Responsible Consumption Practices for first timers

Preface

There are a number of ways to consume cannabis. Cannabis is most commonly smoked, eaten or applied to the body. Smoking yields near instant intoxication which is what makes this the most common method of consumption, while eating edibles take hours to fully metabolize. Topical CBD/THC solutions can be used to address pain and inflammation in joints or muscle tissues due to age or injuries but aren’t typically psychoactive, even if they do contain THC. Honey Forms molds shatter and wax concentrate into uniform, easy to break pieces so you get constant size dabs enabling you to estimate how much active ingredients are in each serving. This quantification is extremely useful in isolating your subjective therapeutic window or how much is too much or too little for you to achieve what you want to achieve. It is up to you to determine if your lifestyle can be enhanced by smoking, applying, eating or drinking cannabis based on your needs, behaviors and ailments.

Determining how cannabis can effect your life and how to make to the most of it takes self experimentation, time and a little research. When trying something new, start with a small amount and consume it slowly. Even experienced users can take too much and get caught off guard by the potency of extracts or edibles, leading to adverse effects. The different ways of utilizing cannabis have their own unique value, Tell your Doctor or bud tender about what you’re trying to achieve and ask for their recommendations on what product is right for you.

Whether you’re using cannabis medicinally or recreationally, it is important to be educated about what you’re taking and how to take it properly. Ask your Doctor or budtender for advise on serving sizes, and if they carry tools or utensils needed to consume what you’re interested in. The following paragraphs are a guide on how to responsibly discover your subjective therapeutic window though common consumption methods. I’ve made this guide from reflecting on my own consumption habits and anecdotal feedback I received from the guests who frequented the dispensary I worked at.

HOW TO ISOLATE YOUR “SUBJECTIVE THERAPEUTIC WINDOW”:

Conduct your experimentation legally, in a controlled and comfortable environment, preferably with your favorite people.

inspired by the works of- Dr. Uwe Blesching, The Cannabis Health Index

IF EXPERIMENTING WITH SHATTER, WAX, LIVE RESINS OR CONCENTRATE:

Visit your local dispensary and ask the budtender if they carry Honey Forms. Vaping concentrates from a pen will spread the dose over many hits, while smoking out of a rig will vaporize the serving all at once. When consuming concentrates, temperature is an important variable to keep in mind. Low heat will preserve the terpenes and make for a more flavorful experience, but wont produce a lot of vapor. Higher heat will vaporize more material at once and yield more potent effects but diminish the flavor. Finding a nice spot in the middle that produces a smooth, satisfying hit that tastes great will also take some experimentation and will vary depending on the type of extraction and utensil you use. When dabbing, I highly recommend using a eNail so you know exactly what temperature your nail is holding at. This ensures you don’t over heat the concentrate, preserving the precious terpenes and cannabinoids so you can fully experience the effects. You can then adjust the holding temperature up or down depending on your observations.

IF EXPERIMENTING WITH VAPE CARTRIDGES:

Visit your local dispensary and ask the budtender for their favorite vape cartridge and make sure it is compatible with your battery. A rechargeable battery with universal 510 threading and variable settings is most cost effective. Proprietary cartridge battery set ups are optimized to work together and are typically more luxurious, but also have fewer options, and can’t be found in every store. Most variable voltage batteries only have low medium and high settings, refer to manufacturer specs to determine what those temperatures are and how to change them. Set to “Low,” then work your way up to “High” to see what you enjoy. Hotter temps will combust more material, decreasing the longevity of the cartridge.

IF EXPERIMENTING WITH EDIBLES:

Visit your local dispensary and ask about their favorite choice or if they have one that fits your dietary needs. Most of your favorite munchies have an infused equivalent whether it is a chocolate, gummy, baked good, or hard candy. Over the counter Recreational Edibles can vary in strength from 2.5mg - 10mg per serving while Medicinal Doses can exceed 100mg and need a Medical License to purchase. It is important to be patient and allow the cannabis to metabolize fully. It is hard enough to have just one piece of regular candy, let alone delicious candy that can potentially give you the munchies. We recommend keeping your edibles out of sight, out of mind, and away from children after eating your dose and otherwise snack on other, non-medicated foods is recommended to avoid over consumption of infused edibles.