Interested in trying cannabis for the first time?
We’re here to help. This guide will teach you what you need to know—read on!
Indicas, Sativas, and Hybrids. Oh My!
There are hundreds of different cannabis strains—with names like Green Crack, Girl Scout Cookies, Jack Herer, and more. Users report different effects from basically all of these marijuana strains, which can make it hard to know where to get started. For this reason, we recommend new customers start by understanding the three broadest strains of the cannabis plant:
A good rule of thumb is to look to Sativas if you want to be active and Indicas if you want to relax. Different consumers experience different effects, however, so this isn’t a hard and fast rule—what’s more, the distinction between Indicas and Sativas seems to be dissolving.
THC, CBD, and Dosage
Cannabinoids are the active ingredients in cannabis—there are hundreds of different cannabinoids, but the most prominent and well-studied two are THC and CBD.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the most well-known cannabinoid—it’s responsible for the high you get when you consume cannabis. The high caused by THC can have a wide variety of mental and physical effects, including:
- Relaxation
- Euphoria
- Pain relief
- Stress reduction
- Abstract thinking
- Creative inspiration
- And more
Cannabidiol (CBD) is another cannabinoid undergoing a lot of study recently. CBD is not known to have any intoxicating effects. Scientific research on CBD is in the early stages, but some consumers have reported a number of positive benefits to CBD intake, including:
- Pain relief
- Anxiety relief
- Stress relief
Producers will label their products to tell you how much THC and CBD are in them—this is true whether you’re getting edibles, topicals, pre-rolled joints or flower (dried buds from a marijuana plant).
Our advice to anyone new to cannabis is to start with low doses and low percentages of THC. You can always consume more or increase your dosage—but you can’t consume less.
Smokables, Edibles, and More
You can consume cannabis in all kinds of different ways.
Smoking is the most traditional way—the three most common ways of smoking are joints, pipes, and bongs. More recently, vaporizers have come onto the scene as an alternative for people who don’t want to smoke but don’t want to use edibles.
Edibles include drinks and food—sometimes capsules containing THC and CBD are also considered edibles. These generally take much longer to affect consumers than smoking, with many users reporting it can take up to two hours or more for edibles to kick in. The effects of edibles are also usually longer lasting.
Many users report differences between the high they get from smoking and the one they get from edibles. These are just two of the most popular ways of consuming cannabis—there are many, many more, and we recommend talking to one of our staff members to get a better understanding of which ones might suit you best.
Advice for Newbies
This wouldn’t be much of a beginner’s guide if we didn’t have some advice to give! Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
Conclusion
Legal cannabis is easy to come by in Canada, but you still need to buy from a trusted supplier. Our Winnipeg cannabis dispensary has been in the business for years. We’ll help you along your cannabis journey, from understanding the different consumption methods to helping you choose the cannabis products that are right for you. Visit us today!
