Veriheal’s Guide to Personalized Cannabis Consultations

Veriheal is recognized around the country as the largest facilitator of medical cannabis cards. Our world-class cannabis experts are also happy to meet with you one-on-one to guide you on your cannabis journey. 

A personalized consult gives you trusted, customized, and compassionate cannabis education. It’s valuable whether you’re a newcomer or a seasoned expert with cannabis, CBD, and hemp products – you’re in the right place! 

Just as a personalized trainer gets to know your experience level and goals, a cannabis coach listens to your wellness goals and preferences to create a personalized cannabis action plan that works best for you or a loved one. The best part? It doesn’t necessarily need to involve smoking or getting high. 

Welcome to the world of personalized consults!

What is a Personalized Consult?

A personalized consult is Veriheal’s appointment category for individualized, cannabis health coaching sessions. You can book 15- or 25-minute consultations, depending on your health and wellness goals. 

You’ll meet with an expert who can teach you how to choose, improve, or optimize your cannabis experience for your personal needs and aims. A cannabis coach can help you:

• Answer questions about cannabis, hemp, and terpenes
• Find a local dispensary or reputable online hemp brand
• Peruse and explain retail menus with you 
• Advise on product selection, route, dosing, titration, frequency, and more
• Learn and discover the effects of different cannabinoids, terpenes, ratios, and consumption experiences
• Optimize your cannabis regimen for healthy, safe consumption

Even if you already have medical or adult-use cannabis in your area, a cannabis coach can offer insights into cannabis science and how it may influence your routine.

Who are Cannabis Coaches?

As cannabis health coaches, or cannacoaches, our job is to be informed and stay up-to-date on cannabis science, research, and consumer trends to best serve you and answer relevant questions and concerns. 

On average, cannacoaches have greater healthcare and scientific experience than budtenders. It’s also easier to have a private conversation, follow up, and build a long-term relationship with a trusted cannacoach.

Cannacoaches usually have backgrounds in nursing, alternative or holistic medicine, and pharmacy, or are certified cannabis health and wellness coaches. You’ll find many here at Veriheal or integrative and holistic clinics like mine at the GW Center for Integrative Medicine. 

Some dispensaries may have cannabis coaches on staff in addition to budtenders, but the retail setting is suboptimal for privacy and may feel rushed or incomplete. Meeting with a cannacoach privately online is more comfortable than describing your personal situation inside a bustling dispensary. 

How is Cannabis Coaching Different From a Healthcare or Doctor’s Visit?

Cannabis coaching is only meant to guide you on the logistics and practicality of how you can best approach and optimize your cannabis, CBD, and hemp product regimens for your health and wellness goals. It’s not a substitute for adequate, timely medical care or professional medical advice from your doctors or healthcare team. 

You should always talk to your healthcare provider first before taking cannabinoids for any reason. It’s important to have routine check-ups, follow-ups for complicated cases, and ask your provider any health questions first. Your doctor may recommend cannabis for your condition, and a cannabis coach can teach you where and what forms are available, suitable for your needs, and how to take them.

Cannacoaches aren’t necessarily licensed healthcare providers and thus cannot diagnose, treat, prevent, or mitigate any disease on their own. However, we can work with you, your doctor, and your healthcare team to suggest a reasonable cannabis action plan for symptomatic relief.

Is This The Same as Getting a Medical Recommendation or a Medical Cannabis Card?

No, the goal of a personalized consult is for educational purposes only and doesn’t provide you with a medical cannabis recommendation or dispensary access. However, obtaining a medical recommendation still yields several advantages, like help with product selection, quantity, tax discounts, age requirements, limited legal protections, and more.

To get a medical cannabis card or dispensary access, you need to book a separate appointment with a licensed doctor or provider in your state. You can easily book one through Veriheal. 

Can I Have a Personalized Consultation if Cannabis Isn’t Legal in My Area Yet?

Absolutely. While medical cannabis isn’t legal everywhere yet, hemp and CBD products are federally legal thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill. This means almost anyone can access hemp-derived products that carry a spectrum of popular cannabinoids to choose from, including:

New, semisynthetic and psychoactive cannabinoids like delta-8, delta-10, HHC, etc., are made from legal, hemp-based CBD and are widely available. But they carry safety and quality concerns worth knowing about before trying them.

Selecting a high-quality, trustworthy hemp product manufacturer is essential but still a challenge for newcomers. Without federal regulations, it’s up to you to decide among reputable or bad industry actors, who may offer mislabeled or even dangerous byproducts and additives. 

These are great reasons to consult a cannabis coach in states without a regulated cannabis market.

Is Cannabis Coaching Covered by Insurance?

Personalized health consults like the ones at Veriheal are out-of-pocket. Unfortunately, this is a healthcare industry standard set by today’s insurance landscape.

However, there are few insurance plans that reimburse health coaching, including cannabis health coaching, if certain conditions are met. For example, they may require submitting diagnosis codes and consult notes. You must check with your insurance plan to verify term details and reimbursement options.

Do I Need to Know Anything About Cannabis Before I Go?

You can meet with or without cannabis access or even knowing how any of it works. Cannacoaching is most helpful for beginners to know what you’re getting into and orient you. 

Cannacoaching empowers you with information before you go to the dispensary to help point you in the right direction without sales pressure, accidentally going overboard, and minimizing common beginner errors and misconceptions. 

Patient education is what we’re here for, after all! There’s always something new and exciting to learn or try in the world of cannabis.

References

1. Geci, M., Scialdone, M., & Tishler, J. (2023). The Dark Side of Cannabidiol: The Unanticipated Social and Clinical Implications of Synthetic Δ8-THC. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, 8(2), 270–282. https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2022.0126
2. Madeo, G., Kapoor, A., Giorgetti, R., Busardò, F. P., & Carlier, J. (2023). Update on Cannabidiol Clinical Toxicity and Adverse Effects: A Systematic Review. Current Neuropharmacology, 21(11), 2323–2342. https://doi.org/10.2174/1570159X21666230322143401
3. Walsh, K. B., McKinney, A. E., & Holmes, A. E. (2021). Minor Cannabinoids: Biosynthesis, Molecular Pharmacology and Potential Therapeutic Uses. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 12, 777804. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2021.777804