HOLY SMOKES! SO MANY CHOICES…The Absolute Beginners’ Definitive Guide to Cannabis

Back when I first tried cannabis, there were basically two ways you could use it: you could smoke it or you could make it into some form of homemade edible.

The problem with the latter is that you were “The Chef,” which required — and still does — a good deal of experience to get it right.

You also needed A LOT of cannabis to make your own edibles which was expensive, to say the least, and not quite so easy to acquire in New York City in the late 1980s. If you’d never smoked pot before, you probably didn’t have a great connection for buying it; so, imagine standing on a street corner in Greenwich Village trying to nonchalantly ask a random pot dealer for 20 or 30 $10 bags of weed — “dime bags,” as they were commonly called and sold back then — without either being suspected of being a cop, getting robbed, or both.

Last, it’s practically impossible to make edibles at home discreetly. It requires as a first step that you slowly heat cannabis in the oven at a low temperature to gently activate the THC in the plant without burning it, so that it then can be infused into butter or oil, or distilled in a high-proof alcohol into an elixir. That process takes infinitely longer than it does to smoke, and REALLY stinks up the house. Back in the days before marijuana was legal, you probably wanted to keep a low profile with the neighbors and your landlord unless you always fancied yourself appearing in your very own episode of “COPS.”

So, when you think about it that really only left us with one real choice back then: to smoke it.

Today, a new cannabis user has many more options available to them. In fact, for a first-time user or even a casual user, the choices can seem overwhelming with so many different forms, flavors and potency levels to choose from and all readily available at a moment’s notice.

To help you navigate all the different choices and settle on the one that’s right for you based on the type of experience you’re looking for and where you are in your journey with cannabis, following is a beginner’s guide for selecting cannabis products. We’ll try to help you understand different forms that are available, a bit about how each works, and offer some suggestions to help you feel safe and have a good time.

HOW CANNABIS WORK

As I often tell people that are curious about trying cannabis but are still a little bit worried about what it will do and how it will affect them, “Don’t worry: You were built to use cannabis.” While that may sound a bit like good, old-fashioned “hippie-dippy” nonsense, it’s actually a scientific fact; the human body is hard-wired for the use of cannabis — and to benefit from that use.

In the spirit of keeping the science simple, our bodies are equipped with something called the “Endocannabinoid System,” which exists to regulate a vast number of other systems and metabolic processes in the body, from memory to mood, digestion and appetite, sleep and energy, immune response, fertility and much more. These cannabinoid receptors, which are located primarily in the brain but also throughout the body, are triggered by naturally occurring substances in the body called endocannabinoids, which are molecularly similar to the cannabinoids that exist in marijuana. There are many, many more that science continues to uncover and explore, but for the purposes of this discussion, we’ll focus on the two you’re probably most familiar with, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (Cannabidiol).

(In another blog, we’ll talk a bit about a third cannabinoid that is currently gaining increased attention, CBN (cannabinol), and it’s role in managing sleep and appetite.)

When we consume cannabis, the THC attaches to receptors that govern certain responses in the body, causing, for example, that sense of giggly euphoria that is often associated with the feeling of being “high.” Similarly, CBD molecules attach to receptors that help manage inflammation — among other benefits — and provide relief from pain

How — and how fast — that THC or CBD enters the bloodstream and begins to trigger those receptors throughout the body, is based largely on body chemistry and personal tolerance, but even more so by the form in which it was consumed in, and of course, the potency of what was consumed.

In addition, there is mounting research around the subject of terpenes — naturally occurring organic compounds that exist in all plants, causing them to smell and/or taste a certain way —and their role in something called, “The Entourage Effect,” which is the theory that, rather than a single cannabinoid such as THC or CBD, it is the combined impact of consuming the whole plant and all of its cannabinoids, together with the specific terpenes contained in the plant, that produces the beneficial effects of cannabis.

As an example, strains of cannabis such as LA Confidential and Lavender Kush that contain high concentrations of the terpene linalool — responsible for the floral scent familiar in thyme and lavender — tend to produce more stress-reducing, calming effects. Meanwhile, strains with high amounts of limonene — commonly found in citrus fruits — such as Lemon Haze or Mimosa, tend to deliver more creative, cerebral highs, helping to improve focus and enhance concentration.

(For more on what to expect, see <LINK TO> “Cannabis for Beginners” blog).

FORM AND FUNCTION

Because of all of the cross-breeding that has taken place among growers and cultivators over the past two to three decades, currently there are about 800 different documented strains of cannabis. But for the purposes of this discussion, we’re going to focus broadly on the three basic types of cannabis: Indica strains, which tend to produce calming and relaxing effects; Sativa, which tend to produce a more active and energetic high; and Hybrid strains, which offer a little bit of both. (There is a fourth, Ruderalis, which is native to Central Europe and Russia, where it tends to grow in the wild, and is not widely cultivated given the plant’s low THC content.) Most of the cannabis and cannabis-infused products available on the market are derived from hybrids that are typically “indica-” or “sativa-dominant.”

In general, popular Sativa-dominant strains like Jack Herer and Chocolope are best recommended for day-time use, enhancing creativity, focus and concentration. Indica-dominant strains like Northern Lights and Triangle Kush are best reserved for evening use, to relieve stress, wind down and even promote sleep. It’s important to keep this in mind when selecting a cannabis product. If your ultimate goal is to chill out and relax, lean Indica; if you’ve got more active pursuits in mind that can’t be accomplished from the comfort of the couch, go Sativa.

Once you’ve landed on the type of high you’re looking for, the next question is how you want to get there. Following is a quick list of the different forms and for consuming cannabis available today.

- FLOWER (smoke/vape).

As mentioned, there are more than 800 different documented strains of cannabis. Rather than attempt to catalogue them all here, we will stick to how to use cannabis in whole flower form.

Of course, there is the old, familiar “joint,” commonly sold in dispensaries as “pre-rolls, aptly named in that the hard work of physically breaking up the cannabis flower, and rolling it in a sheet of hemp or rice paper or filling a premade cone has been done for you, complete with a filter usually made of paper or cardboard that helps capture any loose bits of flower or ash, for a smoother, more enjoyable smoke. We advise engaging in other “arts and crafts” projects once you’re already high, as rolling a half-decent joint is a skill that comes with a good deal of practice. But if you’re a hardcore D.I.Y. type, who absolutely INSISTS on rolling your own, here’s a pretty good video tutorial.

Flower can also be smoked in a pipe, or “bowl,” commonly made of wood, metal, or increasingly glass and ceramic, or a water-filtered pipe, traditionally known as a “hookah,” but known more familiarly as a “bong” or “bubbler.”

Because the water-filtered bong generally produces an easier, smoother smoke versus burning a paper-rolled joint or a dry pipe, it is very easy for a new or light user to inhale more deeply than perhaps they should. Our suggestion for first-timers is to only allow the chamber to fill about half-way with smoke before releasing the carburetor — a small hole generally placed on the side of the bong that is covered with the thumb or another finger to cut off airflow while the cannabis is being ignited — or pulling the “stem” and inhaling. Here’s a great “bong hits for beginners” video you can check out for a step-by-step demonstration.

Last, whole flower can also be ground finely and vaporized. Because vaporizing heats the cannabis at much lower temperatures than burning in a joint or a bowl, vapes tend to produce a much smoother hit that is easier on the throat and lungs.

But we’ve said it before, while there is a lot to be said for a nice, smooth smoking experience, in the very beginning that cough is your friend — think of it as a “speed bump” that can help you from getting too high, too fast. So we usually recommend one or two small drags from a joint or a pipe versus a bong hit for beginners to cannabis.

In terms of what to expect, inhaling smoke or vapor allows cannabis to enter the bloodstream relatively quickly through the lungs, so the effects are felt almost immediately and tend to last two to three hours.

- Concentrates

Coming in a wide variety of forms, concentrates are created by extracting cannabinoids from the whole flower, producing a much more potent cannabis product.

Hashish, or hash, is the original cannabis concentrate and has existed for thousands of years. Unlike other concentrates that isolate and extract the cannabinoids and terpenes in the cannabis plant, hash is created from the whole flower — either the buds, leaves or other trimmings from the plant — and so contains actual plant matter. Traditionally, cannabis “trichomes,” the resinous glands that tend to give cannabis its sticky feeling, were pressed together by hand to form balls or bricks, which are then broken up and smoked in a variety of ways, including in a pipe, or added to a joint. Today there are a number of other ways to produce hash, including the use of ice, which creates “bubble hash,” whereby the cannabis buds are mixed with ice and cold water, freezing the trichomes and making them brittle and easy to separate away from the rest of the plant when the water is drained away. In general, hashish can have THC levels upwards of 40%, and so is not necessarily the best choice for beginners.

Another concentrate with a long history of use, is kief, which is a powdery dust-like substance that is derived from the trichomes that have fallen off the plant, which is the same substance that is used to make hash. Kief can be purchased in quantity at some dispensaries, but it is also produced naturally, when cannabis flower is broken up for use. Most cannabis grinders have a separate container for capturing kief as it passes through a fine mesh screen in the bottom compartment. Kief is generally used as an additive, either sprinkled over a bowl and smoked in a pipe, or rolled into a joint to seriously enhance potency. And with THC levels as high as 50% — roughly twice as strong as the most potent fower — Kief is definitely not recommended for beginners.

Cannabinoids can also be extracted and suspended in an oil base, which can be used in a variety of ways, perhaps most commonly in a “vape pen,” an electronic device that uses a battery to heat the oil in a cartridge or pod, and releasing the vapor through a stem that you inhale from. Oil vapes tend to be harsher on the throat and lungs than vaping dry flower (see above) but less so than smoking a joint or a bowl. But, with THC levels as high as 80%, vaping probably isn’t the best choice for a new user — unless you’re purposely looking for vapes with higher CBD:THC ratios, which helps temper the psychoactive effects, you could be in for a lot more than you bargained for.

The next group of concentrates are all solvent-based concentrates, meaning that use butane or some other solvent to isolate and extract cannabinoids from cannabis flower. With names like “shatter,” “crumble,” “budder” and “wax,” they kind of tell you all you need to know about how appropriate they are for new cannabis users. Unless your goal right out of the gate is to feel “shattered” or “crumbled,” or that that you’ve been reduced to a “buttery” or “wax-like” state, we recommend staying far, FAR away from these high-octane concentrates with THC levels as high as 90%.

Although in some cases these concentrated forms can be smoked or vaped, the preferred means of consumption for many who choose shatter, wax and the like is “dabbing,” which requires not only the purchase of a lot of expensive equipment but a fair degree of experience to use it safely and correctly. The typical “dab rig” looks a lot like a bong and like a bong uses water to help filter smoke or, in this case vapor. But rather than directly igniting the cannabis or hash in a bowl as one would with a bong, a dab rig features a “nail,” usually made of titanium — or more popular these days, a “banger, “which is slightly larger and made of ceramic or quartz —that is first heated at extreme temperatures for about 10-30 seconds, and then allowed to cool for about 30-45 seconds before a small amount of concentrate is dropped in, vaporizing instantly as the user slowly inhales.

Like smoking or vaping, with dabbing, THC enters the body through the lungs and gets into the bloodstream quickly, allowing you to feel the effects almost instantly, but with much higher potency levels, much more intensely.

- Edibles

Much more popular among new users are cannabis-infused edible products, which continue to take on a vast array of forms, from cookies and brownies, to chocolates and gummies, infused beverages, tinctures and more.

The key issue with edibles is because they must first be digested through the stomach, before THC passes through the liver and into the bloodstream, they generally take quite a while before you begin to feel the effects. Because of this, many beginners — and even many experienced cannabis users — fall into the common trap of believing that the edible they took 30 minutes or so ago isn’t really working, have another and wind up getting TOO high.

On the plus-side, today’s edibles are dosed much more precisely than that batch of pot cookies your buddy once made in college, so it can be much easier to control your intake. Check the serving size on the package; if you’re new at this, you’ll want to stick to 5mg of THC or less, which can often mean just one gummy, or even a half of one. And wait at least an hour or more before you have another — that is, if you have another. In general, you can expect most edible products to begin to take effect within 45 to 90 minutes and can last up to eight hours.

Tinctures — not to be confused with infused beverages such as the many cannabis-enhanced seltzer brands that are popping up in states across the country — are traditionally derived from steeping cannabis flower in a high-proof alcohol, then removing the plant material once the cannabinoids have been released. Unlike infused beverages, tinctures tend to be much more potent. They are also absorbed into the bloodstream much faster than infused edible products, entering the body sublingually, under the tongue. As a result the effects also tend to kick in much faster than ingesting an infused edible, usually within 15 minutes or less, and can last for about six hours.

- Topicals

There are a vast array of topical THC-infused products that are available today in most dispensaries, and an even wider variety of CBD-infused products, ranging from balms and lotions, to sprays, salves and even bath salts. Because they enter the body through the skin, don’t expect any of the psychoactive effects that you would get from, say, smoking a joint or eating an edible; they won’t get you high. But they are becoming increasingly popular for delivering localized pain relief, reducing inflammation and soothing sore muscles post exercise.

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