Wondering how to consume medical marijuana without smoking it? Here are 5 alternative options for ingesting cannabis which allow you to reap all the benefits of this powerful healing plant while keeping your lungs happy!
With medical marijuana being legalized in more and more countries around the world, most of us are familiar with the health benefits of this cannabis plant. It can be used to relieve a number of ailments including:
- Chronic pain
- Anxiety/Depression
- Fibromyalgia
- PTSD
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Epliepsy
- Insomnia
- Stress
Cannabis is now acknowledged as a medical plant and patients have the option to choose which remedy works best for them. But what is the healthiest way to consume medical marijuana?
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Why Smoking Marijuana May Not Be The Best Option
It’s true that smoking marijuana is the most popular consumption method and the quickest way to experience the benefits of cannabis, but smoking may have some negative effects on your overall health including:
- Combustion of weed fills your lungs with toxic compounds and irritants
- It can be very harsh on your throat and mouth
- Higher risk of respiratory problems
But not to worry! There are many alternative methods out there that slowly release tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) into your bloodstream and give you all the lasting, colorful benefits of medical marijuana - just without the negative side-effects of smoking.
3 Healthy Ways to Consume Medical Marijuana
The fast expanding marijuana market offers many reliable smoking alternatives. Keep your lungs healthy with these 3 smoke-free ways to consume cannabis:
1. MARIJUANA TEA
Cannabis tea is rapidly becoming more popular and many medical marijuana users drink tea as an effective alternative to both edibles and concentrates.
Benefits:
Marijuana-infused tea is an especially ideal delivery method because when marijuana is absorbed via the digestive system, it’s effects are much longer lasting and holistic (i.e. spread throughout the entire body.)
How to use it:
Making marijuana-infused tea is an extremely simple and easy process and can be done in the following way:
- Add 1 tsp of bud butter/cannabutter and a tea bag to your cup
- Add boiling water
- Let the bud-butter/cannabutter fully dissolve
- Remove the tea bag, add milk (optional) and consume
**TIP**: You can add mint or any other herbal tea flavors to enhance the taste
2. VAPORIZING
The trends of vaporizing have started to make a greater appearance in the marijuana culture. One of the reasons is that it allows you to enjoy the benefits of cannabis without hurting your lungs or suffering from the other unfortunate side effects of smoking.
Benefits:
Although the technology is still relatively new compared to traditional marijuana smoking methods, it has many benefits including:
- It works fast and is easy to control your dosage (unlike edibles)
- It’s healthier than smoking and contains virtually none of the harsh toxins found in smoke
- You generally use 10-30% less herb when vaping than when smoking pipes, joints or bongs
- It only leaves a faint herb odor, allowing you to be more discreet
How to use it:
While the basics of how vaporizers work will be covered, remember to consult the instructions of any product you purchase since individual devices can vary widely in their functionality.
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Warm Up Your Device
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Vaporizers typically require 1-2 minutes to warm up. Most units have an indicator light that tells you when the desired temperature has been reached.
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Load the Chamber
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Before loading flowers into a vaporizer, it’s essential that they be finely ground. This allows heat to penetrate the material and activate the cannabinoids efficiently.
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Inhalation
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Once the device is activated and warmed up, you can inhale through the mouthpiece. When exhaling, you should be able to see and taste the vapor, which indicates the unit is working properly. Remember to pace yourself to achieve the desired effects for your symptoms.
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3. MARIJUANA EDIBLES
A great alternative to smoking marijuana or vaporizing is consuming cannabis-infused foods. This is an increasingly popular trend among medical marijuana patients, especially for chronic pain sufferers as edibles provide long-lasting relief.
Some of the most popular edibles include:
- Brownies
- Cannabis cookies
- Candy (e.g gummy bears, lollipops, cannabis taffy and more!)
- Granola bars
- Marijuana-infused chocolate dipped fruit
Benefits:
Eating marijuana rather than smoking it produces a different narcotic effect on the body and has many benefits including:
- Longer-lasting results
- Helps you avoid a post-high crash
- Creates a full-body effect
- Prevents throat and mouth damage
- Uses up the off-cuts, or other bits of the herb that might go to waste otherwise
How to use it:
Marijuana edibles are typically made through a process that involves infusing cooking oil or butter with cannabis, which are then used to create a wide range of edible food products.
Edibles can also be used with cannabis extracts such as tinctures. Adding a drop or two of a tincture to your food can create an instant THC cookie or brownie. It also makes it easier to control your dosage.
Learn More
To find out more about the different ways to consume medical marijuana, and which method is right for your particular health needs, contact us today at 403-978-5743 or fill out our contact form.
