CANNABIS CONSUMPTION METHODS
While cannabis has been around for thousands of years, the legal cannabis industry is still in its infancy. There are many ways to consume cannabis. In dispensaries, you will find cannabis in five main forms: flower, concentrates, edibles, tinctures, and topicals.
CANNABIS FLOWER
When you hear the word “flower” in a dispensary, they are describing what you would most likely consider “weed.” Loose flower is purchased by weight in grams. The most common dispensary unit of sale is 3.5 grams, known as an “eighth”, which refers to an eighth of an ounce. You may also hear the term “quarter”. This is referring to 7 grams, which is a quarter of an ounce. There are “halves” and full ounces available at some dispensaries as well. Cannabinoid densities vary from strain to strain, but overall the THC percentages of flower are between 15% and 40% THC in Maryland. Before use.
The most common method of using flower is inhalation: a small amount of flower is put in a grinder to be broken down and then smoked through a variety of different pipes or rolled into a joint. You will also find prerolls at local dispensaries. These are joints that have been packed, rolled and are ready for consumption. They are sold individually or in multi-packs of various weights/sizes.
CANNABIS CONCENTRATES
Concentrates are derived from cannabis flower, processed in a variety of ways to pull all of the cannabinoids and terpenes out of the plant. It can be very confusing for those new to cannabis because of all the different names asociated with concentrates…oil, shatter, resin, batter, budder, diamonds, sauce, and the list goes on. The main thing to understand with any of these products is that they are a very concentrated form of cannabis and thus, their terpene and cannabinoid percentages are much higher than unprocessed flower.
The easiest and therefore most popular consumption method for concentrated cannabis oil is vaping. There are many different sizes, varieties of vapes, and types of cannabis used for vaping. Vaping is very popular as it’s a discreet option to consume your medicine and is convenient. Dispensaries carry disposable vapes in which the product is ready to use when taken out of the package. Most of these are activated by inhaling but there are others with button features as well. They also sell the individual cartridges. These cartridges can be put onto a battery and consumed. This battery is known as a “510 thread’ battery and is universal in the cannabis world and would say 90 percent of cartridges can be used with a 510 battery. There are many different 510 vape battery options. A dispensary may even give you one but there are others with different functions and style and can personalize how you want to consume.
Another popular form of consumption of concentrates is called dabbing. This is usually consumed through some piece of glass that is heated to a certain temperature and a concentrated form of cannabis gets put on that glass and the vapor is inhaled.
CANNABIS EDIBLES
Edibles are an increasingly popular way to consume cannabis, and perhaps the fastest growing method. From the time of ingestion, it takes most people an hour to an hour and a half to feel affects. There are many different strengths available on the market, dosed in milligrams of THC. In dispensaries you will find a wide variety of products available…gummies, cookies, brownies, mints, hard candies, chocolates, caramels, to name a few. It’s also important to note that THC is not the only cannabinoid present in a lot of these products. Some contain higher amounts of CBD, CBG, CBN and various terpenes. Learn more about those here.
CANNABIS TINCTURES
Tinctures are great for people who are avoiding inhalation or for those who are new consumers. There are many ways in which tinctures are made, and with different cannabinoid profiles. You simply put the desired number of drops under the tongue and holding them there will allow the medication to get into your mucous membranes much faster with quicker results.
CANNABIS TOPICALS
There are many creams and lotions now available at many dispensaries. They have products that would be great for minor skin irritation and burns, and other products called “transdermal” creams, gels and lotions that penetrate the dermis of the skin. These types of products are suggested for people dealing with muscle and joint pain. Also, they are a great option if someone is not interested in experiencing the psychoactive effects from cannabis at that specific time.
