So you finally got your medical marijuana license and your MMJ — now what?! Well, you have a big decision to make: How are you going to consume it? Medical marijuana is just about as diverse as a medical treatment can come, and there are plenty of ways you can choose how to consume it.
Before you make your decision, you need to ask a couple of questions: Do I want a discreet way to consume it? Do I like the idea of smoking? Do I want to be able to consume on the go, on my own time and with as little preparation as possible?
MMJ card holders are more inventive than ever, and these days, the list of ways to consume is growing even longer. If you’ve only recently gotten your medical marijuana card, you may be a little lost as to what consumption method to choose. Lucky for you, that’s where we come in to help you make an informed decision. We’ve outlined the best ways you can consume your medical marijuana.
Smoking
When you think of marijuana, the first thing that comes to mind is probably people smoking it, whether via a joint, pipe or bong. Sure, this is the preferred ingestion method for most recreational marijuana users, but for MMJ card holders, it’s not as popular, largely due to destructive nature of inhaling smoke. However, some medical marijuana users rate smoking as a good method of consumption because it delivers instant relief from their ailment as they inhale it through the lungs into the bloodstream.
Vaping
Vaping replicates the experience of smoking without the detrimental effects.
Ever increasing in popularity, vaping has become the new way to ingest MMJ without the dangers of smoke inhalation. As is evident by the name, a vaporizer creates a cloud from the cannabis by heating it up. Then, you inhale through a mouthpiece. As you’re not heating up the cannabis as much as you would be via smoking, you’re saving more of those all-important cannabinoids from being destroyed, thus making vaping all the better for you. A bonus of vaping is that it has been proven time and time again to be of assistance to those trying to quit smoking. It replicates the experience without the detrimental effects!
Edibles
The amazing beneficial effects of MMJ with the added deliciousness of an edible? Sign us up! And no, we’re not just talking about making some pot brownies! Medical marijuana edibles have come leaps and bounds from the clichéd chocolate treat that was once (OK, maybe still is) omnipotent in college dorms across the States. Granola bars, gummy bears, popcorn and even mac ’n’ cheese are some of the food items that have been given an MMJ makeover, and foodie 420 card holders around the world are ever so grateful for it. Consuming edibles has not only been proven to give longer lasting relief than other methods, but it’s also an ultra-discreet way to consume, which can be incredibly important depending on your surroundings. If you’re looking for some edible inspiration on what to make, check out some of our recipes here, here and here.
Tinctures
A what now? You may be scratching your head trying to figure out what exactly a tincture is. Let us give you some clarity: A tincture is a concentrated form of medical marijuana that is made in an alcohol solution. You use a tincture by adding it to your food or drink, dropping it under your tongue, or even by applying it to your skin. The container it comes in is very discreet — it looks like an eyedropper — making it perfect for public consumption. If you have a child that is consuming medical marijuana, this would be the best method for them.
Drinking
Drinking medical marijuana in juice or smoothie form avoids the loss of some of the nutritional value of MMJ.
Yes, you heard us right! Consuming your MMJ by drinking it has become very popular of late — not least in California thanks to the juicing craze that’s sweeping the state! Like most other vegetables — yes, MMJ is technically a vegetable! — cannabis loses a lot of its nutritional value when it’s heated like it is using other methods. Drinking MMJ in juice or smoothie form avoids this loss of the good stuff and allows users to benefit from the ameliorative powers of the plant without getting the cloudy high that is sometimes achieved via smoking, vaping or edibles. If you’re intrigued by this inventive method but aren’t sure where to start, check out our how-to guide for juicing medical marijuana. You’ll be reaching for your juicer in no time.
This is only a rundown of the most popular ways, but if none of these take your fancy, there’s plenty of other methods to choose from such as dabbing, patches, topicals, suppositories and even just ingesting the fresh plant on its own. Most California medical marijuana card holders will usually consume via a combination of these methods depending on their surroundings or the relief they’re looking for. As with most things, your MMJ journey will be an ever-evolving one, and you’ll figure out what works best for you as you go along. Embrace what works, and discard any method that doesn’t agree with you or is ineffective for your ailment. Don’t forget to trust what your body is telling you. It knows best!