Popular Methods of Consuming Cannabis: Explained
Cannabis is a recreational drug that provides a pleasant high to the user whether they're looking to relax, let their mind wander, or hang out and share a few laughs with friends. There are many different types of cannabis that you can now purchase, such as hash online or even pre-rolls, with some being more potent than others. To go along with it, there are a lot of different methods of consuming cannabis too, and you might be interested in learning a bit more about the most popular ones.
1. Joints And Blunts
This is perhaps the most old-school way of consuming cannabis on this list. All you need are some rolling papers, some joint filters - or a crutch you can easily make yourself, a bit of tobacco, and a bud of your choosing. First, you'll want to grind down the bud on a clean sheet of paper, while making sure to discard potential seeds. This tends to be somewhat of a tedious process when done by hand, so you might want to use a weed grinder to speed things up a bit. Add a bit of tobacco, mix the two, and prepare your rolling paper. You'll want to place the crutch at the crease, and start sprinkling in the cannabis and tobacco mix. Once you've added your desired amount - if smoking alone, usually you'll want to create a single, but it can be as thick as you like, especially if sharing with others, carefully roll the paper so that it folds tightly around the cannabis. Roll it up tightly, lick the edge of the paper to seal the joint, twist the end - and light it up at your earliest convenience. The process is pretty similar when using a blunt, except you don't need to add tobacco in since the blunt is usually a tobacco leaf in itself. The effects are pretty instantaneous and can last anywhere between a half-hour to a couple of hours depending on your tolerance, the amount you've smoked, and the type of cannabis.
2. Bongs
Bongs come in a wide variety of materials, shapes, and patterns, but they all pretty much have the same parts. You have the mouthpiece, bowl, downstem, and water chamber. You'll want to fill the bottom with enough water to cover at least half of your downstem so that it can effectively filter the smoke before it enters your lungs. As for the rest of the pieces, you'll want to place your cannabis into the bowl (using a metal tool like a poker or screwdriver to break it down into smaller pieces), light the cannabis with a lighter, and inhale slowly through your mouth. The water will filter out some of the impurities found in the smoke that would otherwise irritate your throat and lungs. You can expect to feel something rather quickly, but effects are also going to last a little bit longer than when smoking a joint or a blunt - although, again, this will depend on several factors like the type of cannabis used, etc.
3. Edibles
There are so many different options when it comes to edibles. However, before we get into that, it's important to note that any edible will take a while to kick in, so always make sure to pace yourself in order to avoid feeling sick later on. Having one piece and waiting anywhere up to an hour to see how it will affect you before taking another is usually a good idea. As for the types, you could first sort them into homemade ones and store-bought ones. Pot brownies are definitely all-time stars when it comes to homemade edibles. That's because they're super easy to make - you just prepare the batter like you normally would for any brownie, and then add some cannabis to the mix, but make sure you know what dosage you can handle decently well. It's also important to note that because cannabis is fat-soluble, it needs something like butter or oil to soak up its goodies - so always use those. Store-bought edibles are just as tasty and potent as homemade ones, and you can choose from all sorts of items like gummies, beverages, or even popcorn. While edibles do take a bit longer to kick in compared to the other methods, they also provide the longest high - it can last for hours!
4. Dropper
This method requires you to use some type of cannabis concentrate. These can often be bought in dispensaries or found online. Pick up a glass bottle with a dropper, dab the desired amount of concentrate on your finger then rub it in under your tongue - or simply put it directly into your mouth if you're the only one using the dropper. Let the flavor dissolve in your mouth for around 30-60 seconds - and you can choose from a variety of flavors like tropical fruits, and then get ready to enjoy the ride! Effects will come on rather quickly, and depending on the dosage, you can expect to feel it for up to 3 hours.
While there are plenty of other ways to enjoy cannabis, these are among the most popular ones. From smoking a good ol' fashioned joint to making homemade cannabis edibles, to using a no-fuss dropper, when it comes to recreational use you have all the options in the world. Just remember that when trying something new for the first time it's a great idea to go with a low dosage - and after that just monitor how your body responds in order to figure out what works best for you!
