Lifestyle & Culture, Wellness
How Should You Consume Your Cannabis?
Nov
Now that cannabis is becoming more socially accepted it’s also shedding its negative stigma, becoming more mainstream and entering the lives of people who would have never otherwise considered consuming. Some are recreational users just unwinding at the right time of day. Others are medical patients who’ve had the misfortune of being diagnosed and simultaneously the fortune of having a compassionate doctor providing them with medical marijuana as an option. The cannabis culture overlaps many demographics but no matter the circumstances new people from all over are trying pot for the first time, or at least the first time in a while. Things are a little more advanced these days and we now have so many forms of marijuana and ways to consume them. Which way is best for you?
That’s right we’ve come a long way from just rolling joints. While that’s still a fan favorite there are other ways to consume marijuana such as vaping, edibles, tinctures and topicals to name a handful. Each has its pros and cons and this article should help you decide what the best way for you to take in your herbs should be.
Smoking
Arguably the most popular way to enjoy maryjane. You can smoke out of a bong, bubbler, pipe, wrap or homemade device. This method is pretty straight forward and has probably been in practice the longest.
| Smoking Pros | Smoking Cons |
| Instant effects | Strong Odor |
| Wraps, pipes, etc are easy to get | Harsh on sore throats |
| Feels potent |
Vaping
This one is growing in popularity. Vaporizing weed means heating it up to a point that you activate the THC but not hot enough to actually burn it or cause combustion. Eliminating the combustion saves you from inhaling harmful fumes and carcinogens and also protects the flavor of the bud. This results in a method of inhalation healthier than smoking with less negative effects and better taste. You can vape dry herb (buds) and a variety of extracts normally called waxes, oils or in general, concentrates. Sometimes they come preloaded in cartridges. Other times they come in a small case, a sheet of wax paper, a tube, etc and vape devices range from pens all the way to bangers.
| Vaping Pros | Vaping Cons |
| Instant effects | Mild but noticeable odor |
| Vaporizers are relatively easy to get | Doesn’t feel as potent as other methods |
| No Combustion | Easier than smoking but can still irritate throats |
Edibles
You can’t just eat marijuana but if you know what you’re doing you can convert it into edible form. Making edibles involves heating marijuana up to the point that its cannabinoids can be activated and then absorbed into fat – typically butter, oil or cream which can be stored and used later on in almost any recipe. Edibles are known for being potent and also having effects varying as much as the people who use them. A few reasons for this are everyone has different amounts of food in their systems, different metabolism speeds and other varying personal factors. This impacts how soon an edible’s effects will be felt, how potent it will feel and how long it will last. These are things to keep in mind when eating edibles.
| Edibles Pros | Edibles Cons |
| Feels potent | Varying effects based on personal factors |
| Easy on the throat | Doesn’t hit instantly |
| No combustion/inhalation | Calories |
| Practically odor free |
Tinctures
Tinctures are best described as a high concentration liquid. They’re also referred to as elixirs, drops, lozenges, syrup, etc. They’re designed to pack a huge punch in a small amount. Most people consume using a dropper and just push out a couple drops sublingually (under the tongue). So they go in like an edible but they don’t go down like an edible. Tinctures are meant to be absorbed instantly by the mucus membrane in the mouth instead of being swallowed and passed through the slower digestive system.
| Tinctures Pros | Tinctures Cons |
| Near instant effects | A little harder to find |
| Practically odor free | |
| No combustion/inhalation |
Topicals
As the name implies these get absorbed mainly through the skin. Most don’t realize this but the skin is the largest organ of the body. It has absorption and secretion abilities just like other organs in our bodies such as our lungs, gums and digestive system. It would be impossible for any cannabis connoisseur to overlook these facts which is why we now have topicals. Just rub them in and you can start feeling the effects sooner than eating but slower than smoking.
| Topicals Pros | Topicals Cons |
| No combustion/inhalation | A little harder to find |
| Practically odor free | Delayed effects |
| Moisturizing | Can’t make physical contact with others |
As you can see it’s your own preferences and circumstances that should determine which method will be best for you. If smoking irritates you there’s a chance vaping could do the same and you should stick with edibles, tinctures or topicals. If you then have to decide from those you should consider other things such as how soon you want to feel the effects or your diet goals. If you have a high tolerance for adventure then go ahead and try them all. After all, this is something you’re doing to enhance life. Don’t cheat yourself out of any experiences if you think you can handle and benefit from them. At the same time though be sure to approach any method with caution and respect. They all clearly have pros as well as cons and you never want to have a negative experience. While it’s nearly impossible to overdose on marijuana you still have to pay attention to things like total amount consumed and consuming responsibly.
Regardless of your preference all methods should present you with either THC rich or CBD rich options. It’s rare to find a single solution for both so it’s important to distinguish between the two. THC is what produces the high associated with mental relief. CBD is what is known for producing physical pain relief without producing a high feeling. THC and CBD are the two main active ingredients found in marijuana but there’s a whole spectrum of cannabinoids and flavors in this beautiful plant just waiting to provide relief to you by way of your endocannabinoid system.
So what’s the best way to consume cannabis? Well, in short, the way that you benefit from most. Each method has its own characteristics and you may have certain needs or preferences on certain days which align with those characteristics. Edibles and vapes give the most flavor, smoking is most simple and straight forward, tinctures are clean and discreet. Ahhhhh… If only we could be so lucky that this would be the hardest decision we ever have to make in life…
Be sure to check out these links for recipes and more.
