Ways to Consume Cannabis - Are Edibles and Tinctures Right for You?

In part one of our series on the different ways to consume cannabis, we discussed all of the inhalation methods: smoking, vaping, and everything in between. Here in part two, we will be discussing all the ways to ingest cannabis orally: such as edibles and tinctures, as well as topicals.

Oral Consumption Methods

Oral consumption methods include the ways you ingest cannabis through the mouth: infused food and drinks, ingestible oils, and tinctures. First, we will be discussing the wonderful world of edibles.

Edibles

When you consume a cannabis-infused product like any kind of food or drink, you will be experiencing noticeably different effects than when you smoke or vape. When you smoke or vape, cannabis enters the bloodstream immediately, whereas with edibles it takes longer. However, the psychoactive effects that come along with edibles tend to be more intense, full-body, and psychoactive. Consuming edibles might take between 60-90 minutes to feel the effects, but the effects tend to last considerably longer than inhalation methods.

In years past, perhaps the most popular way of eating cannabis was to make baked goods like the infamous weed brownies. Those days are long gone, with entire cooking with cannabis series like Cooked with Cannabis and Bong Appetit where herb chefs compete with each other. Most food made with cannabis uses an infused ingredient that is high in fat, like butter or oil. There are plenty of healthy alternatives to cannabutter, so be sure to check out our post about those right here.

Eating edibles is one of the healthiest ways to consume cannabis because nothing is inhaled or combusted. However, extracting the therapeutic properties of cannabis and getting the correct dosage is challenging for home cooks. However, with some practice and a little research, cooking with cannabis at home can be very rewarding.

Of course, cooking with cannabis at home isn’t the only way to ingest edibles. You can pop into any retail location or dispensary and they’ll have a plethora of edibles to choose from - gummies, cookies, lollipops, lozenges, and of course the traditional brownies. Always read the label and consume edibles responsibly - especially for newbies. We recommend trying micro-dosing if you are just starting - nibbling maybe a quarter of your cookie instead of the whole thing. This way, you will know exactly how each edible product will affect you and you won’t be launched into outer space the first time you try it.

Cannabis-Infused Beverages

The cannabis beverage market has been exploding in 2020, and that’s for good reason. People are looking for a healthy way to enjoy cannabis on the go, and these delicious drinks are the perfect way to do so. In fact, some market analysts are predicting that the cannabis beverage market could reach an annual total of $3 billion by 2025. Cannabis beverages come in all sizes and flavors - from teas to lightly carbonated tonics, to elixirs. Be sure to read the label before you consume, however, because some cannabis-beverages can be high in sugar content. Some canna-beverages contain only CBD or THC, while others have a combination of both. Three of the most popular canna-beverages include Mood33, Cann, and Dixie.

Ingestible Oils and Tinctures

Ingestible oils are kind of like a combination of concentrates and edibles because you swallow and digest them like edibles, but their consistency is more like oil concentrate. Oils are either taken directly or put into capsules for easy consumption. One of the more popular oils is Rick Simpson oil. Simpson is a Canadian cannabis activist who developed his oil in order to help treat his cancer. Simpson doesn’t sell any cannabis products himself, but rather he encourages consumers to make their own.

Tinctures are a cannabis extract that comes in liquid form. Tinctures tend to enter the bloodstream quickly, meaning they are fast-acting. Tinctures can be a great choice for consumers who are looking for quick effects but don’t want the potential respiratory issues that come along with inhalation methods. Tinctures typically use alcohol as the solvent, but any fat-soluble liquid can be used to make a tincture, like vinegar. Consumers place drops of tinctures under their tongues depending on the desired dosage, and it absorbs into the body that way. Then, tinctures are processed through the liver and the consumer feels the effects.

Topicals

Last but certainly not least on our list of cannabis consumption methods are topicals. Topicals are made with whole-plant cannabis extract that manufacturers decarboxylate, which activates the cannabinoids. Topicals are for external use only, and their cannabinoid content is absorbed through the skin. Creams, lotions, balms, and other topicals can be a great choice for people who suffer from muscle pain but don’t want the psychoactive effects of THC. Even CBD balm has been known to help people get the pain relief they need naturally without taking painkillers.

It can be a bit overwhelming to navigate the various choices of cannabis products available to you. However, with a bit of experimenting, you’ll find what you like in no time.

HashDash - Building Community and Educating

We hope you found value in our content on cannabis consumption methods. While these articles are geared towards the beginner, we do have a lot of choices of great content that anyone who loves cannabis can read. Be sure to check back to our blog often, because we post fresh content every week! Connect with us on social media: @hashdash.com on all platforms.

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