Beginner's Guide To Cannabis Consumption - Quick Facts
The Beginner's Guide to Cannabis and Marijuana from CannabisNet on Vimeo.
DIFFERENT STRAINS OF CANNABIS
To break it down plain and simple, there are three distinct types of cannabis. When browsing a selection at a dispensary each label will say one of the following:
SATIVA
• Great for the night out; has uplifting and cerebral effects.
• Combines well with creative projects, social gatherings, and physical activity.
• Typically higher in THC.
Mood disorders, depression, fatigue, and ADD.
INDICA
• Perfect to sit back and binge watch your favorite series. Has physically sedative effects.
• Relaxing, full-body experience.
• Typically higher in CBD.
Pain, muscle spasms, anxiety, insomnia.
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HYBRID
Hybrids’ effects can vary from strain to strain. They usually tend to inherit effects from both Sativa and Indica. Depending on the traits the plant inherited from its parents, some hybrids can lean towards the effects one type over the other.
For example let’s look at the strain Blue Dream. Blue Dream is a cross of Blueberry Indica and Sativa Haze. It is sativa dominant, but gives full-body relaxing effects. It has summited legendary status among strains due it’s desirable euphoria and not too heavy sedative effects.
ROLLING THE CANNABIS PLANT
Ah, the age old debate. Joints or Blunts? This existential question is the chicken and egg of cannabis.
To start, a “blunt” is typically a cheaper cigar which is then gutted of its tobacco. The leaf is used to roll up marijuana. Those who prefer blunts usually embellish the savory tobacco taste and the extra material makes for a longer smoke.
In TV, movies and news, cannabis is usually being depicted consumed from a rolling paper. So how do you roll a joint? Well for starters, I absolutely recommend a grinder. Unless you are Edward Scissor Hands, grinding cannabis into a fine herb by hand can be a real pain. Here’s a video from the master Wiz to help you out.
EDIBLES, RESINS, OILS, WAXES AND GALLORE!
Now that you know the basics about cannabis, it’s time to learn about edibles and concentrates. With all the different different ways to consume marijuana, users are looking for methods beyond the bounds of papers and pipes.
EDIBLES
Cannabis infused foods are a great way for patients to enjoy the benefits of the plant without having to smoke. Typical edibles usually range from chocolate bars, candy, brownies, cookies, refreshments, snacks and more.
Once the food enters your stomach, it begins to break down and digests where it is than. The THC enters your bloodstream and the effects kick in.. The high amounts of CBD have nausea reducing properties, great for those who take medication that makes them nauseous or even for expecting mothers who have morning sickness.
The range of medical use is vast.
We strongly suggest when first using edibles, to start with a small dose of 10-15mg. See how the medication affects you and after two hours if the effects aren’t as desired, take a higher dose. Learn how edibles affect you and find the dosage that works best.
The new industry of concentrates is ever changing and can be difficult at times to understand. The ocean of concentrates consists of two main groups called solvent based and non-solvent based. Both can be very high in THC or CBD
Non-solvent concentrates come in a few forms. The simplest is the “kief" you find at the bottom of a grinder with a screen. This material is sifted trichomes (and some plant material) and is one of the least potent concentrates. This can be compressed and heated into a block of hash.
Some other forms of solvent-less concentrates are bubble hash and rosin, are which usable on a dab rig. We’ll get into how to use a dab rig later. Both of these concentrates are very potent and contain high amounts of THC, CBD, and terpenes. (Terpenes are what give the unique flavor)
Solvent-based concentrates utilize chemicals to strip cannabis of their resin glands.
Some common solvent-based concentrates you may see are:
• CO2 Oil - Commonly used in pre-filled vaporizers as it has a long shelf life.
• Wax and Budder - whipped into an airy consistency
• Live Resin - Known for its high amount of terpenes and excellent flavor. (mimics a live plant taste)
• Shatter - Easy to handle when chilled, taffy like consistency when warm.
• Distillate - Super high potency, with almost zero material left behind. Is the clearest concentrate.
WATER PIPES AND CONCENTRATE RIGS:
HOW TO USE THEM
So you purchased an awesome glass piece from your favorite smoke shop. What should you look for? Let’s break it down into water pipes for dry plant material and concentrate rigs for... concentrates… duh.
Just fill up the pipe with water so just your stem or percolator is covered. Water pipes come in unlimited shapes, sizes and styles so understand how your water pipe works. Give it a few test pulls to make sure the water isn’t too high and splashing in your mouth ( Gross! ) or too low and not filtering at all.
Grind some herb and tightly pack it into the bowl. Spark up and enjoy! To clear the pipe of smoke, lift the bowl out of the steam and allow fresh air to rush through.
DABBING WITH A RIG
Dabbing can be a little more complex than smoking a bowl. However, it is a efficient way to get a high dose of medication fast. You’re going to need purchase some sort of torch, or an “e-nail”. Use the torch to heat the nail or banger on your rig.
A safe temperature for a low-temp dab is 315-450 degrees F. This is the sweet spot to completely vaporize all the cannabinoids and terpenes. A smooth hit that's easy on your lungs is the goal. The higher you go over this temperature, the harsher the hit.
ENJOY THE EFFECTS OF THE PLANT
Congratulations, you've graduated Canna-cation High, and you know everything you need to about marijuana! Now what? Enjoy the healing benefits of this natural medicine. If you may have consumed a little more THC than you are used to, don't worry.
There have been zero recorded deaths ever from Cannabis. Don't let any feelings of paranoia or worry manifest, just breath and let it all go. That's the biggest mistake some first time cannabis users make.
Don't over think everything. No, you're heart is not really going to beat out of your chest and no, you're not going to die. You're just pretty stone
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