There are many different cannabis products out there, from the traditional dried flower to new options for edibles and drinkables. The more you know about what’s available, the more options you have and the better choices you’ll make. Here are five excellent ways to experience cannabis.
1. Tinctures
Tinctures are extractions of the beneficial chemicals in cannabis plants. Made by soaking the plant in grain alcohol, they usually come in small dropper bottles.
Most people use cannabis tincture in one of three ways:
- Sublingually (under the tongue), so you start feeling the effects in as little as 15 minutes
- Swallowed or added to food, in which case the effect is slightly delayed but lasts longer
- Topically for skin complaints or injuries
Tinctures are extremely easy to dose—you use the small dropper to measure out exactly the amount you need. They’re great for figuring out your minimum effective dose. Additionally, they’re very easy to carry around, making them the most versatile cannabis products on the market.
2. Vape Pens
Vape pens serve as a convenient and, some say safer alternative to smoking. You can buy a disposable pen or go with the rechargeable option. These use a replaceable oil cartridge that you can switch out.
Vape pens fit in your pocket, so you can carry them anywhere you go. They’re smoke-free yet offer a nearly instantaneous effect. This makes them popular with recreational users and medical users who need quick relief throughout the day.
3. Gummies
Gummies are versatile and convenient edible cannabis products that contain CBD, THC, or a combination of the two. They’re highly portable and look just like gummy candies or vitamins, so you can carry them around if you need them on-the-go.
Gummies take effect slower but are longer-lasting than non-edible products. Most people feel the effects within 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the strength and contents of the product. Moreover, gummies that contain more THC and/or CBD tend to work faster.
The effects of a gummy can last between six to eight hours, but most people feel peak effects around three hours after consumption. Some people feel that edibles have stronger effects than vaped or smoked cannabis, so it’s always smart to start with a lower dosage and work your way up.
4. Water-soluble Powders
Because it contains THC, a lipid, cannabis doesn’t dissolve easily in water. Fortunately, modern science has solved that problem by wrapping cannabis extracts in vegetable starches. This creates micro-bubbles that can then be dried into a powder, which you can buy on the consumer market.
You can add water-soluble cannabis powders into any food or beverage. It’s a discreet high because people routinely dissolve all kinds of nutritional supplements into their drinks.
Because it’s added to food, water-soluble powders have to go through your digestive system to take effect, but they break down faster than edibles. Most people feel the effects within 15 minutes if they consume the powder on an empty stomach.
5. Pet Treats
More and more, pet owners are turning to CBD products to treat many of the same conditions that cannabis treats in humans—anxiety, pain, digestive problems, and even seizures. Owners report dramatic effects, so much so that CBD-enhanced pet treats are cropping up everywhere from animal behaviorists’ offices to human dispensaries and yoga studios.
It’s important for cannabis pet treats not to contain THC, which isn’t good for animals. CBD, on the other hand, is well-tolerated and effective, as long as the product is high-quality.
Cannabis Products Should Be Lab Tested
With all cannabis products, always buy from a reputable source and make sure the concentrations of CBD and/or THC are verified by third-party testing.