Welcome to thegreengold.org, the cannabis for everyone site, where we provide a judgment free zone to learn and talk all about cannabis. As always, this is not medical advice, and is written for educational purposes only.
I feel like there is this stigma around marijuana. Yet, most of the people that have this feeling towards marijuana, still use other drugs that are more detrimental to their health. Drugs like alcohol, or ones that simply don’t work enough, like pain killers and meds for mental conditions.
I feel like, these people are simply misinformed when it comes to marijuana, and all the great benefits it can have in your life. This is why I decided to write this article, “Marijuana for beginners”, to help start informing people that have been lied to for so long.
Beating the Stigma.
We have to start beating the stigma when it comes to marijuana. A lot of people really think it is a dangerous drug that can harm you, and even kill you. This just isn’t true. Alcohol kills 10s of thousands of people every year, cigarettes attributing to millions of deaths a year, and marijuana? You tell me. How many marijuana related deaths have you heard of? But, alcohol and cigarettes are okay and legal, and marijuana is this terrible drug?
It’s time to get real people. We have to understand that, when used properly, all of these things could have benefits, but none quite as beneficial as marijuana. Marijuana has many different beneficial compounds, from antibacterial to antiinflamatory properties. These are delivered through terpenes in the plant.
Terpenes can be found on most plants, and they typically carry the health benefits of the plant. The most commonly known compound in marijuana is THC. This is the compound responsible for the cerebral effects of marijuana. This is the property that is said to help with depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions.
It’s more than you think.
Eeewwww, what’s that smell? Some people hate the smell, some people love the smell. The good news is, there are ways to consume for both kinds of people. Whether you like to smoke or not, you can enjoy the benefits of marijuana. Some would even argue that smoking marijuana is the least health beneficial way.
The belief here is, that any kind of smoke in your lungs isn’t good. There is not enough research around cannabis smoke, and its effects on the lungs, to say it’s bad for your lungs. The research that has been done suggests, that it is far better for your lungs than cigarette smoke.
So, if you don’t like the idea of smoke going into your lungs, there are several other ways to consume marijuana.
The different ways to consume marijuana.
So, wait you don’t have to smoke weed? What? Would you believe me if I told you it’s as simple as putting drops under your tongue? Or maybe, you are a person that likes cookies. Edibles is the second most popular form of, what I like to call dosing, or consuming marijuana. Most will tell you to be careful though. Take it slow. Everybody has a different “tolerance” for marijuana edibles.
This has to do with the structure of the preexisting cannabinoids in your body. So, take it slow and see how your body reacts. They also make marijuana pill capsules that act like a slow release medication. So for instance if you take depression medication, it is probably in a capsule. This allows a delayed release into your system, rather than an all at once administration.
So, with edibles, smoking, and other forms it all goes into your system at once, and capsules are slow release. This allows for a less intense, delayed effect, that lasts longer. The drops I mentioned earlier come in the forms of a fast absorbing tincture that you drop under your tongue or even mix with your tea. It absorbs into your blood stream in a short period time, and you get the benefits of dosing without smoking.
So, you choose a method of dosing, now what?
Now its time to reap the benefits, but first let me explain a little more why I like to call it dosing. I like to call it this, because you have to find the amount of dosing that works for you. We all have preexisting cannabinoid receptors in our bodies. Everybodies cannabinoid receptors are different. Unlike alcohol, it has little to do with height, weight or gender. So, don’t assume that, because you are 6 foot 5 inches, 300 lbs, a male, and can drink a case of beer only to feel “buzzed”, that it will take more than one cookie to take your big ass down!
So, no matter which forms of dosing you decide to use, start SLOW! I don’t say this to scare you, I say this to slow you down. Too often, we take things too fast, and that’s why we don’t end up liking them. Marijuana for some people, is one of those things. For some, if you start out with too much and too strong it could freak you out. For others, they could dose and not feel anything, therefore writing it off as not working.
What I like to do is, with any form of dosing, give it at least 15 minutes to a half hour, for edibles an hour. If I don’t feel anything, then I will dose again.
Edibles: Most edibles are around 5-25mg, a piece. Some people can have one or 2 pieces and feel the benefits of marijuana. Myself, I would have to eat 10-50 pieces to feel the benefits. This is why I don’t personally use edibles as my dosing method, if I did I feel like I wold gain a lot of weight.
Tinctures: These come in dropper viles that contain around 250 mg total THC. You simply put 1-2 drops under your tongue and wait. They will absorb fast, and you can receive the benefits of marijuana without smoking it or gaining weight.
Capsules: Are like the set it and forget it forms of dosing. Just like any medication, start on a low milligram and see how it works and go from there. I have tried this method, and It provided a very even spectrum of the benefits of marijuana. This came in a form, where I didn’t have to keep re-dosing to feel the benefits.
Smoking and vaping: Smoking is typically done in the forms of inhaling smoke or taking a hit. So, my best advice is to take it one hit at a time, as this is the fastest way to feel the effects. Meaning, this is the form of dosing that hits you the fastest. You could feel the effects immediately fallowing one hit, or it could take a few minutes. So, like I said take it one hit at a time, if you don’t feel anything right away, wait 5-15 min and take another hit.
Hopefully this helped.
So, whether you decide to use cannabis right now or not, my best advice is to take it slow. Really get a feel for what this plant really has to offer, and what forms of dosing would be best for you. So, whether today, or when you feel the time is right, you can reap the benefits!
If you have any questions about marijuana, and how it can benefit you, leave me a comment below, and I will be more than happy to help you out!