Are you a newcomer to cannabis use, and not sure where to start? Perhaps you’re a long-time stoner, but looking for a new way to get your daily doses of THC. While smoking is one obvious way to consume cannabis, marijuana use has evolved to include a variety of creative methods. From edibles to topicals, to fancy smoking tools, Terra Tonic can help you understand the difference in popular weed products in our marijuana store online, along with their respective consumption and effects, so you can decide on the best way for you to get high!

Smoking & Toking

As mentioned, smoking weed is a legacy method of consumption, that has evolved to include joints of varying sizes, and blunts – or thick joints wrapped in a tobacco leaf so that it burns slowly and is ideal for long sessions with friends.

Solitary smokers often prefer bongs, which are typically glass-blown and can come in very basic, or very intricate designs, however, some creative stoners have even made them out of water bottles in a pinch. When smoking a bong, a small glass bowl is packed with flowers and ignited, and by inhaling through a mouthpiece, the weed smoke passes through a water chamber which filters out ash and debris to create a smooth cannabis vapour. This process also squelches some of the smell of cannabis smoke, making it a slightly more discrete option. Many bong users like to add ice cubes to their water chamber for a refreshing and even smoother toke. 

Another solitary option for smoking weed is pipes, which can come in glass, wood or metal, or even fashioned out of fruit like apples and pears for a zesty twist. Pipe smoke is typically harsher, and without pipe screens (a small mesh filter to place at the bottom of the bowl), a lot of debris can pass through and cause mild choking or throat irritation. Glass and wood pipes may be smoother than metal, but all can become quickly clogged without regularly replacing your pipe screen and cleaning with a strong alcohol-based solvent. 

Regardless of how you choose to toke, the effects of marijuana smoke will hit you relatively quickly since it enters the bloodstream soon after being inhaled, helping it travel to the brain faster than other methods of consumption. Cannabis-users choose between their favourite indica, sativa or hybrid strain with options ranging from Death Tuna and Organic Pink to Chocolate Chip Cookies and Super Lemon Haze. With its rapid onset, the effects of smoking weed will generally taper off sooner than other methods, lasting an hour or two.

Cannabis Edibles

Marijuana edibles have typically had a bad reputation, with the common misconception that they are only for experienced users. When consuming cannabis-infused foods, THC is converted to the more-potent 11-hydroxy-THC as it passes through the liver. As our digestive systems are complex, both processes of absorbing and metabolizing 11-hydroxy-THC take a while, causing a delayed onset that lasts longer and feels more intense. 

The aforementioned bad rep is usually the result of the slow-building high, as many users think they haven’t eaten enough, and consume more before their previous snack has fully kicked in. 

Marijuana edibles are most often found as baked goods like cookies and brownies since their sugary flavour can help mask any residual bitterness. But more and more cannabis chefs are creating more purified versions of cannabis-infused cooking oils and butter, making almost any type of edible possible!

Do the Dab

A more recently developed means of consuming cannabis that has reached viral popularity is dabs. Doing the dab refers to smoking concentrated cannabis products in the form of waxes such as badder and budder, resins like shatter and caviar, and cannabis oils including distillates. These types of cannabis products are created using solvents to dissolve the marijuana plant particles to leave behind THC, CBD, and terpenes, and often require high heat in order to be smoked.

Dabbing can be done using a variety of vape pens, like ones that use prefilled cannabis oil or distillate cartridges, or those that you fill with shatter or wax manually. You can also dab using a glass rig that resembles a bong. 

Because of its higher concentration of cannabinoids and terpenes, gram for gram, dabbing is far more potent than smoking flower, so it will hit you faster and harder peaking after roughly 30 minutes, and cost you a little more as well.

THC & CBD Tinctures

Tinctures are a type of cannabis concentrate that is made by dissolving the plant particles in high-grade alcohol to yield cannabis-infused alcohol that has both recreational and medicinal uses. Cannabis tinctures can be found in THC and CBD isolates, or often in equal THC to CBD ratios which are great for micro-dosing and acutely managing cannabinoid consumption, and ideal for novice cannabis users who are still figuring out their tolerance. 

Those who use cannabis to manage various medical conditions from mental, to physical, to emotional will enjoy CBD tinctures, which will administer only the non-psychoactive cannabinoid, which provides physical benefits without a high. Tinctures with an equal ratio of THC to CBD will offer potent body effects along with a high for those who are able to function while being stoned throughout the day. Purely THC tinctures will provide only psychoactive properties without a body high.

Tinctures are usually consumed in droplet form, either sublingually, on food or in joints, allowing for quick absorption, and accurate dosing whether you’re managing pain or just how high you’d like to be. With no smell, cannabis tinctures are also the most discrete means of consumption and will metabolize like an edible with fewer calories. Many users like to experiment with making tinctures at home with their favourite liquor for a fun twist.

Cannabis Topicals

Topicals refer to creams, lotions, gels, or balms that are infused with cannabis for localized relief from physical pain and soreness. These types of cannabis products are considered less potent since they never reach the bloodstream, so you won’t feel high or achieve any euphoria from using them, but are great for non-stoners or an extra boost to other cannabis-related therapy. 

Users enjoy cannabis topicals for arthritis relief, post-workout aches, nerve pain, and sore muscles. Topicals are another product that users like to experiment with making at home by combining tinctures and oils with essential oils or their favourite self-care products. 

Ready to explore new ways to consume your cannabis? Check out Terra Tonic’s marijuana store online in Canada, where we stock a variety of flower, tinctures and oils to use as is, or get creative in your kitchen making edibles and topicals! With affordable same-day delivery in the GTA, and free returns, elevating your high is easier than ever!