Why Microdosing is the Future of Healthy Cannabis Consumption

As cannabis consumption becomes more mainstream and the layers of prohibition are peeled back, micro-dosing is quickly becoming more popular. Here we discuss why that’s important and why you should care as a cannabis lover.

For the cannabis consumer of the future, gone are the days of rolling massive blunts filled with 3 grams or more. This type of consumption will likely never completely go away, and we certainly would never tell people to enjoy that responsibly. However, micro-dosing is a great way to get all of the amazing benefits cannabinoids have to offer without the zoned out, couch-locked buzz.

Because the cannabis industry is still growing, proper consumption can be a guessing game. In case you happened to consume too much and feel a bit too high, we’ve got you covered. Check out our previous blog post about how to sober up after rocketing yourself too far into the outer space of cannabis. Also, check out our cooking with cannabis article for some helpful tips on how to more accurately predict your ideal dose of edibles while cooking during the quarantine.

How’d We Get Here?

There are many former consumers who moved away from cannabis because they ended up overdoing it. The psychoactive effects of cannabis can be overwhelming for some. One of the reasons for this is because the legal industry has opened up the possibility for all the recent innovations that weren’t available 10-15 years or so ago. These include concentrates, edibles, and drinkables of all kinds, vapes, and of course - flower that simply is becoming ever-increasingly potent.

Prohibitionists might tell you that this is a downside to cannabis legalization. However, the reason why flower is always going to become more potent is that breeding and growing methods and technology is always improving. And the main reason for this is legalization. What had to be hidden in the shadows of the grey market in years past is in the open now.

The Health Benefits of the Microdose

From a health standpoint, micro-dosing cannabis is a great choice. The best way to describe micro-dosing is the word attrition; meaning the process of gradually reducing the strength or effectiveness of something. The health benefits of micro-dosing include avoiding the dreaded full day on the couch, the reduction of the binge eating munchies, as well as decreasing the amount of smoke you inhale into your lungs. This is, of course, if you’re consuming flower.

"The majority of participants indicated that the smaller dose provided them with greater stress relief and the higher doses tended to have a negative impact on their mood."

But don’t take our word for it. There are several studies on the benefits of low doses of cannabis medicine. One study was conducted by researchers at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Chicago. In the dose-related effects study, participants were administered 7.5 milligrams of THC as well as 12.5 mg at separate times. The majority of participants indicated that the smaller dose provided them with greater stress relief and the higher doses tended to have a negative impact on their mood. Another study published in the Journal of Pain in 2012 involved cancer patients who weren’t responding to pharmaceutical painkillers. The results of the study concluded that the lower doses tended to cause a higher pain-relieving effect than the higher doses.

Micro-Dosing Saves Money

From a financial standpoint, you’ll save money with micro-dosing. As much as we love the benefits of cannabis, it’s not cheap. And that’s for a reason. Artisan craft cannabis breeders pour their immense amount of knowledge and love into their plants - and there is a ton of work involved for that final product to show up on dispensary shelves.

It’s not just for our fellow millennials working from home! Older medical cannabis patients are also drawn to the benefits of micro-dosing, because they understand the healing power of the plant medicine, but are turned off by the high. Micro-dosing is a great choice for them! The jury is still out as to how beneficial hemp-derived CBD is. As we can see now, the best way to get the full benefits of cannabis medicine is to ingest the whole plant with the full range of cannabinoids. There is a sticky substance called resin which is where the cannabinoids in cannabis come from. Whole plant cannabis medicine produces significantly greater amounts of cannabinoids than hemp does.

How to Microdose Cannabis

Now that we’ve sold you on the benefits of micro-dosing cannabis, how should you go about doing so? Just like with any other medicine, there are several factors to consider. These include your individual physiology and tolerance. If you’re a medical patient, your individual condition is also an important factor. A dose that works well for one person might be ineffective for you. A good starting point, especially as a new consumer, is to start at a milligram or two of a product containing THC. Keep in mind, concentrates will be much stronger. It’s also a great strategy to consume a ratio of 1:1 THC to CBD, if you can. Start off at as low of a vape or smoking dose as possible, and then increase that daily to see how well you respond.

It can be hard to consistently micro-dose with vaping and smoking cannabis flower or oil concentrates. For this reason, you might want to simply ingest a small amount of edibles, tinctures, or topicals in order to get the medicated benefits without the overwhelming buzz. Edibles found in most dispensaries are required to have mg content printed on them, which makes dosing with edibles easier to control.

Of course, it would be easier to just be able to purchase products that remove the guesswork and do the micro-dosing for you. One highly innovative company developing such products is called Dosist. They produce products that contain targeted formulas at precise doses. There are several product options available that you cultivar-specific bursts at a measurable dose down to the milligram. We hope to see more companies like Dosist in the future, as well as the increased availability of these important products in more states.

Disclaimer:

The content on this page is provided by HashDash for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not intended as medical advice or as a substitute for professional healthcare advice. Do not use this information to diagnose or treat any medical condition or ailment on your own. Always consult a physician or qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions about treatment. The information and products mentioned herein have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or condition.

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You’ve got questions about cannabis, we’ll keep the answers coming. HashDash is the future of cannabis consumption because we use data-driven consumer results. We leverage this data to become your one-stop guide for educated, healthy consumption that doesn’t get in the way of your productivity while increasing your happiness and well-being. Be sure to sign up for HashDash to discover your cannabis matches! We’re just getting started.