Cannabusters Myth #28: You have to smoke weed for it to have an effect

Grow clears the air on cannabis myths (Karacheo/Shutterstock)

Every day, in every way, cannabis legalization in Canada is getting closer. But despite all the hype, noise, and publicity, there seem to be recurring cannabis myths flying around that just won’t quit.

With 28 days until federal legalization, Grow’s daily Cannabusters series tackles common myths by cutting through the stigma and sensationalism to bring you the facts about cannabis.

Myth: You have to smoke cannabis to really experience any of its effects

Fact: There are a multitude of ways to effectively consume cannabis

There are a plethora of ways to consume cannabis, and with so many options, users can tailor their cannabis consumption to align with their needs, preferences and health concerns. Here are just a few of the many ways to consume cannabis sans smoking.

Vapes

Vaping is the closest users can get to smoking without actually smoking, and over the last decade it’s proved to be an increasingly popular substitute.

Consuming weed by combustion can cause some users to experience health-related consequences, but vaping instead of smoking can prove beneficial for cannabis users – at least from a harm reduction standpoint.

“You can reduce those consequences significantly by vaporizing” instead of smoking cannabis, Dr. Ian Mitchell (Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at UBC) told Daily Hive in an interview earlier this year.

“It’s much healthier and there is some research showing that people do experience less respiratory symptoms if they switch to vaporizing.”

Edibles

Edibles provide users with a method of consuming a weed via a cannabis-infused food product.

Edible cannabis products can result in a significantly more intense experience than smoking or vaping, although the onset of their effects take much longer to kick in.

Edibles and beverages won’t be sold legally in Canada until approximately one year of the Cannabis Act coming into force on October 17. Users can DIY, but should exercise caution – it’s harder to get an exact dose and be aware of exactly how much you’re consuming when you go the home-made route.

Users should also be cognizant of external factors that can alter the effects of an edible, such as food and fat consumption.

Concentrates

These are often consumed by vaping or dabbing, but cannabis extracts, concentrates, and distillates provide users with a markedly different effect than vaping flower.

“When it comes to the effects of concentrates, it’s really no matter what, you’re gonna feel the effects much more… A flower high and a concentrate high are very different,” Phil Kwong of 3 Carbon Extractions and Holistek told Daily Hive in a previous interview.

“You’re consuming THC and you’re consuming anything inside the plant at a much more concentrated rate, so you’re gonna feel the effects a lot more.”

Like edibles, extracts won’t be sold legally in Canada until an unknown date after legalization next year. Depending on your gear, they may also require a different vaporizer than one designated for flower, although there are hybrid models.

Kwong predicts that concentrates will become an increasingly accessible form of consumption among cannabis users next year.

“I think we’ll still see a consistent flow once concentrates are more legal. Once extractions and edibles open up in 2019, I think we’ll see a more diverse market,” says Kwong.

Myth: You have to smoke cannabis to really experience any of its effects

Fact: There are a multitude of ways to effectively consume cannabis

Vapes

Edibles

Concentrates

See also