Step-by-step guide to choosing weed

With so many cannabis brands in the market, it can be tricky to figure out which product is right for you.

Many factors come into play, including tolerance to THC, method of use, and condition specific considerations. At ReLeaf, we always put a special focus on the individuals and their experiences, attitudes and beliefs.

When it comes to modern cannabis, the THC content percentages can exceed 30% in some strains, which is staggering.

If you are an experienced cannabis user, this may be tolerable to you, enjoyable even. Some may also be familiar with concentrates that even reach 80% plus in terms of THC potency.

Thankfully, there are less-intoxicating options for the novice among us. After all, no one likes to be overly intoxicated. There are CBD-rich cannabis strains with not only less THC but rich in CBD. These other cannabinoids mitigate intoxication. The CBD binds to the same receptors as THC and thus gets in the way of the high. This is the first point to consider. How much THC do I want and how much THC can I tolerate?

The next consideration is method of use.

One could simply smoke a joint or a bowl in a pipe, but other options are low and high-tech. For other inhaled methods, vaping is an option. This mitigates the heat and irritation caused by smoking, as it uses a far lower temperature. Vaping can be from a vaporizer, from an e-cigarette, or from a dab rig.

Most of you won’t use dabbing as your starting point. However, electronics are available to make the experience user-friendly and rooted in science. An e-nail heats cannabis concentrates quickly so they can be vaporized.

For those who shy away from smoking or inhaled consumption of cannabinoids, there are edible products. Almost any snack or food item you can imagine is being sold as an edible these days. Be careful where you store your leftovers after you partake.

Again, it’s no fun to be overly intoxicated or surprised by an edible you thought was an innocent lonely piece of candy sitting on the coffee table.

Edibles can be a great choice when the goal is a better night’s sleep.

Next, we get into the realm of tinctures and sublingual or mucosal absorption. Tinctures are common in herbal medicine, an extract of known potency is diluted and suspended in a carrier solution. This gives the benefit of reliable and known dosing.

These products can easily be customized for an individual by blending two or more concentrates prior to dilution. Also, cannabis suppositories are useful. The go-to solution for bowel issues or for those who are suffering from severe nausea.

I’ll leave it to you to discover what works best for you through trial and error. Here are a few more finer details to consider along the way.

The terpene content of cannabis strains plays a major role in the variety of effect and flavors present from strain to strain. By using long-held information from herbology and naturopathic medicine, we can choose wisely.

Linalool is known to be relaxing and can be used as a mild sedative. Beta caryophyllene is the essential oil found in black pepper. Its structure is remarkably similar to CBD—so much so that it binds to CBD receptors aiding in this entourage effect we see with broad-spectrum cannabis therapy.

A final point: What works today may not work tomorrow, so keep an open mind and keep exploring. We develop a tolerance to not only THC, but to all the many compounds that we are consuming in our favorite cannabis strain.

Over time, there may be treatment barriers or resistance. Perhaps we need a higher dose to achieve the same effect, but tweaking the ratios and compounds in the medicine can rekindle the effectiveness. After a while, we can resume with our favorites and enjoy their benefits again.

There is much to consider and much to be gained by becoming an informed consumer.

At ReLeaf, we like to provide all the information we can and then let the customers make the decisions. If someone is opposed to smoking or inhaling, we suggest starting with a tincture or an edible — even if smoking may provide the most immediate relief.

We may be experts filled with product knowledge, with many tricks at our disposal, but you tell us how it works. We can guide you from where you are. Happy and safe exploring.

This article appears in Aug 17-23, 2023.