Marijuana 101: Everything You Need to Know
Here at Elite Cannabis, we think it’s important to educate everyone. Whether you are an experienced cannabis user or simply someone who is curious, we believe in understanding cannabis is the first step in deciding how it fits into your lifestyle.
For those of you who are new to the game, we would like to present to you: Marijuana 101.
A Brief History of Marijuana
Cannabis is an ancient plant. Human use dates back to the pre-Neolithic Period. It’s origins are in Asia, and from there it spread around the world through trade and interaction of people groups.
Since early days, humans have used cannabis to make things such as hemp ropes. It has also been used medicinally, and even in shamanistic rituals due to its psychoactive components. Furthermore, hemp and hemp seeds can be eaten and offer even some benefits as a superfood.
We now know today much about cannabis through science and history. There are many varieties and subvarieties of cannabis and each has its own history.
Modern Cannabis Use and Cannabinoids
Today, cannabis can be grown and cultivated indoors and out. We use cannabis in all the same ways the early humans did. We eat it, make products from it, and consume it both recreationally and medicinally.
As humans became more advanced in science and cannabis grew in popularity, we began to learn new ways to extract chemical compounds from the plant. Within cannabis there are more than one hundred different cannabinoids.
Cannabinoids are another name for chemical compounds. Each compound can elicit different effects on the user. Two of the most often discussed cannabinoids are CBD (cannabidiol) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). CBD is a non-psychoactive compound, while THC is psychoactive.
There are other cannabinoids and terpenes (the compounds responsible for flavor and aroma), but we won’t get into that too much in Marijuana 101. Have a look at the Elite Cannabis website if you’d like to learn more about these compounds.
Different Types of Consumption
The number of ways cannabis can be consumed can be overwhelming to the new user. The simplest way to think about this is by breaking the consumption methods into three categories: inhalants, edibles, and topicals.
Inhalants are consumed via the lungs. Common methods for this would include smoking a joint or vaping.
Edibles can be in solid or liquid form. Solid edibles are treated the same as food, and the active ingredients that make you feel effects are absorbed through the stomach. Liquid edibles are absorbed in the same manner but can also act quickly, as they have the added benefit of being absorbed sublingually too.
Topicals or products that are placed on the skin are also an option. These can be creams or ointments.
How to Choose Marijuana
If you are new to cannabis and want to give it a try, we recommend you go slow. If you prefer smoking, then look at cannabis flowers with a low dose CBD-to-THC ratio to start. You can always up the amount or buy stronger weed later, but you don’t want your first experience to be too intense.
If edibles are more your thing, keep in mind that they last longer than inhalants. You need to prepare to be in for it for a while. Simply choose something that sounds tasty and take the recommended dosage, or even halve it for your first time. It usually takes one to two hours to kick as it is absorbed via the stomach.
Many athletes like the benefits of CBD lotions and ointments. If a psychoactive experience isn’t what you’re looking for, then this is a good route to take. CBD can aid with recovery and relaxation for those who are active. Plus, it has a variety of other health benefits.
Whatever you choose, there is likely an option for you out there. Reach out to us at Elite Cannabis if we can help you at all!
