There are a variety of different ways that medical marijuana can be consumed. Each consumption method has its benefits, as well as its detractions; & no two ways of consumption methods.
For the use of medical marijuana, it is important that the various effects of cannabis, and the specific cannabinoids that cause these effects, be separated.
Below are some of the chemical compounds found in cannabis & their effects:
- CBD: Probably the most important compound in marijuana for medical purposes, CBD relieves nausea and anxiety, and it reduces inflammation and frequency and severity of convulsions.
- CBC: This one causes a mild sedative affect and combines with THC to relieve pain.
- THC: Relieves pain and inflammation while acting as a sleep aid and appetite stimulant.
- THCV: One of the newer discoveries, this compound could help with metabolic disorders and type 2 diabetes.
- CBN: This compound is helpful in reducing pressure in the eyes associated with glaucoma and the frequency of seizures. It also delivers a mild high.
- CBG: With antimicrobial properties and a sedative effect, this compound also lowers pressure in the eyes from glaucoma.
Medical marijuana dispensaries breed their plants specifically to balance the number of compounds in each plant type, with the goal of breeding a plant with the best medical benefits, while breeding out the negative side effects. By making these adjustments, they can create medical marijuana that focuses on particular type of therapy.
As far as the various different consumption methods, patients can try and adjust their intake based on what works best for them. Experimenting with different means of consumption is an easy way for patients to figure out what works best for their body and life style.
Listed below are some of the different ways to consume medical marijuana:
Smoking: A consumer inhales the medicinal compounds with the smoke, and its effects are felt almost immediately. The drawbacks include possible lung irritation. Smoking isn’t typically recommended for someone with asthma or lung problems. If you’re just starting out, only take a small hit at first to make sure you don’t have a violent coughing fit.
Edibles: Options used to be limited to brownies or cookies, but now there are myriad ways to ingest weed, including crackers, chews, chocolate bars and even ice cream and lollipops. The advantages are that edibles taste great, you can precisely manage your dose, and the relief they provide typically lasts a long time. The downside is that it can take a long time for the effects to kick in — anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours.
Topical: Topical solutions such as lotions, ointments, sprays, salves and others have long been used for muscle soreness, joint pain, tendinitis and other issues. Marijuana topicals provide the benefits of weed without producing a high, and they have shown to be very effective in providing localized relief of pain.
Vaporizing: Vaping can release the chemical compounds in the marijuana at a lower temperature than smoking. The flavor of vaporized cannabis is much different from the burnt taste of smoking it, also. Consuming marijuana vapors protects your lungs from the high heat of smoking.
Tinctures: Tinctures and sprays are usually a mixture of cannabinoid extracts and oil, alcohol or glycerin. They typically come in a small bottle and are absorbed through the mouth. This method doesn’t irritate the lungs like smoking or using a vaporizer.
Transdermal Patches: Transdermal patches, unlike topical lotions, put the active ingredients right into your bloodstream, so the pain relief is felt everywhere in your body. Topicals are used for specific areas and are applied just near the pain. Transdermal patches, because they deliver medication through all layers of skin into the bloodstream, are for general, not localized, pain relief.
Suppositories: Like other medications, medical cannabis can be taken in a suppository form. The active ingredients are absorbed quickly through the colon, and the effects can be felt very quickly. Using suppositories can be messy and difficult, but it is a way to avoid smoking and bypass most of the digestive system