WEED: SMOKING VS EATING

There are so many known methods and mechanisms of consuming cannabis otherwise known as marijuana and making sure desirable amounts of cannabinoids are entering your bloodstream. The two most common ways of achieving this is smoking the herb which is also through different means, such as pipe, bong, spliff, joint or blunt, and by eating of foods that have been infused with cannabis or eating cannabis directly. As a result of huge advancements in food production, the latter may include almost any food you can think of, such as cakes, ice cream, pasta, sandwiches, sweets, coffee, wine and so on. Both of these methods however have their advantages and disadvantages and what sets them apart the most is the way they affect the type of high you will experience.

 

Anybody who has had an experience with smoking and eating marijuana will be of no doubt well aware of the differences in strength involved. Edibles take longer time to set in, but when they take effect they seem to be stronger than smoking herb. When smoked or vaped, (THC) follows a far more direct pathway to the brain, while when eaten the (THC) present in cannabis is metabolized by the liver, where it is converted into 11-hydroxy-THC which is very efficient at crossing the blood brain barrier and therefore may result in far more intense and stronger high.

Tetrohydrocannabinol (THC), is the ingredient known to be responsible for causing the high sensation that you get from consuming marijuana. Amazingly, there are certain benefits gotten from the consumption of marijuana asides the highness gotten. Below are some healthy benefits of smoking weed:

1)      Pain Relief: Medically, marijuana is used to eliminate or reduce pain in the body and there is no other special agent responsible for this wonder of pain-relief effect asides Tetrohydrocannabinol, the same ingredient responsible for the highness gotten from consuming marijuana.

2)      Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): This is a common reason marijuana is consumed medically. Interestingly, the high sensation gotten from (THC), is also associated with temporary impairments of memory.

3)      Tetrohydrocannabinol (THC) which is the most recognized ingredient in marijuana has been available in pills since the 1980s for treating nausea and vomiting in cancer patients all over the world.

4)      Asides its ability to reduce nausea, tetrohydrocannabinol (THC) is also known to work as a powerful appetite stimulant in both healthy and sick individuals. This means that it stimulates the intake of food.

 

5)      Another benefit of THC recognized earlier on was its potential to relieve eye pressure in patients with glaucoma.

Here are some of the benefits gotten from eating marijuana (edibles):

Many marijuana users are wondering if it’s better eating marijuana instead of smoking it. What’s behind the interest in marijuana edibles? Sure, smoking marijuana is the fastest way to deliver THC and other cannabinoids into your body and mind. But some people are tired of coughing, throats hurting, having to buy and use pipes, bongs, or vaporizers. The smell of smoked marijuana, or a big cloud of marijuana smoke, brings unwanted attention that can harm your privacy and freedom.

When you eat marijuana, your digestive system converts the inactive form of THC to delta-11 THC, a compound that produces different effects than delta-9. But you get the combined effect of the two. If you smoke marijuana but as yet you do not consume pot edibles, here’s a summary of the differences in these two methods of marijuana intake:

 

1)      Smoking marijuana starts to take effect within a few seconds or a minute or two. The highness derived lasts between one to three hours after which you become “un-high.” Depending on whether your stomach is empty or not, eaten marijuana could take thirty to ninety minutes before the effects start to manifest. The effects of eaten marijuana can last for as long as three to seven hours, after which you gradually descend. The burned-out, tired feeling you sometimes get when you come down from smoked marijuana is far less noticeable when you eat marijuana.

2)      When you eat marijuana, it produces more body-centered effects compared to when you smoke marijuana, and effects are more evenly distributed throughout the body.

3)      Eaten marijuana works better for LONG LASTING pain relief, muscle spasms, and similar conditions, but it takes longer to work than smoked marijuana and is thus not as useful for people needing immediate medical marijuana relief.

4)      Because you can’t feel the effects right away when you eat marijuana, it’s easier to underdose or overdose. The way to get it right when you eat marijuana is to start with a dose measured marijuana edible, eat a small amount of it on an empty
stomach, wait at least an hour until it takes full effect, then decide if you want to eat more, and how much more you want to eat.

When smoking weed, the effects can be felt almost immediately. Depending on the strain and the volume smoked, this could be immediate relaxation, euphoria, creative thoughts or even energy. These effects then start to wear off and disappear within the next hour or so. Because of this fast onset, you can practically feel how much THC you are consuming, how much would be far too much and when to stop or have a break. For these reasons, it is far easier to control how much THC you are taking in.

The story is totally different when the herb is eaten. Edibles require longer processing by the body before effects start taking place. Therefore, it can take between 30 minutes and 2 hours for the effects to start manifesting and be experienced depending on the body system of the consumer. The effects can last up to several hours after the onset. Due to the reason of the period of time between actually eating a medicated piece of food and feeling the effects, it is very easy to abuse it. (For example, an hour has passed already and no effects have manifested yet, a person may assume more dose is needed to feel the desired effects. Then within a few hours, what is believed to be a light and relaxing high turns into a challenging and psychedelic experience, that they are not mentally prepared for and capable of handling).

The above scenario is mostly common among those who have little experience with marijuana edibles. When taking marijuana edibles, it is advised to start off with small doses and then exercise patience until you feel the full effects of the dosage before deciding to consume more.

Know Your Limit!!!

If you have smoked far too much, chances are you will just surrender, put the half smoked joint for a rest in the ashtray and take a nice, deep and restful nap on the couch. If you have overmedicated, it might be a different story. Perhaps you weren’t prepared for the waves of high that keep washing over you, increasing with strength. If that is the case, perhaps the most important thing is not to panic. Take a seat, engage in some deep and controlled breathing and relax. Keep in mind, that you will be sober in the next hour or two and you will be totally fine.