With the legalization of cannabis in the country, it has been widely available and can be purchased from a local cannabis store. Despite its availability, you may not be fully aware of the different aspects of the cannabis plant. If you have been curious about cannabis, its effects, and how to consume it, here is a guide on the widely renowned plant.
What is cannabis?
Cannabis is a psychoactive and medicinal organic substance derived from the cannabis sativa plant. It is available in a variety of forms, including dried flowers and leaves, hash, edibles, and extracts such as oil. Cannabis includes hundreds of different chemical compounds. More than 100 compounds known to be unique to the cannabis plant have been discovered. THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is the major psychoactive cannabinoid that causes the “high” associated with cannabis consumption. Cannabidiol is another cannabinoid (CBD). CBD can have minimal to no psychoactive effects, thus it may not make you feel high.
The dried flower buds and leaves of the cannabis plant are known as cannabis. It is grayish-green to greenish-brown in color and may have seeds and stalks. The dried, compacted resin of cannabis flower buds is known as hash. It is supplied as pieces and ranges in color from brown to black. Boiling cannabis flower buds or resin in an organic solvent yields a sticky reddish-brown or green material. The THC level of each cannabis species varies, although hash is normally more potent than the plant, and oil is typically the most potent form of cannabis. During growth, the plant grows its seven-starred leaves for most of its life and flowers toward the end of its life. The buds are then harvested, dried, cured, and sold in dispensaries for purchase.
What does being high on weed feel like?
THC is the major ingredient in the cannabis plant that causes feelings of pleasure, relaxation, and many other benefits. THC’s effects on the brain and body may be studied by examining anandamide, the pleasure molecule, a comparable cannabinoid produced by the body. It is found that some individuals use cannabis for creativity or focus, since it may help them think outside the box and not be distracted by the things around them. Others also find that cannabis can treat ailments like stress and anxiety by influencing your body to feel relaxed and uplifted.
There are a number of factors that can contribute to how cannabis affects you and make you feel. These factors include:
- Your blood chemistry
- Type of strain that was consumed
- The quantity that you consumed
- Method of consumption
How does weed get you high?
The major chemicals in the cannabis plant that make you high or give medicinal benefits are cannabinoids and terpenes. THC and CBD are the two most important cannabinoids. THC makes you high, however, CBD primarily does not. Both cannabinoids are used for medical purposes. While some dispensary strains are heavy in THC, others are high in CBD or have a balance of the two. Terpenes are weed smell molecules that contribute to the plant’s varied smells. Cannabinoids and terpenes interact with and stimulate the body’s endocannabinoid system, a cellular mechanism that maintains equilibrium in your body, through a process known as the entourage effect. This is how you get high and enjoy symptom relief or other cannabis benefits.
THC, the primary psychoactive element, activates the area of your brain that reacts to pleasure. This causes a chemical to be released called dopamine, giving you a pleasant, relaxed sensation. If you vape or smoke marijuana, the THC may enter your system rapidly enough to give you a high in seconds or minutes. THC levels typically peak in around 30 minutes, with effects lasting 1-3 hours. If you consume marijuana, it may take many hours for you to become completely sober. Now, this varies from person to person and the time ranges are only general estimates.
What is a weed strain?
Strains are distinct types of cannabis plants, much like there are numerous types of tomatoes: cherry, Roma, heirloom, grape, beefsteak, and so on. Each strain has a distinct chemical profile composed of various cannabinoids and terpenes. If you like the taste, smell, and effects of one strain, you will probably prefer another with a similar chemical profile. The distinctions between indicas, sativas, and hybrids are relatively ambiguous. Even today, those who work at dispensaries and customers all over the world refer to effects as “indica,” “sativa,” and “hybrid”. Indicas are regarded to be tranquil and sedating, sativas, active, and hybrids are a blend of the two. However, these labels refer to the plant’s physical structure rather than its effects. Instead, the effects of a strain are the product of its chemical makeup, its mix of cannabinoids, terpenes, and other compounds. That chemical profile will also interact differently with each individual’s body.
Ways to consume weed
People have consumed cannabis in various forms and there are several methods to consume it via various types of devices. Cannabis may be consumed in a variety of ways, including smoking, vaping, eating, and topical application. Weed may be smoked using pipes, bongs, and bubblers fashioned from a variety of materials and items. It may also be rolled into joints, blunts, and spliffs and then smoked.
Vaporization is one of the most popular ways to consume cannabis, especially with the introduction of vape pens, which are popular among beginners since they are inconspicuous, portable, and simple to use. There are several varieties of vaporizers—some are portable, while others are bigger, plugged-in units that may vape flower, concentrate, or both.
Dabbing is a newer type of cannabis intake in which cannabis extracts are flash vaporized. However, be aware that dabs contain concentrated levels of THC and are quite strong. Sometimes a small piece of a concentrate is comparable to an entire joint or bowl. Dabbing is often reserved for more experienced users.
Edibles are any cannabis-infused food or drink. Gummies, brownies, chocolates, and cookies are frequent edibles with less common edibles including beverages such as sodas, beer, and wine, potato chips, beef jerky, and pretty much anything that can have cannabis butter or oil added to it. They are ideal for cannabis newcomers since they do not require the use of a device and are metered and dosed to provide a consistent experience time after time.
