We often mention how much we love the versatility of cannabis, so we thought we’d dedicate this month’s article to explaining why. We could discuss our species’ long history of using the plant, which dates back at least 60,000 years. Or list the growing number of industries cannabis is used in, from medicine and agriculture to waste reduction and fuel. Not to mention the countless products that can be made from cannabis, like hempcrete, cosmetics, and textiles.
However, seeing as Greeley Gallery is a medicinal and recreational cannabis dispensary, we’re going to tell you about the array of options cannabis consumers have to choose from. Back in the day, before cannabis was legalized, smoking marijuana or DIY edibles were our only options. Then, in 2014, Oregon made recreational and cannabis legal and changed everything. Now, over a decade later, consumers have a plethora of diverse cannabis options to choose from. So many, in fact, that it can feel overwhelming as a first-time consumer. Hopefully, in addition to displaying the versatility of cannabis products, this article will help make your decision a little easier.
THC vs CBD
Let’s begin with the versatility of cannabis compounds before delving into the various consumption options, because to choose the best product for you, you must first know what
sort of experience you want to have. More specifically, whether you want to feel the psychoactive effects cannabis is known for, or if your goal is more medicinal in purpose, or both. While the cannabis plant contains hundreds of compounds, the experience you have after consumption will largely depend on just two: THC and CBD.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana and is responsible for the ‘high’ you experience after consuming it. Typically, the effects of THC fall into two categories, sativa and indica. Each refers to a species of cannabis plant, but the names are also associated with specific effects.
For instance, sativa cannabis strains have a reputation for inspiring our creativity, energizing us, and making us feel happy and at ease. Meanwhile, indicas can help calm our anxieties, improve our sleep, and encourage feelings of peace. There are also hybrid options that provide a mixture of effects.
We should note, though, that just as each of us is unique, so are our responses to cannabis. For some people, cannabis can cause adverse effects such as increasing feelings of anxiety or paranoia. So, if you’re new to cannabis, we recommend you begin with low doses of THC until you gain a good sense of your tolerance and response.
On the flip side, Cannabidiol (CBD) is another prominent compound within cannabis that is most well-known for its medicinal properties. Unlike THC, CBD is not intoxicating, but it is known to help people manage their anxiety, stress, pain, improve sleep, and much more.
CBD has a growing reputation as a sort of “cure all.” While additional research is needed, and “cure” may be a strong word, there are a growing number of studies suggesting that CBD can have a diverse range of medicinally beneficial effects.
Also, many cannabis products include both, THC and CBD, in various ratios. The most common is 1:1, which means the product contains equal amounts of THC and CBD. However, there are also 2:1, meaning there’s twice as much THC as CBD, and so on. So before choosing your cannabis product, ensure you check its potency. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff are also happy to make suggestions or answer any questions you may have.
Once all of this is decided, we can move on to the fun part, choosing between the many cannabis consumption options, which come in four general categories – smoking, eating, drinking, and Topical.
Smoking
Smoking dried cannabis flower, called marijuana, is the most iconic, traditional method of consuming cannabis. Whether using a joint, pipe, or bong, smoking marijuana has a fast reaction time, often feeling its effects within fifteen minutes or less, and there are countless strains to choose from. Greeley Gallery offers a wide range of rotating, locally grown, and high-quality marijuana strains to suit every taste and need.
Meanwhile, vaping concentrated cannabis oils is a different style of smoking that’s also popular. Vaping involves either a vape pen or a dab rig that uses lower temperatures of convection and conduction heating methods instead of combustion, which occurs when smoking weed, to vaporize highly concentrated cannabis. This prevents cannabis from burning and producing smoke. Many people believe the resulting vapor provides a fuller flavor and smoother inhale than smoke.
Eating
After smoking cannabis, edibles are the next most popular consumption method, with as many varieties as there are cannabis strains. We offer a variety of pre-made edibles for your convenience at Greeley Gallery, including cookies, chocolate, gummies, and even mints.
One caveat to edibles is that consuming cannabis in this way has a longer activation wait time since the cannabis must first work itself through our digestive system before entering our bloodstream. This means it can take two hours or longer before feeling the effects. For the same reason, you might feel its effects for longer than when smoking.
Also, edibles typically have higher potencies than dried marijuana. Between the stronger potency and extended activation time, it’s easy to accidentally consume more than your tolerance. So, if you aren’t feeling its effects after a couple of hours, we recommend consuming only a little bit more rather than taking another full dose to prevent unintentional adverse effects.
Drinking
Cannabis-infused beverages are growing in popularity, especially during these hot summer days and during social functions as alternatives to alcohol. Cannabis beverages come in many styles, from sodas and juices to teas and seltzers – and won’t leave you with a hangover the next morning.
Like edibles, cannabis-infused beverages often have high potencies of THC and CBD. However, they typically have a faster activation time than edibles, as food takes longer to digest than liquids. As a result, people commonly start feeling its effects between about 15 to 60 minutes after consumption as opposed to two hours or more.
Topical
Our skin is not only our largest organ but also our most absorbent. As such, some cannabis products are applied topically and come as balms, salves, and bath salts to be used for medicinal purposes such as easing achy muscles.
There are also a variety of transdermal patches that adhere to the skin like a sticker and provide time-released doses of cannabis that last throughout the day.
Final Thoughts
The versatility of cannabis is expansive and ever-growing. Everything mentioned here barely scratches the surface of what cannabis has to offer. Yet, despite the overwhelming array of choices and uses, the best thing about cannabis’s versatility is that when all the options are great, it’s hard to go wrong.
Stop into Greeley Gallery on the corner of N Greeley Ave and Rosa Parks Way today and take your pick of our carefully selected collection of high-quality and locally produced cannabis products. We love meeting members of our community in north Portland and look forward to seeing you.
Written By: Katrina Paulson
