When you go to a dispensary you may feel overwhelmed. You will see products such as tinctures, capsules pre-rolls, and more. With all the different ways to take cannabis, it can be difficult to choose which is right for you.
This article will review the different ways to take cannabis so you can make an educated decision.
What are the Different Ways to Take Cannabis?
Smoke It
First on our list of different ways to take cannabis is smoking.
Smoking weed is one of the most ‘old school’ ways of consuming it. Smoking can be further broken down into categories such as blunts, bongs, joints, and so on. It is the fastest way to get high off weed usually providing immediate results.
People may prefer to smoke weed because it’s a classic. It’s also currently the most inexpensive way to consume. This is because it does not take as much processing as oils or edibles.
However, smoking weed has been linked to respiratory conditions. Weed contains many of the chemicals found in tobacco and can, therefore, be harmful to respiratory health.
If you are concerned about the impurities in weed, you may want to smoke it out of a bong. The water in the bong helps filter out impurities making it a healthier choice.
When visiting a dispensary, you will find products such as flowers and pre-rolls. These are both smokable weed products. As the name suggests, pre-rolls are already rolled into a joint for you.
If you purchase flower, you can do anything you want with it. You can put it in bongs and joints, bake it into edibles, and so on.
Vaping Weed
Vaping weed is another one of the different ways to take cannabis. It is basically another category of smoking it. But it comes with its share of complexities which puts it in its own classification.
The vaping process typically requires you to purchase a vape pen and cartridge. These can be sold together or you can buy replaceable cartridges. The cartridges contain a mixture of cannabinoids and terpenes. They may also contain thinning agents and flavoring additives.
To use the pen, simply press the power button. This will heat the vape oil to create an aerosol that’s inhaled by the user.
Many people like vaping weed because it produces less smoke than bongs and joints. Therefore it is more discreet.
While some believe vaping weed is safer than other forms of smoking it considering respiratory health, there is no scientific evidence to back this up.
Oils
Cannabis is often found in oil forms. Oils are made by extracting cannabis resins and terpenes from the plant. They are then mixed with a carrier oil.
The oil is available in a bottle that contains a dropper for exact dosing. It will take about 20-30 minutes to hit but it lasts longer than smoking bud.
Oil is not as harmful to the respiratory system. However, recent research shows that any type of cannabis consumption can be bad for heart health. It’s best to talk to a doctor before indulging.
Pills and Capsules
Cannabis capsules are another of the different ways to take cannabis. They are marijuana in pill form. The pills can contain many forms of cannabis including oil and decarboxylated flower. They may be comprised of single cannabinoids, or they can be full spectrum. They can contain THC or CBD.
Like other forms of cannabis taken orally, capsules take longer to hit and will last longer throughout the day. There are also slow-release capsules available that are specially designed to provide lasting effects.
Edibles
Edibles are one of the other different ways to take cannabis.
Marijuana is often baked or added to edible products. It is commonly found in gummies, mints, baked goods like brownies and cookies, and chocolate bars. It can also be added to beverages.
Edibles take about 30 to 60 minutes to kick in but they can have strong, long-lasting effects. Do not attempt to eat more edibles when you are waiting for them to hit or you may find yourself on a bad trip.
Sprays
Sprays are similar to oils in terms of what they are made of, how they are made, and when they hit. The only real difference is the form of administration. Choose the one you find most convenient.
Dabbing
Dabbing is somewhat similar to vaping but it uses THC resins extracted from the marijuana plant. It may be in oil form (hash oil or honey oil) it may come in a soft solid form (wax or budder) or it may be a hard solid (shatter). It’s also possible to dab CBD.
The method for dabbing involves a glass pipe or bong being heated with a blow torch. This creates a vapor almost immediately which is then inhaled by the user. It’s thought to produce a more intense high.
Topicals
Last but not least in our list of different ways to take cannabis is topicals.
Topicals are weed products applied directly to the skin. They are usually made to relieve pain and inflammation. Some products are also advertised to improve the look of skin as they are said to have anti-aging effects and reduce the appearance of blemishes and inflammation.
Products that are applied topically will not produce a high.
Note, the amount of time it takes for cannabis to hit will vary according to biological factors and tolerance. The measures in this article are just estimations.
Now that you know all the different ways to take cannabis, you can move forward in deciding which is best for you. Which of these will you make your consumption method of choice?
