The marijuana industry has absolutely blown up over the last few years, especially since the legalization of marijuana in the States. In fact, cannabis is officially legal in 11 States within the US, and Medicinal Cannabis is legal in 34 of the 50.
As a result, there have been tons of advancements in the industry, including the number of different methods of consumption that are now available, from dab rigs to vaporizers, and custom-styled bongs. Online head shops such as Smokecartel.com have these in abundance, and this large variety is also only available due to the ease at which these devices can be researched, now that marijuana has been legalized in so many states.
But marijuana hasn’t always been as easily spoken about, and it’s only been within the last five years that it’s not actually taboo to bring up in conversation. Now widely socially accepted, yes, however that’s not to say that everyone fully understands the plant just yet, let alone knows their marijuana facts.
One of the biggest questions first-time/curious users find themselves asking is if there’s indeed a difference between the various methods of consumption at all? If I say, indulge in a CBD vegan brownie date ball, is it the same as smoking a joint?
To answer all your canna woes and questions, let’s explore some of the most popular methods of consumption, including what to expect, the effects and more.
Vaping
Firstly, this is not to be confused with smoking, because you are actually taking in vapour, and not smoke. For these reasons, vaping has gained mass popularity over the last few years, often seen as a healthier alternative.
To get started, you’ll need an actual vape (the piece of equipment used for vaping), as well as either vape oil or dry herb. As you vape the marijuana, you inhale the cannabis liquid or dry flower as it gets heated inside your device’s chamber.
Now get ready, you’ll feel the effects pretty soon after, which can last anything between ten minutes to two hours depending on your tolerance levels.
So why choose to vape over other methods?
For health benefits, instead of smoke, vaping produces more like what looks like steam which is free from carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide.
The effects of vaping are known to be more intense for some, and for all you canna-connoisseurs, the flavour is really well pronounced – if you have a good quality vape that is!
Realistically, a vape is way more discreet than some other methods AND you’ll never have to carry a lighter!
However, if you like to keep things old-school, this method may not be up your alley, and can become quite finicky. You’ll also need to regularly clean your vape.
Smoking
One of the oldest methods in the book, it remains a preferred choice among many smokers today. This method involves using dry herb flower which is then either rolled or placed into a piece of equipment and lit. The herb is directly heated and burns, releasing smoke into your lungs and straight into the bloodstream.
For these reasons, the effects of smoking are felt instantaneously so if you’re looking for an immediate high/relief, consider this option.
You can either roll your herb into a paper, referred to as the beloved joint/spliff/blunt/jiggy, or you can add it to a pipe or a bong ad light it up.
Apart from its immediate effects, many prefer smoking as it leaves more control over how much cannabis you’re choosing to consume. The effects are similar to that of vaping, and can last between five minutes and two hours, depending on how strong the marijuana is, as well as what strain you are smoking.
On the same token, unless you know the grower/source, you can’t always guarantee exact potency levels of a piece of bud, whereas many times with vape oils they will state the THC or CBD content.
Edibles
Unlike with smoking or vaping, when consuming edibles, you are in fact ingesting the cannabis which makes its way down to the body’s digestive system and the cannabinoids enter the body directly through the liver.
Cannabinoids refer to chemical compounds found with the Cannabis plant and they work with specific parts of the human body. Some of these include THC and CBD. –
So what’s an edible then? As the name suggests, this is cannabis in food/drink form, and usually the product is infused or cooked/baked using cannabis. Today there’s a plethora of edibles on the market and what began with just the usuals such as cookies, gummies, chocolates and teas has opened up to a much bigger realm.
Today you’ll find cannabis coffees and kombuchas, beers and sparkling waters, honey, infused oils and dried fruit, butters, date bombs balls as well as all sorts of vegan delights.
Because the cannabis isn’t heading straight into the bloodstream, it often takes a lot longer for one to feel the effects of edibles, and can sometimes take up to two hours. BUT BEWARE, edibles are p.o.t.e.n.t and often effects can last up to eight hours!
Edibles can be highly effective, although sometimes too much so if you’ve taken too much, which often happens in the case of edibles because the effects take quite a while to come on. Be patient, they will work – unless you’ve been taken for a ride.
Dabbing
Think you’ve heard it all? As mentioned prior, there’s always something new popping up in the cannabis world, and dabbing is one of the more relatively newer methods for consumption – but it may not be everyone’s cup of tea.
So what in Mary-Jane’s name is dabbing? First things first, you’ll have to purchase the correct equipment, as well as marijuana concentrate – also referred to as a dab/honey/wax/BHO.
The tool (dab rig) itself looks similar to a bong, and you will first heat up the nail, then you will add a tiny amount of concentrate/dab to the heated nail head. It then begins to vaporise in which case you inhale the smoke
When dabbing, you can expect to feel the effects immediately but beware, a dabbing tool isn’t for beginners and dabs are known to be extremely potent…If you’ve never tried marijuana before, a dab could lead to an anxiety ridden trip.
Another downside, if you do happen to start consuming marijuana using dabs as your preferred method, you may find an intolerance to other methods of consumption, i.e. if smoking a joint you won’t feel high/any effects.
Looking on the bright side, if you’ve turned to marijuana to treat a serious medical illness/condition and require high/potent amounts of THC, with immediate effect for relief, you might actually want to consider a dab.
Lastly, much like that of a vape the flavour is more intense, as the cannabis is not being directly burnt, but rather heated and then turned into vapour smoke.
