Holidays can be a beautiful way to bring people together to celebrate the end of the year and connect over good food, good company, and maybe, just maybe — great cannabis.
If you’re hosting other cannabis patients (or recreational users, in legal states!), we have some tips on how to go the extra mile to ensure your guests have a comfortable and memorable experience.
First thing to remember: Everyone’s cannabis use looks different.
Cannabis affects everyone differently. Don’t assume that friends and family will have the same tolerance level as you, enjoy the same terpene profiles, or even use cannabis in the same way (inhaling, tinctures, edibles).
Of course, the best way to accommodate everyone is to conduct a general survey ahead of time — sometimes you simply can’t know unless you ask! Depending on how personal you are with your guests, you can ask these questions casually in conversation, over text, or you could even make a Google Survey to collect the information. Here are some example questions:
- What are your favorite ways to use cannabis?
- Options: Edibles, tinctures, smoking, dabbing, vaping
- Are there any cannabis products you aren’t comfortable using?
- Do you prefer high-THC, high-CBD, or balanced CBD:THC products?
- What’s your typical dose when using edibles?
If you don’t want to do a survey, consider stocking at least one option from each of the 3 different Types of cannabis, including at least one hemp CBD-only option for curious guests who haven’t tried cannabis before or who don’t have a legal medical marijuana card.
Designate smoking/vaping areas in advance.
To avoid awkward conversations, be sure to set expectations about smoking and vaping before guests arrive so they can come prepared. Do guests need to step outside to smoke/vape? Is there one room specifically for smoking or vaping? Are you ok with guests vaping at the dinner table? Whatever your boundaries, make them clear! Here’s an example text message to help you be friendly yet firm in your expectations:
- Hey friend, I’m looking forward to seeing you on Thursday! I’ll have THC-infused chocolates for everyone, but please feel free to bring your own cannabis as well. Anyone who wants to smoke/vape is welcome to do so in the basement, where I’ll have some pipes and lighters available. 😊 Let me know if you have any questions or concerns!
Keep the cannabis separate.
Chances are that not everything will have cannabis. Keep infused foods separate from non-infused foods so that no one gets mixed up as the party goes on. If you’ll have non-cannabis users, this is especially important to ensure they feel comfortable indulging in the good food without fear of it being infused. Click here to download our label templates as a printable PDF / edit in Canva
And of course, if you have children or furry friends in attendance, make sure any infused foods (and other cannabis products) are secured well out of reach. If you’re making a batch of cookies or other sweets where you plan to infuse half, consider doing something that makes them visually distinct from one another — such as icing them with two different colors or using two differently shaped molds.
As an alternative to serving infused foods, you could give your guests the opportunity to add cannabis to their own individual meal, giving them full control over their own dose. Here are some ideas on how you could do that:
- Offer an infused chocolate bar to grate over pie or other desserts. Explore KC chocolates / Florissant chocolates
- Offer infused beverages for guests to add to their own drinks. Superhost tip: consider mixing up mocktails then offering both complimentary alcoholic and cannabis-infused additions so that guests can create their own experience. Explore KC beverages / Florissant beverages
- Allow guests to decorate their own gingerbread or dirt-cake cups, supplying both infused and non-infused gummy options. Explore KC gummies / Florissant gummies
- Keep it simple by choosing gummy flavors that compliment the flavors of your served desserts, such as Robhots Apple Pie Gummies, available at Feel State Florissant
Label EVERYTHING with THC and CBD percentage.
As the host, it’s your responsibility to make sure that all cannabis products are clearly labeled so that guests can make informed decisions. If you have homegrown cannabis without a lab-reported potency, make sure you clearly disclose that on your labels.
Superhost tip: Include a list of primary terpenes on your labels! If your dispensary doesn’t provide terpene profiles, you can label with “indica” or “sativa” to give guests a general idea of common effects — then be prepared to explain why “indica” and “sativa” is language the cannabis industry needs to move away from in order to better empower consumers to choose the best products for their specific needs. Learn more about that here
Click here to download our label templates as a printable PDF / edit in Canva
Keep your edibles low-dose.
Some guests may need only 5mg, while others want 20mg. It’s easier and less stressful for guests to simply eat more of an item rather than trying to split a cookie or chocolate bite into even pieces.
Be prepared to educate your guests.
Even if someone has used cannabis before, they may not really know how to properly dose or even choose the best method of consumption for the experience they want to have. Consider printing some of our free downloads to have on hand for curious guests to reference. Our personal favorites are
- Intro to Cannabis — A comprehensive introduction to the endocannabinoid system and three major types of cannabis. Click here to download
- Guide to Microdosing — Great for helping guests find their perfect dose without taking it too far at your party. Click here to download
- Methods of Consumption — Perfect for helping guests understand the differences in onset time and length of effects for different types of cannabis products. Click here to download
Written by Kristen Williams
