Thinking about consuming cannabis but unsure of the best way to go about it? Concerned you might have a bad experience and be unable to cope with the effects?
Having questions such as these are very common for individuals who are new or unfamiliar with cannabis. They is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, the more questions you ask and the more information you take in will only help improve your overall cannabis experience.
Cannabis is a very complex plant and everyone’s body reacts to it differently. Whether it be dosage, effects of different strains or products, or environmental factors, there are lots of considerations to take into account as to how consuming cannabis might affect your body’s overall natural state.
Most importantly, always make you purchase from a legally operating dispensary which carries lab tested products. Recently there has been a lot of concern over vaping products containing various additives, notably Vitamin E Acetate. Without getting too scientific, many supplements or compounds are completely harmless to humans in one form, but not in another (such as when you heat them, thus causing their molecular composition to change). If you happen to purchase cannabis from an illicit source, there is no good way of knowing exactly what you are buying without getting it lab tested. Look for products with labels which show the ingredients, cannabinoid and terpene percentages.
Circling back to having questions about cannabis, make sure to ask them! Purchasing and using cannabis can be very personal. Every dispensary employee should be well trained on the plant and all of the products to help make your cannabis experience enjoyable. The people working in dispensaries have a responsibility to guide you in a comfortable and beneficial manner to help you achieve your desired outcome. Just be aware if they start making explicit medical claims - this is a big no, no!
As a general rule, starting low and slow is best. For most people, there is no need to consume a large amount of cannabis at any one time. It may be beneficial to purchase products that are designed to help control the dosage (such as tinctures). Our recommendation is to begin with a few milligrams and see how you feel. If you need more, then by all means go for it. Just make sure the increases are done in manageable increments. It is also a good idea to document and take notes of your experiences. How much did you consume? What product did you use? How did you feel? Being diligent can help you improve your outcome and even save you money by not using too much at any one time.
Finally, experiment! There are a lot of different cannabis products in the market. Try them out and potentially discover something you enjoy which may not have initially appealed to you. Remember, even with new products, still utilize the low and slow method. Different consumption methods may not produce an effect as quickly as others (i.e. smoking cannabis flower will generally produce an effect much more quickly than consuming an edible). Going back to the science talk, to get as close to an apples to apples comparison between products as possible, it is a good idea to minimize external variables. That means use different products under as similar conditions as possible.
The decision to consume cannabis can be a complex one. Fortunately, there are a lot of people out there willing to help make this process as simple and comforting as possible. Finding a trusted dispensary to help guide you through the process is a good place to start!
