How To Use Cannabinoids Properly: A Reference Guide

One can partake of cannabinoid products in numerous ways. To get the most out of your cannabis experience, you should use the most appropriate method for your chosen cannabis product. There are four primary ways to take cannabis: breathing it in, swallowing it, putting it under your tongue, or applying it topically.

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Inhalation:

1. Smoking

Source: cnn.com

Inhalation is the most effective method for delivering THC and other active chemicals in cannabis to the body. Those who smoke marijuana for a quick high often inhale its chemicals because of how quickly their bodies process them. There are two methods of inhalation, smoking and vaping.

Historically, the most common means of consumption is smoking. To smoke cannabis, according to this website, one must ignite the flower and take in the resulting smoke. Several different methods exist for inhaling cannabis flowers.

  • Pipes: One of the most common ways to consume cannabis is through a pipe. This method is popular due to its portability, simplicity, and ease of use. Smoking a pipe is as simple as loading a bowl with cannabis and lighting it. The smoker inhales smoke from the pipe’s chamber as it emerges from the mouthpiece.
  • Hydraulic conduits: A water pipe, such as a bong, is functionally equivalent to a standard pipe, except that the smoke is filtered via a chamber containing water. The smoke is cooled by the water, making it easier to inhale.
  • Joints: Instead of a pipe, you can use a joint if you prefer something compact. To make a joint, users roll cannabis into rolling papers, much like a cannabis cigarette, then light one end and smoke from the other.
  • Blunts: These are tobacco products that resemble joints but are rolled with cigar paper instead of traditional rolling papers. Blunt wraps are available, but traditionally a cigar is dug out, and the tobacco is substituted with marijuana. It’s common knowledge among smokers that blunts are larger and have more weed than joints.
  • Whatever type you choose, if you’re a long-time smoker, you might think of growing your own cannabis. Feminized seeds from Zamnesia, for example, can be an excellent choice as they offer the advantage of producing only female plants, ensuring maximum yield and potency for growers.

2. Vaping

Source: healthline.com

Technology advancements have increased the popularity of inhalation methods like vaping. To vape, cannabis flower or concentrate is heated just below the point of combustion. By doing this, the terpenes and cannabinoids are converted into a vapor that may be inhaled. Many think vaping is a healthier alternative to smoking because it doesn’t produce tar or toxins like traditional smoking. Several methods of vaping cannabis are available.

  • Vaporizer: Concentrate and flower can both be utilized in a vaporizer. Put the cannabis in the heating chamber, set the temperature, and inhale the vapor through the mouthpiece. Stationary vaporizers must be placed on a flat, stable surface and portable vaporizers may be taken anywhere.
  • Vape pens: Pens for inhaling vaporized oils or distillates are called vape pens. As their moniker suggests, they take the shape of a compact pen. Cartridges containing cannabis oil or distillate are combined with batteries to power these devices, generating heat. To avoid the risk of lung disease, it is essential always to purchase vape pens from a legitimate dispensary.
  • Dabs: Dabbing is putting cannabis concentrate directly into a heated glass, ceramic, or titanium nail in a dab rig, where the concentrate is vaporized into a vapor that can then be inhaled.

3. Oral

Source: sensiseeds.com

You can also consume cannabis by eating it. It could be in the form of a pill, oil, or tincture. When taken orally, the effects begin to take hold more slowly but are more potent and long-lasting than when inhaled. The results of ingesting marijuana can be felt within 30 minutes to an hour or more. This is because cannabis undergoes a chemical transition that makes it more potent after digestion. When taken orally, there are two primary methods of ingesting cannabis.

  • Edibles: Cannabinoids in cannabis-infused edibles, such as brownies or gummies, are absorbed orally. The effects of edibles kick in after several minutes to a few hours after consumption. Edibles are a simple way to consume cannabis. All you have to do is take a bite out of it or a sip from a glass and wait for it to take effect.
  • Tinctures: Cannabidiol tinctures are ingested via the capillaries under the tongue and are produced by steeping cannabis in alcohol sublingually. The tincture is best used by placing a few drops under the tongue and holding it there for a few minutes to allow the cannabis to absorb. Then, you can gulp down the rest of the fluid. Due to the dual absorption locations (under the tongue and in the stomach), tinctures can vary in how long it takes for effects to be produced.

4. Topical

Source: leafwell.com

While topical application may not strictly be a consumption mode, it is a very popular way of using cannabis products, and it can be effective for certain conditions. Cannabinoids in topical medicines can be absorbed via the skin, which may lead to targeted relief from symptoms, including pain and muscular soreness. However, unlike other forms of ingestion, topical application has no psychotropic effects. The stimulation of skin-based receptors elicits the effects of cannabis topicals. It then puts in motion a chain reaction that could result in less pain, faster healing, and less inflammation.

Pick the mode of ingestion that works best for you. Since there are so many different ways to take cannabis products, there is no universal approach that will be preferred by every user. The proper way to use cannabis depends on the product, the user, and their desired effect. Now that you know your options for consuming cannabis, you can get started with the approach that works best for you.