The recent wave of legalization means that there have never been more ways to consume cannabis. From smoking to vaping and from edibles to sublingual administration, there’s more than one way to elevate yourself.
While each has a unique onset time, duration, and effect, some administration methods are healthier and safer than others. If you want to buy cannabis online in Canada but wonder which method is safest, then here we provide the lowdown and outline the pros and cons of each.
Smoking Cannabis
Smoking is the most common method of administration. By inhaling smoke into our lungs, we give the cannabinoids and other plant compounds a direct route into the bloodstream for reliable and fast-acting effects.
If you smoke cannabis, you’ll generally feel the effects within mere minutes. The effects commonly peak within 30 minutes and will generally last for 3-4 hours.
Because of the clear health issues associated with smoking tobacco, many people wonder if smoked cannabis imparts the same damaging effects. Research shows that smoked cannabis does not present the same risks as smoked tobacco, and there is currently no scientific study that links smoked cannabis to lung cancer.
And while the threats aren’t as serious as those posed by tobacco use, the burning of any plant matter still results in the creation of carcinogenic compounds that can lead to some adverse health effects. Studies show that regularly smoking cannabis can cause microscopic injuries to the airways. And while this often increases the risk of developing chronic bronchitis symptoms, they often subside when smoking ceases.
While the risks of smoking cannabis are nowhere near those associated with smoking tobacco, the regular inhalation of cannabis smoke may cause irritation and a persistent cough among heavier users.
Vaporizing Cannabis
The health advantage associated with vaping is that it doesn’t involve combustion. This means that consumers don’t inhale any of the carcinogenic compounds associated with smoked cannabis.
Vaporizers work by subjecting the cannabis to a temperature just high enough to vaporize the cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids in the plant without actually burning them. These lower temperatures mean that consumers aren’t exposed to the same levels of potentially harmful toxins compared to combusted forms of cannabis.
Many proponents of vaping cannabis say that it protects the integrity of many of the terpenes present in the plant. Many of these terpenes have potent anti-inflammatory effects, and an increased presence of them can help negate any irritation in the lungs.
Tinctures
Cannabis tinctures were once widely used in the years preceding prohibition. Very popular among medicinal cannabis patients, they provide a method of administration that completely avoids heating the cannabis. This means that it doesn’t destroy many of the beneficial plant compounds, nor does it create any harmful toxic compounds through heating.
Tinctures are versatile and discrete and provide a non-invasive way to medicate practically anywhere. Tinctures can be consumed sublingually or by mixing them into edible recipes or beverages.
In terms of safety, they don’t pose the same potentially irritating symptoms associated with smoking or vaping cannabis and are often seen as a much healthier alternative.
Cannabis Edibles
Cannabis edibles don’t produce any toxic byproducts upon consumption, but this doesn’t mean that they are safe. The main issue associated with edibles is that they can be very hard-hitting!
Edibles can take anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours to kick in, and the greatest danger associated with edibles is eagerly consuming an extra dose before the full effects have hit. This means that dosing and patience are essential if you’re new to edibles.
Rather than entering the bloodstream via the lungs as with smoked or vaped forms of cannabis, edibles are metabolized in the liver once they pass through the GI tract.
It’s during this process in the liver where the delta9-THC present in cannabis is converted to the more potent 11-Hydroxy-THC form. This stronger form of THC has been responsible for many a nightmarish encounter with edibles. And given the fact that edible experiences can last for as long as 24 hours in some extreme cases, it’s crucial that we don’t get ahead of ourselves.
Physical health symptoms are never an issue with edibles. Rather, it’s the potential psychological discomfort we can experience through increased anxiety and paranoia upon consuming too much that poses the greatest danger to our wellbeing. With edibles, the secret is to find your dose and understand how your body deals with the more potent 11-Hydroxy THC.
Dabbing Concentrates
The dabbing of concentrates like shatter or live resin can deliver a potent hit without inhaling any of the carcinogenic compounds associated with smoked cannabis. And while many experienced cannabis consumers derive tremendous benefit from concentrates to overcome existing tolerances and target chronic medical conditions, there is one downside to concentrates, and that’s the degradation of terpenes.
In one particular study, scientists uncovered the formation of toxicants in the dabbing process where excessive nail temperatures in dabbing rigs oxidized terpenes in a way that can be harmful to health.
To ensure maximum safety when dabbing, always ensure that you closely monitor nail temperature to avoid degrading the beneficial plant compounds.
The Safest Way To Consume Cannabis
By and large, cannabis is safe to consume in a wide variety of forms. If you’re concerned about developing physical symptoms or irritation, then it’s best to avoid smoking or vaping cannabis. Most health-conscious cannabis consumers opt for edibles or tinctures.
And while they may enable consumers to avoid both carcinogenic compounds and the degradation of existing plant compounds, they bring their own risks in terms of dosing. Edible cannabis is perfectly safe, but if you’re a beginner, then the only risk involved is consuming too much. Remember, start low and go slow, and you’ll be just fine!
Buy Cannabis Online in Canada
Whatever consumption method you choose, then at Elite Buds BC, we’ve got you covered. If you’d like to buy weed online in Canada, then we’ve got a wide range of flowers, concentrates, shatter, edibles, and vape products. Why not head on over and pick out the ideal form of cannabis for your preferred consumption method?
