Cannabis 101

Joints/Blunts: Joints and Blunts are the most commonly utilized method of smoking cannabis. The benefits of rolling a joint or blunt range from convenience to communicativeness. First grind your flower, then roll it up in either a paper or wrap, and now it’s ready to smoke. The act of smoking either of these is universally recognized across the globe.

Dry Pipes: Dry Pipes (Spoons, Chillums, Steamrollers, etc.) are the least fussy method of smoking flower, making them perfect for travel or discreet use. Most pipes nowadays are made from glass, but can be made from metal, ceramic, wood, or silicone. Grind your cannabis, pack it in your bowl, and light it up.

Wet Pipes: Wet pipes (Bongs, Bubblers, etc.) function similarly in that they offer users a readily usable method of indulgence; users need only fill the device with water/ice to the desired level, grind the cannabis, pack it into the bowl, and rip. Wet pipes come in many shapes, sizes, colors, and materials. It is worth noting that the filtration of the smoke through the water has its own benefits as well.

Vaporizers: Vaporizing has become one of the most popular go to methods for consuming cannabis. Utilizing vaporization to activate cannabinoids is considered to be a less harsh method of consumption when compared to combustion. Loose leaf or extracted material is heated up just enough to release its key ingredients in vapor form, which prevents users from inhaling combusted material.

Cannabis Flower: A general term that refers to the smokable, trichome-covered part of a female cannabis plant. Flower is the most popular form of cannabis due to its versatility, offering numerous methods of consumption, such as being smoked using a pipe/bong or by rolling a joint/blunt. Other ways cannabis can be used is by vaporization, extractions, or cooking/baking.

Loose Flower: Loose flower refers to the smokable section of the cannabis plant, also known as nuggets, nugs, or bud. In common practice before combusting cannabis, users will grind flower so it can be more easily manipulated for packing a bowl or rolling a joint.

Pre-Rolls: The other form of non-combusted flower available for purchase comes in cylindrical or cone-like cannabis cigarettes known as joints, pre-rolls, or blunts. Producers gathers ground cannabis and roll it into “pre-rolls” to offer consumers a high-quality combusting experience with utmost convenience. The grinding, rolling, packing, and wrapping have all been done for you… all you have to do is light it up!

Cannabis Types: When browsing or purchasing cannabis strains at any dispensary you may notice that strains are commonly broken up into three different groups:

INDICA – SATIVA – HYBRID

Today “Indica” describes stout broad-leaf plants, thought to deliver sedating effects. Where “Sativa” refers to tall, narrow-leaf plants, thought to deliver energizing effects. “Hybrid” is a term for strains of cannabis with traits from both indica and sativa. This has allowed for optimal growth and producing strains with mixed effects.

An edible in this context, is a food infused with cannabinoids. Cannabis edibles can be brownies, cookies, candies, and more! Any recipe that calls for butter or oil can be readily infused with cannabis. Edible cannabinoids are processed differently than inhaled cannabinoids. When ingested, cannabinoids enter the bloodstream through the stomach and liver, which increases potency while also delaying the onset of effects. This process delays initial onset by a few hours however it also lengthens the effects, sometimes causing them to last upwards of eight hours.

Due to edibles’ delayed onset and duration of effects, users must find their way with trial and error. Consumers should read packaging to understand dosing information. Beginners typically should start with a single dose of one to five milligrams of THC, then wait 2-4 hours to evaluate effects before consuming more. It should be noted that an individual who ingests an edible without eating beforehand will feel the effects much more quickly than someone with a full stomach.

Beverages in this sense are similar to edibles, meaning they are drinks infused with cannabis and when ingested they can cause psychotropic effects much like their consumable counterparts but with one significant difference. Traditional edibles usually have a delayed onset due to the time it takes to breakdown and digest the edible and process the THC. Beverages however have a much quicker onset due to a process called nanoemulsification, in which the THC has already been broken down and is suspended within the liquid. This difference allows for a faster onset of effects with a shorter duration, making beverages a nice choice for social gatherings when smoking or vaping may not be an option.

Commonly referred to as dabs, wax, shatter, batter, or oil. Concentrates have boomed in popularity over recent years due to their potent effects. As you probably guessed by the name, these products are a concentrated form of cannabis made by separating the trichomes, cannabinoids, and terpenes from the plant fiber itself.

Cannabis concentrates can be divided into two subsets:

Solvent-Based Concentrates: Using solvents such as carbon dioxide, propane, or butane to extract everything and then finally purging the solvents to be left with your final concentrated product.

Solventless Concentrates: Made using heat, pressure, water, and filtration to remove everything from the plant. This is more time consuming than solvent-based extraction but is considered a more natural method.

Concentrates can be potent, so you need to be careful with dosage, to make sure you are consuming the right amount for your needs. When purchasing concentrates, take time to discuss your needs and how to use them with your bud-tender to find out the best options for you. Concentrates can be used with a dab pen, a type of oil or wax vaporizer. Also a dab rig, a type of water pipe similar to a bong, can be used. It is also not unheard of for people to use some forms of concentrates atop, or inside of some flower much like hash. Different types of concentrates vaporize at different temperatures as well for optimal consumption.

CBD: CBD stands for Cannabidiol – a completely non-psychoactive naturally occurring compound unique to the cannabis plant with enormous healing potential. CBD has been found to provide relief from chronic pain, anxiety, inflammation, depression, and many other conditions. When it comes to dosages, considering the variables is key. Body weight can impact how fast you metabolize and can affect dosages. Also with a wide variety of ways to take CBD products, your method of consumption should always be taken into consideration. Using CBD products can range from ingesting edibles or tinctures, intake via inhalation, or even used topically on the skin. Due to the nature of CBD’s versatility, there is bound to be the right product for your needs.

Delta-8 THC: Delta-8 THC is one of the compounds found naturally occurring in the cannabis plant. The effects of Delta-8 THC can be described as a less potent, more uplifting and clear headed version of Delta-9 THC. Delta-8 products should be worth considering for those who seek relaxation from a natural product more potent than CBD but less so than THC, or considered by those who have benefitted from using Delta-9 THC but do not want the intense high/stoned feeling that can come from it. With that being said Delta-8 can indeed result in psychotropic effects similar to Delta-9 depending on amount of consumption per individual.