What’s the Best Way to Consume Cannabis?

Eating Marijuana Edibles vs. Smoking

If you’re new to medical marijuana, you may be wondering what the best way to consume cannabis is. We encourage our patients to try each consumption method to see which works best for you.  The top two ways medical marijuana patients consume their marijuana is by smoking and eating edibles, or foods made with THC. While both methods deliver symptom relief and help with relaxation, they may have different effects on your body and mind. Below, we discuss the effects of eating marijuana edibles vs. smoking or vaping to help you choose the best method for you.

Smoking Cannabis

Inhaling smoke from medical marijuana can be harsh on the lungs, so many of our patients prefer vaping or using a water pipe (bong). Smoking marijuana is often the fastest way to experience relief from your medical symptoms and feel better in general. If you’re just beginning your prescribed medical marijuana regimen, you may consider starting with smoking or vaping to find the best way of consuming cannabis for you. Another advantage of smoking is that you are in total control of the amount you are consuming compared to edibles which have a pre-determined dosage with each piece you ingest. It can be difficult to cut edibles in half or into quarters whereas when you smoke, you can administer the exact amount you desire.

Vapor pens, often referred to as “wax pens” or “dab pens”, are not technically smoking marijuana the same way you would smoke through a pipe, water pipe, or in a joint. Vape pens have a self-contained central heating coil that slowly heats up the cannabis oil or wax between 500 and 700 degrees Fahrenheit. This brings your medical cannabis right up to the point of combustion and vaporizes the THC using an atomizer. This is the reason vape pens don’t produce smoke; Since medical marijuana is not being burned, it won’t produce harsh smoke or carcinogens, but instead, a smooth vapor that is easier on the lungs, especially for those not used to smoking.

If you smoke or vaporize cannabis, you will feel the effects almost instantly or very quickly after consumption, which for some people, is the best way to consume cannabis. Check out our variety of top-shelf flower that’s perfect for water pipes and joints, or vape cartridges that fit will your existing battery. Now that you’re familiar with smoking or vaping medical marijuana, let’s look at medical marijuana edibles and how they work.

Eating Cannabis Edibles

Consuming medical marijuana in edible form is less predictable than smoking or vaping, simply because the onset of effects can take much longer and are often more intense. Cannabinoids are absorbed into the body differently when eating marijuana edibles vs smoking or vaping. When you consume an edible, the THC is metabolized by the liver and converted into 11-hydroxy-delta 9 THC. This crosses the blood-brain barrier easily allowing for easy absorption into the body which may increase the effects, symptom relief, or intoxicating feeling you experience when consuming medical marijuana. It can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours for your edible to ease your symptoms, and you may discover the effects of ingesting medical marijuana differ in feeling from the results of smoking cannabis. If smoking or vaping is too harsh for your lungs, taking edibles may be the best way to consume cannabis for you. Grant Pharms offers various edible options including chocolate, gummies, hard candies, and more!

No matter which consumption method you prefer, it’s important to try both eating and smoking marijuana to see which way provides the best relief for your particular symptoms. At Grant Pharms, we want you to be healthy and happy. Visit us in-store to speak to an experienced budtender that can help you choose the best way of consuming your cannabis or shop online if you already know what you prefer!