The cannabis experience is as varied as its users. There are many reasons why people choose to consume cannabis, and they all have to do one way or another with the effect the plant has on their bodies. Some look for the mellow, relaxing state, while others are in for the focused, energetic vibe it conveys. However, the list can go on.
What is more interesting is that the effect for the same user’s experience can vary over time. One time you feel relaxed and mellow, another you feel like you could walk for miles and eat a whole cake by yourself.
This article is dedicated to explaining what are the factors that influence that variation. They have to do both with the product itself, but also with your own body.
Mood and surroundings
The main word here is comfort. The level of comfort can affect your high. If you find yourself in uneasy social situations, or if you feel stressed, these states could affect your experience with weed. Paranoia is another factor when considering the experiences with weed. That is because weed intensifies your mood, be it positive or negative.
Become aware of the environment you find yourself in, and how you feel in that moment, so you can prepare for the best experience. Being taken by surprise while intoxicated is not the best idea. So, being in control of your surroundings is the first best step towards an enjoyable experience.
Delivery method
There are differences in the method of how one consumes the cannabis product. Smoking, vaping, eating edibles, consuming oils and tinctures all affect the body differently. It is because of the manner in which the body assimilates the cannabis compounds.
For instance when it comes to edibles, the effect has been reported to kick in later, last longer and manifest more intensely. In contrast with smoking, there is more control over dosing. That means that one can go step by step – or puff by puff – and thus control their high better. That is also because when smoking, the high is felt quicker.
However, there is also something to say about how the body absorbs the psychoactive compounds in cannabis. When smoking, a significant amount – between 60 to 63% – is lost in the smoke. When it comes to edibles or oils, the absorption rate is much higher.
Dosing
To some degree, dosage goes hand in hand with the delivery method in terms of how much control one has over absorbing the cannabis compounds. It is usually a good idea to start low and gradually increase, because each body reacts differently to the cannabis compounds. So if you only start experimenting with cannabis now, the best strategy is to test how your body reacts to different dosages.
The Cannabinoid Profile
Beyond dosage, another factor that significantly influences your high is the cannabinoid profile of your product. This includes the concentration of compounds such as THC and CBD. These two compounds are the most researched components of the cannabis plant, and have proven to affect the body in various manners.
THC is responsible for the psychoactive effects of weed. In contrast, CBD has relaxing properties which do not influence the consumer psychoactively. There are other compounds, such as Anandamide, Cannabichromenes (CBC), Cannabigerols (CBG) that influence the body differently. Most scientific research focused on THC and CBD and there is still a long way towards understanding the fullness of how cannabis interacts with our bodies.
Our bodies have an endocannabinoid system that facilitates the absorption of the cannabis compounds through various receptors distributed throughout the nervous system. When THC, CBD and other compounds enter the body, they attach to the endocannabinoid receptors. Depending on the composition of your cannabis product, these compounds will compete, so to say, for a spot on the receptors.
That is why it’s important to look at the ratio between THC and CBD, as the latter could lessen the intense psychoactive effects of THC. At the same time, if it is a product that only contains THC it’s significant to take into account the concentration.
The way in which cannabis affects the body is not solely dependent on the concentration of THC. Instead, marijuana acts as an ensemble – which is named in the field as the entourage effect. This entails that other compounds of the plant, such as terpenes will affect your high.
Terpenes
Terpenes are responsible for aromatic quality and flavour. It is the lemon aroma in your Lemon Haze, or the fuel strain of the Sour Diesel. Recent studies showed that terpenes can also play a role in your high. Just as lavender has a relaxing effect due to its smell, that effect is also due to its terpenes. More research is needed in this direction, but you can keep the flavours of weed in mind in crafting your cannabis experience.
Final Thoughts
There are multiple factors that influence your high, both external factors relating to the environment, specific factors related to the plant, and internal factors relating to each consumer. There is an equilibrium that needs to be reached for an ideal cannabis experience.
But being aware of all the factors at play means taking control of your experience, and being its crafter. Picking a quality product is a second guarantee of a pleasant experience. That is why, you must check out the FullSesh variety today!