Medical vs Recreational: Let’s Define The Difference
Medical and recreational marijuana both come from the cannabis plant; however, what exactly is the difference between medical and recreational weed? Recreational marijuana users use marijuana to enjoy the high feeling, while medical marijuana users use medical marijuana to treat their medical symptoms. In some states, not including Florida, recreational cannabis users usually purchase cannabis from legal dispensaries. However, in the state of Florida, only medical cannabis users recommend by doctors can purchase medical-grade cannabis at a medical marijuana treatment center (MMTC), also known as a medical marijuana dispensary. To be able to buy anything from a medical marijuana dispensary, you must use a medical cannabis card, which can be recommended by a MMJ doctor.
What Is Medical Marijuana?
Medical marijuana involves using the whole unprocessed cannabis plant or just the chemicals within it to treat the symptoms of medical conditions. The two main chemicals in medical cannabis that are used for medical purposes are THC and CBD. The THC in cannabis has a psychoactive element, while the CBD in cannabis does not. Medical marijuana patients are required to use a medical cannabis card to buy legal medical cannabis.
What Is Recreational Marijuana?
Recreational marijuana is the cannabis that is not used for medical reasons. Therefore, any cannabis that isn’t medical cannabis is recreational cannabis. Recreational cannabis usually has an unregulated high THC content, which produces a psychoactive effect that medical cannabis strictly regulates at many different percentages for each patient.
However, we believe it is important to remember that there is such a thing as recreational therapeutic use of cannabis. The psychoactive effect of THC, and other side effects of marijuana use such as euphoria, can be a tool for dealing with social anxiety, fear, and stress management. It is all about mindset when consuming cannabis.
Medical vs Recreational: Differences Between THC And CBD Levels
The biggest difference between recreational marijuana and medical marijuana is the THC content. High THC can produce psychoactive effects that aren’t ideal for medical marijuana patients. CBD can do wonders for medical conditions such as chronic pain. The difference between medical and recreational weed’s THC and CBD levels allows medical marijuana users to avoid an unnecessary high. Medical marijuana users often want medical marijuana with high levels of CBD to counteract the anxiety and psychoactive effects of high THC levels.
Medical vs Recreational: Legal Issues Of Cannabis
Medical and recreational cannabis have different legal restrictions. Recreational cannabis has many more legal restrictions than medical cannabis. In states where recreational cannabis is usually more accessible, many recreational cannabis users will not find the need to obtain medical marijuana. Instead, these users are okay with settling for higher THC level recreational marijuana. Medical cannabis is legal in 33 states (including Florida), while recreational cannabis is only legal in 27 states. Cannabis that is used for medical purposes is often restricted to certain forms such as cannabis oils or cannabis sprays.
Medical vs Recreational: Variety of Purpose
Recreational cannabis is restricted to certain age groups while medical cannabis can be prescribed to many age groups. Medical cannabis can be used to treat chronic pain, loss of appetite, and many mental health conditions. The biggest difference between medical and recreational cannabis use is mainly centered around the properties of the elements in cannabis. Because THC is mainly used for its psychoactive effects (and recreational marijuana has a high THC content), recreational cannabis is mostly used for that purpose. However, because the CBD in marijuana can treat many medical symptoms, medical cannabis is used for anything from treating pain to increasing appetite.
Medical vs Recreational: The Main Differences Between Medical and Recreational Marijuana
Different States, Different Perks
There are many differences between medical and recreational cannabis. In only recreationally legal states, recreational cannabis can be bought by anyone over a certain age limit. In contrast, in medical cannabis legal states like Florida, medical cannabis users need a medical cannabis recommendation from a medical marijuana doctor.
Recreational cannabis users, outside the state of Florida, need to be over 21 to purchase recreational weed from a marijuana dispensary while medical marijuana users need to be 18 or over to buy medical cannabis from a marijuana dispensary.
Recreational and medical cannabis are gown the same way but cultivated and produced differently. Medical cannabis is grown much more strictly than recreational cannabis.