Things have moved on in the world of weed; where it was once the case that smoking was the only way to get high, as knowledge has expanded, so have delivery methods. The way you consume your weed can have a huge influence on the experience you have, and experimenting with different methods can be a great way to figure out what works best for you. Let’s look at the host of ways you can consume your cannabis.
Inhalation Methods
Inhaling is obviously the classic way to get your weed hit. When the smoke hits your lungs, it rapidly moves into your bloodstream.
Smoking Cannabis
Smoking is the quickest delivery method for cannabis; the THC (the psychoactive component of cannabis) will reach your brain within seconds, getting you baked before you know it. You can choose to roll the flower into a classic joint or into a blunt (which is rolled with cigar paper rather than rolling paper and tends to be thicker and stronger than a joint). Some people choose to mix their weed with tobacco, which gives you a more heady high but obviously carries its own health hazards.
Vaping
Vaporizers have increased in popularity in recent years, possibly because this smoke-free method poses less risk to the lungs than smoking, but they are also extremely portable and easy to conceal. Users have reported that vaping offers them a ‘cleaner’, more energized high because they aren’t exposed to the toxic by-products produced by traditional smoking. Some vaporizers use oils, which can be much higher in THC (up to 80%) than the flower that you would smoke in a joint, so oil vaping might not be the best choice for novices.
Bongs
Bongs—or water pipes—might seem like old-fashioned stoner paraphernalia, but they are actually quite a social way of smoking and can get you seriously high, seriously fast. The water acts as a filter, removing some of the carcinogens and leaving all of the good stuff for a smoother, more flavorful smoke. The various designs can also look quite beautiful sitting on your coffee table.
Ingesting Marijuana
If you’re not into inhaling to get your high, then you can consume cannabis in other ways, such as ingesting. This can come in a number of forms:
Edibles
The amount and variety of edibles on offer have increased greatly in the last few years, with more exciting and innovative products now available for you to munch on. Whether it’s gummy bears or cannabis condiments, it seems you can infuse pretty much anything these days. You can buy all sorts of weird and wonderful concoctions, or you can make your own tasty treats at home. A word of warning: because your body has to digest edibles, they take longer (between 20 minutes and 3 hours) to have an effect, but when the high hits, it can be more intense and last longer than smoking. Ensure that you start with small doses rather than dumping a whole bud into your brownie mix, especially if you are new to using marijuana edibles.
Oils
If you like popping pills, then these oils that come in capsule form (cannabis caps) might be a perfect choice. They are also great if you don’t feel like rolling up and are less messy than cooking up a batch of hash cookies. They offer a pretty powerful high, so, again, you should be careful with the dosage because they can take a while to kick in.
Tinctures
Tinctures are made from the liquid extracted from the marijuana plant, which is then mixed with an alcohol solution. They tend to come in drop or spray bottles, so you have a way to measure your dosage more accurately. Placing a few drops under your tongue (sublingually) will give you a quick and intense high because the liquid enters your bloodstream rapidly and the mixture is highly potent. The length of the high is in between that of smoking and eating.
Cannabis Topicals
Sometimes, the idea of smoking or munching your weed might seem less than appealing; maybe you don’t like the taste or perhaps you want some more mellow effects. These balms are thicker than the oils above and are high in CBD—the calming, anti-inflammatory cannabinoid. They absorb through your skin and are a great way of targeting pain and inflammation in a specific area of your body, so they can be great for things like period pain, muscle aches/sprains, and chronic pain sufferers. You won’t get high from topicals as they don’t have the psychoactive effects of THC; this makes them an excellent choice for people who suffer from issues like anxiety.
As you can see, there is now a multitude of methods by which you can get your weed fix, depending on the effect you want. You can always learn more about them in your nearest marijuana dispensary. Hopefully, this post has pointed you in the direction of the perfect method for you.
