Greetings! I’m Nate, your Cannabis Nurse and navigator into CBD. Have you ever had questions about the use of cannabis in your life but don’t know where to turn to gather your information? Good news, I am here to start the conversation while providing you quality information from a reliable source.
I haven’t always been a Cannabis Nurse. I actually have a unique background that encompasses cannabis from different angles. As a teen, I experimented with cannabis in the form of marijuana. It was nothing more than an experimental phase in my life, which soon shifted towards a different direction. After high school, I obtained an Associate’s degree in Law Enforcement from the local community college in my town. While I was earning my degree, I began working as a Correctional Officer at the Minnesota Department of Corrections. From this angle I was able to learn the legal framework that encompasses the world of cannabis, as well as the ramifications of not adhering to the laws that surround it.
Over time, I experienced burnout that many Correctional Officers do and sought out a new path. So, I enrolled back into college and obtained an Associate’s degree in Nursing. As a nurse, I specialized in the fields of oncology, palliative care, and hospice. The nurses on our floor worked with some of the sickest patients in the hospital, many who were at the end of their life. I would often have patients expand their care by adding in alternative options, like cannabis. Some of these patients had impressive symptom management. I credit them for opening my eyes to this wonderful herb.
Image by Erin_Hinterland from Pixabay
I knew I wanted to be more involved and immediately began taking courses to increase my education. The most comprehensive course was conducted by the American Cannabis Nursing Association (ACNA) and The Medical Cannabis Institute and really increased my level of knowledge in regards to cannabis as a beneficial tool for symptom management. The various cannabinoids in the cannabis plant each have their own benefit. The most commonly known and most commonly found cannabinoids are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), which can be found in both marijuana and hemp.
To better understand, a little education will be needed. Marijuana and hemp are both considered cannabis. There are many types of cannabis with varying properties. Marijuana has more psychoactive properties because it has increased levels of THC, a psychoactive cannabinoid, and usually has lower levels of CBD. When you ingest it, you feel the psychoactive properties. Hemp contains CBD and THC as well, but hemp is federally regulated to contain a THC level of 0.3% or less by dry weight and usually has increased levels of CBD, which is great for inflammation relief in the body. When you ingest hemp products, like CBD oil, you do not typically have an elevating psychoactive feeling because the THC exists in trace amounts.
Both THC and CBD can be found in the resinous glands of the cannabis flower. Marijuana is not legal in every state and neither is the CBD found within. However, CBD derived from hemp is federally legal and legal in all states.
Image by Matteo Paganelli from Unsplash
In an attempt to be more involved in the industry, I co-created and co-own a hemp CBD Farm and Retail store called Holistic Wellness Services. Our small family business grows our own hemp, extracts the cannabinoids, and creates full-spectrum CBD products in the form of CBD tincture oil, salves for pain and healing, lip balms, and much more. I spend my days educating customers about cannabis and I hope I just did the same for you.
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