The most common way to enjoy cannabis flower (bud) is to smoke it. This involves packing a pipe full of weed, lighting it and inhaling the smoke.
A popular alternative to smoking is using a dry herb vaporizer. These act like gentle ovens for your weed, heating it to a lower temperature and emitting vapor instead of smoke.
Smoking
Smoking methods like pipes, joints and blunt wraps are classic and some of the most commonly used ways to consume cannabis. These methods produce a quick-acting, euphoric experience. If you’re a fan of the traditional blunt, investing in a quality blunt holder case can enhance your smoking experience.
If you choose to smoke, we recommend starting with small puffs until you better understand your tolerance and what works best for you. Remember to take breaks and inhale through your mouth to reduce the smoke you inhale into your lungs. If you start to cough, it indicates that you may inhale too much smoke for your lungs.
You can use a hand pipe to smoke cannabis or purchase a more sophisticated device such as a bong or bubbler. These devices allow you to inhale through water in the chamber, which cools down the smoke or vapor. Bongs are the most popular of these devices amongst cannabis connoisseurs. Alternatively, you can roll your joint or buy a pre-rolled one from your local supplier like WholesomeCo. These are typically a mix of tobacco and marijuana or a hybrid.
Vaping
A common way to consume cannabis is through smoking flowers, the smokable green buds of the marijuana plant. Smoking inhales the entire plant, including tars and other unwanted byproducts that can harm the lungs. It also produces an immediate odor and lingers long after consumption.
Vaping is an alternative to smoking. It uses heat rather than flame to inhale cannabis and can be used with many different cannabis products. This is a popular option for older adults because it’s less expensive than other forms of cannabis and doesn’t require a butane tank.
To make a flower vape, grind the cannabis to a coarse consistency and put it in the vaporizer’s chamber. The packing density depends on the vaporizer and your preference for a particular terpene experience, so it’s important to experiment until you find the right material.
The cannabis must be decarboxylated to activate the cannabinoids. This is done by placing the bud in a saucepan with butter or oil and heating it over low heat until the THC turns from acid (CBCa, CBGa) to its standard form (THC). This process also removes any other contaminants that might be present in the bud.
You may also want to keep it simple and buy a vape pen with a disposable pod like the ones found here. This is the easiest way to vape although it does cost a little more.
Edibles
If you’re uncomfortable smoking or don’t have access to a vape pen, cannabis-infused foods and snacks are another way to enjoy the medicinal properties of this plant. You can find them in cookies, gummies, chocolate bars, and more. These edibles take longer to kick in but provide a much more relaxing high without the additional health risks of smoking or vaping.
Joints are still one of the most popular ways to smoke weed, though some prefer blunts or spliffs that incorporate tobacco and are more portable. These are often rolled up using pre-rolls, which can be purchased at many dispensaries, or you can learn how to hand roll your own.
Tinctures are alcohol-based cannabis extracts that can be added to drinks or placed under the tongue for fast absorption. They are more discrete than edibles and offer a precise, controlled dose. They are usually recommended for medical marijuana patients because they do not expose the digestive system to unnecessary chemicals and can be used to treat specific symptoms, such as pain, nausea, or appetite loss.
Tinctures
Tinctures are cannabis extracts in a solvent such as ethanol alcohol suspended in oil or another carrier to create products you can swallow like a pill. The main difference between tinctures and oils is that oils can be consumed sublingually or applied topically, while tinctures are consumed only orally. Both are stored in glass dropper bottles for easy dosage and precise control.
The advantage of tinctures is that they bypass the digestive system and can enter the bloodstream more quickly than edibles. However, if you have certain sensitivities to terpenes (which can also trigger allergies), you may experience more discomfort with tinctures since they contain highly concentrated amounts.
Tinctures are a great way to get the most out of your cannabis without smoking or vaping. Smoking exposes you to harmful chemicals that can harm lung health and the terpenes that give cannabis strains their unique flavors and effects. With some research, you can find the right cannabis tincture for your needs. You can even try a sativa tincture for extra energy, but remember that sativas don’t naturally pair with relaxing effects – they tend to clash.
Topicals
Cannabis consumers are now more than ever faced with a wide array of options in the market. Some raw concentrates and cartridges can be used with a battery accessory, tinctures that are added to drinks or put under the tongue, and cannabis topicals that work by being applied directly to the skin.
The smoking flower remains the most popular method of consumption, but it has its risks. This includes the potential to irritate the throat and lungs and the risk of gum disease due to dry mouth. Vaping is a popular alternative to smoking and has been proven to be better for your health, especially with vaporizers with adjustable heat settings.
Another popular method of consumption is using a cannabis topical which comes in various forms, including creams, balms and patches that can be placed on sore muscles or joints. These products contain decarboxylated cannabis that is activated once they reach the bloodstream through the skin. They are often marketed as a natural alternative to painkillers for sore muscles and arthritis.
