The two of you, plus others in your support network, are a team working to achieve one goal: your well-being.

The decades-long stigmatization of cannabis can make initiating conversations about its use awkward and difficult, particularly with your doctor. Add to that the knowledge — or even a hunch — your doctor may be skeptical about the benefits of cannabis, raising the topic can be downright intimidating. But it doesn’t have to be.

Your medical doctor is among the most educated and trained professionals you invite into your circle of trust. In addition to four years of undergraduate school, another four years in medical school and three to seven years of residency, being a doctor requires constant continuing education and recertification.

But throughout their education and training, your doctor was taught that natural remedies have limitations, and when the body can’t function on its own, it needs therapies beyond natural remedies to make you better. What’s more, the federal prohibition against cannabis — which has until recently included all forms of CBD — U.S. physicians have not been exposed to a lot of credible research and clinical trials.

In other words, if your doctor is a cannabis skeptic, it’s not entirely their fault. Years of training combined with the law of the land shaped those opinions. But it’s also important to remember that your physician is invested in your health. Long before he or she embarked on the long journey to become a doctor, they likely just wanted to help people. After they put in the long hours at school and hands-on training in residency, they swore an oath to help you. They want a good health outcome for you as much as you do. The two of you, plus others in your support network, are a team working to achieve one goal: your well-being.

If you feel reluctant to discuss the possible benefits you can experience from CBD or cannabis use, here is some advice on how to raise the topic and talk to your doctor.

1. Be your own advocate

If you won’t raise this important question, who will? It’s important for you ask all the questions and present all your ideas to your physician. Helping you manage your health is your doctor’s job, and they want to answer your questions.

2. Do your own research

As I wrote above, your doctor is continuously learning, and a great deal of this education comes directly from their patients. While there may not yet be a great deal of research or clinical trial data at your doctor’s fingertips, there is a tremendous amount of good information on the internet.

As you research, try to match your condition to the data you are finding so that it’s relevant to you specifically. Gather your research and share it with your doctor. This research will help them know you’re serious about trying cannabis as a therapy.

5. Trust your doctor

With all the hype around cannabis and CBD, some will tell you that “cannabis cures” your condition which can give you hope. But this might be a false hope, and you really do need medical advice. Some conditions respond better to cannabis-based therapies than others. Some cannabinoids have side effects, such as THC which makes people feel “high” and can impair motor function and cognition.

Lastly, if you choose to experiment with CBD or cannabis on your own, don’t keep it a secret from your physician. CBD products can be purchased online or in a wide range of stores across the country. You don’t need your doctor to prescribe cannabis to you in legal states, but you still need your doctor to be aware you’re trying it.

Cannabis and CBD are medicines. While the safety profile of cannabis is very large, some therapies are “contraindicated” to cannabis, meaning that if you’re taking one of these other medicines or therapies, cannabis use could at best make that therapy less effective for you, or worse be dangerous to your health.