Should I smoke cannabis, vaporize it, eat it, drink it? Rub it on my skin?

With the relatively recent legalization in Washington and Colorado and the growing tally of states that allow medical marijuana, I foresee an influx of novice consumers who may consider cannabis for either recreation or medical reasons. As such, many canna-virgins may not have the slightest clue where to begin.

The sheer amount of options can be daunting. Now, for those veteran weedists out there, the variety and breadth of cannabis deliverables is nothing short of heavenly. But for a newcomer, it may be overwhelming. What I don’t want to see is a curious potential pot enthusiast either panicked by the selection process or, worse, have a bad experience with cannabis due to a poorly chosen strain/application. We’ve all had “bad” highs, but without the perspective and context of primarily good highs, it can be enough to taint your opinion and lead to the spread of more inaccurate/incomplete information regarding marijuana.

I want to start off with a note about safety. Some of you may have read above about “bad” highs and unconsciously added a subtext in your mind that cannabis carries danger. To that end, cannabis is incredibly safe and, if looked at historically, has yet to cause one death due to overdose.

When I speak of a “bad” high, I simply mean that it was either not as effective as I was hoping, it was the wrong strain for the occasion, or (especially in the days when we were driven to the black market to get our buds) poorly grown weed. Other bad highs that I have witnessed were due to someone being tricked into ingesting cannabis (“hey man want a brownie? No, it’s just a regular brownie, I swear!”). This is a dick move. I wholly support cannabis consumption, but I also fully believe that we should willingly choose to get on that bus. In the cases of shitty buds, the worst I have experienced is a mild headache. Occasionally, a “bad” high simply means you had too much. That is a legitimate concern if you’re a novice. Start small. You can always dose again.

Think about the reason(s) that you are considering cannabis. What brought you to this juncture? Are your interests purely recreational and/or is there a medicinal effect you seek? I would suggest pairing the intention behind consuming marijuana with a method of application that works for you. If you are an occasional recreational cannabis user and simply want a great high, I highly recommend smoking it (if you’re able). It’ll hit you fast and set you up for a good couple of hours. Smoking not your thing? Eat it! Just be sure to leave some extra time for it to kick in. If your needs fall more toward the medicinal end of the spectrum, the advice is basically the same. Cannabis is safe and effective, just find a way to get it into your body that doesn’t hurt you.

The basics: How do I get cannabis in to my body?

Smoke it:

Depending on your desired goal, there is some variation to be aware of when starting out. The most well known method is to burn the buds and inhale the smoke. This is how I first began and, to be honest, it is still my preferred method. I find that nothing hits me quicker or feels more potent than smoked cannabis. This method does, however, involve the inhalation of smoke which for some people is prohibitive. When you are a new pot smoker, there is a short refractory period wherein your lungs are adjusting. This can come with fits of coughing and some phlegm expulsion, though it subsides quickly. I’d say after a fresh smoke there is some initial coughing, but is should clear up in a few minutes. Actually, we used to say “you don’t get off unless you cough.” Sure, the coughing was a little uncomfortable, but it stops quick and that juicy high soon makes you care very little about a touch of coughing.

Vaporize it:

Vaporizing cannabis uses much lower heat than combustion (above). The different compounds in the plant activate at different temperatures. Vaping offers a degree of control and titration compared to burning, which sends everything the plant has (organic matter and all) into your lungs as smoke. Now, there is zero evidence that marijuana smoke does any real harm to your lungs, but a vaporizer can greatly diminish the amount of purely plant fiber smoke you’re breathing. The process for vaporizing is a bit more involved than other methods. Here is a great intro to vaping article that I recommend for those interested in pursuing more information.

Eating it:

Eating cannabis-infused foods, taking tinctures and hash oil, or drinking cannabis beverages also are tried and true methods of ingesting cannabis. From my experience (and echoed among cannabis enthusiasts) swallowing your cannabis is effective, but takes considerably longer to feel in your body. It can take around an hour or more to digest the cannabis and see it fully permeate your bloodstream, whereas smoking it will get the cannabis into your blood nearly as fast as oxygen–you will feel the high within seconds. Edibles do have their advantages, though. For those who can’t or won’t smoke it, edibles offer a very easy alternative. Additionally, there are many times and places wherein it would be imprudent to roast a bowl or smell like weed smoke. Again, edibles are a great option. I went to a major league soccer game that prohibited smoking. A handful of pot gummi bears later and I was doing just fine, within the confines of stadium policy.

Rubbing it into your skin:

I don’t personally have a ton of experience with topical cannabis gels or creams. I do know that marijuana is a very effective anti-inflammatory agent and I know people with skin conditions and more superficial aches and pains that swear by their cannabis creams. This application seems to me to be purely medicinal. There is not much of a “high” to be had, but some great symptom relief can be found with creams.