With the expansion of legalization, cannabis is now used by at least 52% of the American population.
That still leaves about half of the country who are still pondering whether to give it a try.
If you are curious about cannabis, you should do your research before diving in. This will help ease your anxiety and enjoy the experience more.
Use these top ten questions about cannabis to satisfy your curious mind.
1. Does CBD Get You High?
One of the biggest marijuana questions involves the discrepancy between the components of cannabis.
CBD is only one of over a hundred various cannabinoids found in the cannabis sativa plant. Unlike THC, CBD does not have a psychoactive effect, so it does not get you high.
That is why CBD oil has become a medicinal alternative to THC-containing cannabis.
2. Is Cannabis More Potent Today?
The short answer is yes. The amount of THC in cannabis today is much stronger than in decades past. One study found that THC levels in 1995 were roughly 4% in 1995 and 12% in 2014.
This is due to the increasingly competitive business of cannabis. The more THC, the more profitable it becomes. Cultivators create THC-hybrids that slowly decrease the level of CBD in plants.
It also has been a result of improved growing techniques that lead to healthier and more potent plants.
3. What’s the Difference Between Sativa and Indica?
When you smoke for the first time, you want to know how it will affect you. Is marijuana a stimulant or depressant? Will it put you to sleep or give you a boost of energy?
The answer is both. The effects depend on the strain and the active terpenes. Terpenes are the aromatic compounds found on plants, but they do more than determine a plant’s scent.
Certain terpenes will make strains lean more toward sativa qualities. Sativa will stimulate your brain and give you a head high. Other terpenes produce a body high that creates a more indica or depressant effect, leading to lethargy.
4. How are Edibles Different Than Smoking?
Eating top cannabis strains have a much different effect than smoking them.
Cannabis is digested so it doesn’t get absorbed into your bloodstream as quickly as when smoked.
The liver processes the edible and creates a more potent THC substance. Small amounts of cannabis placed in edibles have the same effect as smoking larger quantities.
5. Do You Get the Munchies?
The cannabinoids found in cannabis interact and attach to the receptors in your brain. While your brain already has natural cannabinoids, adding new ones can cause an increase in chemicals.
These chemicals turn on reactions like the feeling of hunger even if you aren’t hungry. Your desire to eat is the brain telling the rest of your body that you are hungry.
6. Can You Overdose on Cannabis?
There has never been a recorded incident of overdosing on cannabis, meaning no one has ever died due to consuming too much of it.
That doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have some negative side effects when abused. It can lead to anxiety, paranoia, and loss of coordination, leading to nausea or vomiting.
You want to consume cannabis like any other substance: with caution by taking small amounts at first.
7. What Should You Do if You Get Too High?
If you find that you smoked or ate too much cannabis the best thing to do is to remain calm.
Next, drink plenty of water to flush your system out. You can also chew on black peppercorn, which reduces the effects of THC.
Change your scenery by taking a walk and getting some fresh air or relax in a warm bath to calm yourself.
Have some CBD oil available as it is the counteractive component of the psychoactive effects of cannabis.
8. How Can You Use Cannabis Legally?
Even though cannabis is still classified as illegal under federal law, certain states have specific recreational and medicinal laws. You should check your state’s legal limits on possessing cannabis, growing, and selling cannabis.
For example, in Nevada, you can grow up to six plants in your home for consumption if you live 25 miles or more from a cannabis dispensary. You can’t consume or possess cannabis in public, or you’ll pay up to a $600 fine.
Buying and possessing cannabis for personal use also has its limitations. Nevada allows individuals to have up to one ounce of cannabis flower or 3.5 grams of concentrate at a time.
If you want to sell cannabis in Nevada, then you will need to apply for the proper business and cannabis licenses and permits to avoid hefty fines and even imprisonment.
9. What are the Benefits of Cannabis?
Consuming cannabis isn’t just for fun. You may be wondering why cannabis is good for you. In addition to putting you in a good mood, it also has many beneficial properties.
Cannabinoids, especially CBD, can relieve stress, reduce symptoms of depression, treat epilepsy, ease pain, and improve your sleep routine.
10. How Do You Consume Cannabis?
There are so many cannabis-smoking tools that you might feel overwhelmed by your options.
First, you want to decide what type of cannabis to ingest. You can smoke the dried flower part of the plant using a bowl, bong, or vaporizer. You can also pick a cannabis concentrate, like oil or tinctures, in an edible form or topical rub.
No matter which method you try, remember to start with small doses and increase it over time. If you don’t like the effects, try another method.
Keeping Track of Your Questions about Cannabis
As you get more of your questions about cannabis answered, you’ll begin to discover more of its benefits and new ways to use it.
Monitor your personal experience with cannabis and write down additional questions that you may have.
Visit our blog post about keeping a health and wellness cannabis journal to get the most out of your new venture.