As society becomes more open to cannabis use, it’s important to remember that there are still rules and regulations we must abide by. This guide provides all the information you need to know about safely and responsibly consuming cannabis. From understanding the different types of products available to learning the effects of each strain, we cover everything you need to have a safe and enjoyable experience.
So, whether you’re a first-time user or an experienced cannabis consumer, read this guide before heading out to pick up your next joint!
Start Slowly
The first tip on this list, if you want to know how to consume cannabis responsibly, goes without saying: you should always start slowly. The experience of being under the intoxicating effects of cannabis isn’t like anything and can’t be prepared for.
As such, you should never assume that you can handle it, especially if you have never consumed cannabis before because you won’t be able to. The best thing to do would be to consume a little, wait a bit depending on your consumption method, and consume more if necessary. You will eventually find your limit, as well as a sweet spot.
Know Your Products
To be a responsible cannabis consumer, you must know your products, specifically the consumption methods. Devices for consuming cannabis have come a long way in recent years. Today, there are all sorts of high-tech devices designed for consuming cannabis. The most common is the bong, which uses water to filter and cool the smoke. And just like different cannabis strains produce different effects, different consumption methods do, too.
For example, edibles have an onset time of around 1-2 hours and a duration of effects of between 6-8 hours. If you don’t know your products, you might consume more edibles after 30 minutes of not feeling anything and end up incredibly high. More importantly, if you don’t know edibles last that long and you have to work later, it will be a terrible experience.
Don’t Drive
The next thing you should never do when under the influence of cannabis would be to drive. If you want to consume cannabis responsibly and safely, you should never get behind the wheel of a car. You might not be aware of this, but while under the influence of cannabis, your reaction times are actually slowed.
More than this, it can be easy to become anxious after consuming cannabis, especially if you have consumed too much. This is the last thing you need to feel when getting behind the wheel of a car, especially when so much is at stake in this situation.
Know What You are Smoking
One of the best things you can do to consume cannabis safely and ensure responsible consumption is to know what you are smoking. There are many different types of cannabis strains, and each has different effects.
More importantly, if you didn’t buy the cannabis from a licensed dispensary, you don’t actually know what is in the cannabis. Many dealers lace cannabis with different drugs, especially if the cannabis sold is low grade.
Smoke at Home
If you have never consumed cannabis before, the best thing to do to consume it responsibly would be to smoke or consume it at home. As mentioned above, consuming too much cannabis can lead to intense feelings of anxiety as well as paranoia.
So, if you want to be as comfortable as possible and eliminate any stimuli that could overwhelm you when under the effects of cannabis, you should consume it at home the first few times. Once you have gotten used to it, consuming in public will be a walk in the park.
Don’t Leave it Laying Around
If you want to be a responsible cannabis consumer, one of the most important things you should do is always store your cannabis and cannabis-related products away after using them. This isn’t that important when talking about the actual herb. However, if you consume edibles, you should store them away. Many edibles look like candy, sweets, and various food products. Anyone could easily mistake an edible for regular food and consume it. It would be incredibly irresponsible for someone to get high accidentally because you failed to store your cannabis products away.
