Cannabis Consumption Methods

Inhalation:

Product Category: Flower, Concentrates

Average Onset: 1-3 minutes

Average Duration: 1-3 hours

Ingestion:

Product Category: Infused Edibles, Capsules, or Tincture

Average Onset: 30-90 minutes

Average Duration: 4-8 hours

Oral Absorption:

Product Category: Lozenges, Mints, Sublingual

Average Onset: 30-60 minutes

Average Duration: 2-4 hours

Topical:

Product Category: Skin Balms, Creams

Average Onset: 20-30 minutes

Average Duration: 2-4 hours

Cannabis Glossary

Cannabis:

A flowering plant made up of three common subspecies: cannabis indica, cannabis sativa, and cannabis ruderalis. It has been used in various traditional medicines for centuries.

Concentrates:

Extracts created with or without a solvent to dissolve the resinous cannabinoids. Live resin extracts offer an accurate representation of the living plant, rather than the dried plant. Cannabis concentrates can be found in many forms, including:

Badder: A whipped consistency, similar to cake batter.

Diamonds + Sauce: Naturally formed THCA diamonds in a high terpene liquid ‘sauce’.

Liquid Diamond Cartridges: Melted diamonds reintroduced to sauce to create a flavorful, potent vape pen.

Rosin: Similar to badder, but made without using a solvent, such as butane. Simply cannabis, water, heat, and pressure.

Edible:

A food infused with cannabinoids. Because they are ingested rather than inhaled, cannabinoids take longer to enter the bloodstream, resulting in a delayed onset of effects. Their effects can also last longer, upwards of 4-6 hours.

Flower:

The smokable, trichome-covered bud of a female cannabis plant. It is often sold as loose flower (“nugs”) or as pre-rolled joints.

Hybrid:

Hybrid varieties are grown to combine the traits of two or more strains, resulting in strains that can be calming while also uplifting.

Indica:

Cannabis Indica plants are short and wide. Historically thought to be the more relaxing strain, though this is a myth.

Sativa:

Cannabis Sativa plants grow tall and thin. Once thought to be more uplifting and energizing, but there’s no truth to that.

Strain:

There are three main categories of cannabis strains available to medical marijuana patients: Cannabis Sativa, Cannabis Indica, and a hybrid of the two. Most strains available today are

hybrids.

Trichome:

A crystal-like resin gland found on cannabis flowers that holds all the cannabinoids and terpenes. Plants with more trichomes (“crystals”) are more potent.

The Entourage Effect

Cannabis is more than sativa and indica. Every strain contains different terpenes, flavonoids, and cannabinoids. When consumed together, they create what is called the Entourage Effect.

The most commonly discussed cannabinoids are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and cannabinol (CBN). THC is responsible for cannabis’ psychoactive effects; CBD is helpful when treating things like pain, inflammation, and anxiety. Together, they increase the efficacy of the other. Strains high in CBN are more likely to bring on drowsiness and aid with insomnia.

There are typically hundreds of terpenes and flavonoids found in cannabis. Terpenes are responsible for the plant’s aromatic qualities.

Cannabinoids is the chemical compounds found in cannabis flowers such as THC, CBD, and CBN.

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC): 

Also known as tetrahydrocannabinol, THC is the most well-known cannabinoid. THC is responsible for the psychoactive effects of cannabis (the “high”).

Cannabidiol (CBD):

One of the main cannabinoids found in cannabis. CBD is known for its medicinal purposes. Unlike THC, it delivers no psychoactive effects.

Cannabinol (CBN): 

Cannabinol is a mildly psychoactive cannabinoid that delivers a sedative, relaxing effect.

Terpenes

Myrcene:

Purported medical effects: Calming, Sedative

Also found in: Lemongrass, cardamom, thyme

Caryophyllene:

Purported medical effects: Anti-inflammatory

Also found in: Black Pepper, Basil, Cloves

Limonene:

Purported medical effects: Anxiety, Calming

Also found in: Orange, Lime, Lemon

Pinene:

Purported medical effects: Pain, inflammation, anxiety

Also found in: Pine, rosemary, citrus