Guide to Buying Cannabis & Consuming Safely

Cannabis products seem to multiply with time and purchasing cannabis is not as straightforward as it was before. Even a weed aficionado would get confused walking into a dispensary and greeting hundreds of choices. Especially, if you are just starting your cannabis journey, it could lead to browsing the menu in a dispensary and not getting anywhere. 

It’s understandable if you are new to cannabis, choosing from dozens of options available can be overwhelming. In this handy cannabis buying guide, you will get a baseline of knowledge about buying and consuming cannabis safely and responsibly. 

Guide to Buying Cannabis

Cannabis is a highly complex plant with multiple strains, therefore, it can be difficult to navigate when hundreds of options are available on the menu. 

A consumer should have ample knowledge before walking into any dispensary to find a strain that he will enjoy.

Strains

Upon visiting the dispensary, you will learn that every strain is either termed as Indica, Sativa, and Hybrid. Each strain is famous for its unique attributes, properties, and effects. 

Indica-dominant strains are best known for producing heavy body high, mental calm, and the infamous “couch-lock” effect. On the contrary, Sativas produce uplifting, energizing, cerebral, head highs. Hybrids draw effects from both strains (Indica and Sativa) depending on the proportions. Choose from any of the three strains to get the desired effects.

Identifying High-Quality Cannabis

If you do not want to go wrong with purchasing high-quality cannabis, here’s what you need to check first.

• Look – Well, the eyes know, as we eat with our eyes first, it applies to Cannabis as well. One of the qualities of good cannabis is that it has a visual appeal and looks dense and deeply green. The presence of secondary colors like purple and orange as well as frosty white indicates good quality.

• Smell – Smelling is a common way to assess the quality of cannabis. Superior quality strains have a strong and pungent yet pleasant aroma. Poor quality strains may smell like ammonia, mold, straw, or lawn grass.
• Feel – It should not feel dry or crumble upon touching. Ideally, it should feel slightly sticky with considerable sponginess. 

CBD To THC Ratio

Cannabis contains hundreds of chemicals with more than 100 cannabinoids and plenty of terpenes. Each strain has a unique chemical profile that gives it distinct taste, smell, and effects.Some companies offer weed delivery in surrey for ease.

Two main cannabinoids are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). THC is responsible for psychoactive effects, the “high” whereas CBD produces therapeutic effects. Mostly, Cannabis products are classified into three categories; THC-dominant, Balanced CBD:THC, and CBD-dominant. 

Safe Consumption of Cannabis

Today, there are many methods for consuming cannabis, however, one should know how to do it in a safe manner.

• Low THC Proportion – Though the THC ratio varies dramatically, it is important to find a strain with low THC content. Consuming 50, 100, or even 150+ mg of THC might be okay for seasoned users, it would be unbearable for beginners. Although the standard is 5mg, the ideal starting point would be 2.5 mg.

• Consume Cannabis in a Comfortable Environment – If you have just started your cannabis journey, consume it in a familiar and comfortable environment with close friends. 

• CBD – Cannabidiol, or CBD is the responsible sibling of THC with a few side effects and significant health benefits. Upon consuming too much THC content, smoke or vape a CBD strain to mitigate and neutralize the adverse effects of THC. 
• Be Patient – Cannabis products do not take effect immediately. It often takes 15-20 minutes or more to feel the effects. Most newbies believe that it is not working, therefore, consume another dose to get the desired effects. It takes time to metabolize THC, therefore, chill, relax, and let the effects kick in. Additionally, if you have overconsumed THC, use CBD to counteract the side effects of THC. Moreover, do not freak out, take a bath or cool shower to calm down.

Wrapping it Up

To summarize, buying and assessing the quality of cannabis can be daunting for new users. It is a complex plant with varying strains, effects, and chemical profiles. Each individual may experience unique effects after consuming cannabis products. Lastly, buying cannabis is a highly individualized experience, therefore, trust your instinct.