder (aka, momming).

YES! As of October 17, 2018 Recreational Cannabis became legal across Canada! And as of January 2020, Edibles, including drinks, cookies and chocolates became legal to sell and consume across the country. Within Canada the age restriction to use 19 years old (Alberta is 18 and Quebec 21).  As long as you are above the age in your province, just like alcohol, it is legal to purchase, carry & consume cannabis. If you are outside of Canada, I recommend you look at you at your own country or state laws.

Definitely NOT! There are many ways to consume Cannabis, if you don’t want to smoke flower or a vape pen, and you can also use oils, drops, sublingual sprays, edibles including cookies, gummies and drinks. Each have their own transit and onset time. But all are equally as effective to feel the effects.

Todays Cannabis isn’t like what you smoked behind the school growing up. It is cultivated carefully and purposefully. Your chance of getting high or intoxicated depends on the ratio of CBD to THC (cannabidiol to Tetrahydrocannabinol). CBD is non psychoactive, meaning the more you have compared to THC, the less high you will feel. Vice Versa, THC is psychoactive, meaning the more THC you have, the more high you will get. If you use cannabis that is CBD dominant, you will not feel any psychoactive effects. You will just feel a sense of calm. Almost comparable to taking a pain killer for a headache, often the effect that is felt with CBD is the absence of the pain or stressor.

Back in the day, users thought that getting high was the ultimate goal, and many strains were grown to reduce CBD and increase THC. This would get you very high. Over the years as medical marijuana has become legal in more places, growers realized the medicinal potential was in the CBD. In Canada there are very specific labeling requirements on packaging, one of which is to give the amount of milligrams or percentages of each CBD and THC. Depending on your therapeutic needs, uses and experience, I would teach you how to figure out the best ratio to give you the best results for your individual needs.

Well, It’s not that easy, one size does not fit all. Cannabis use is a very personal experience and everyone has their own needs and reason for using. One woman may find CBD dominant strain through a vape pen is what she needs to get through the day, while another woman may need a balanced approach with a 1:1 CBD:THC ratio to help her cope with stress or pain. This is where I can help. Book a 40 min Discovery call to find out how I can help you!

First, what is a budtender? A budtender is a person who works at a cannabis shop. To work at a cannabis shop, you must take a course put out by the province, in Ontario it’s called CanSell, this is similar to Ontario’s alcohol serving certificate Smart Serve. Budtenders can tell you about products, but they cannot recommend nor are they allowed to help you dose product based on health concerns.

First I would take a detailed health and food history, to determine our starting point. We would discuss your health goals to determine the appropriateness of cannabis and how it can help you for your specific needs.

Do you drink wine to brush off a hard day? Then yes, you could also be incorporating cannabis into your health routine, neither make you a bad mother. Cannabis can help you relieve pain, anxiety or depression so you can be more present for your kids or your partner or even your work. The right ratio of CBD:THC can help you concentrate and make you feel more present in your everyday.

Not at this time, there isn’t enough evidence to suggest that it is either harmful or not harmful to your baby either through the placenta or breastmilk. However, this is a great time to start to think about options for when you can safely return to using cannabis and I can help give the information you need to make an informed choice.

When you buy from the regulated online or in person stores through your province (and that is the only place you should be buying from), there are strict guidelines for packaging. All packaging must be labeled as THC and have childproof packaging. Always keep your Cannabis out of reach and hidden, if you require an extra layer of protection, keep it in the childproof packaging in the hard to reach cabinet or drawer (Even I have had difficulty figuring out how to open some packages).

As  we get further into the legalization of cannabis in Canada it is getting easier to find reputable cannabis. In Ontario you can browse and purchase right from your house from the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS.ca). Due to Covid restrictions you are now required to pick it up at the post office and show Proof of Age to get your package. Many store are popping up all over the country, specifically Ontario, BC, Alberta and Quebec. Store that sell cannabis must be licenced by the province’s Alcohol and Gaming Commission, in the same way you need a licence to sell alcohol.

Referrals are not required to book an appointment; however, some extended health insurers may require a physician’s referral for coverage of a Registered Dietitian. It is recommended that you check with your insurer prior to attending your first appointment.