Welcome to the wonderful world of cannabis, we are so happy to have you here! With the changes to Canadian legislation, it is now legal for us to possess and enjoy cannabis flower. Rejoice! Even though there are countless way to experience the effects of THC, smoking flower remains the most popular.
Flower, also called “bud,” refers to the smokeable part of the cannabis plant that has gone through the cultivation, harvest, drying, and curing process. Flower continues to be a popular choice for its versatility, offering numerous methods of consumption, such as being smoked using a pipe or bong, or by rolling it into a joint or blunt.
One of the best parts of smoking flower is its bioavailability, meaning that you feel the effects of the THC almost right away and the high typically last up to three hours.
How are you going to smoke flower your first time? Within the smoking category, you have a number of different options to choose from!
The most popular method of smoking flower is with a joint. All you need are rolling papers, which are incredible inexpensive, and your flower. A buster makes life a little bit easier, but isn’t necessary. We recommend RAW rolling papers!
Similar to a joint, blunts only require an emptied out cigar wrapper and flower. While they are certainly an easy method, be advised that you will be inhaling the tobacco that is in the cigar wrapper. We wouldn’t advise this for a first timer!
Pipes are the most straightforward way of smoking. You simply break apart your flower, place it in the bowl of your pipe, light and enjoy.
Bongs are another common way of enjoying cannabis. Bongs are filtration devices made up of a chamber, which is partially filled with water, and a downstem that connects the water chamber and holds a bowl (which holds the cannabis). The water helps to filter out some of the particles from the cannabis and takes away some of the harshness of inhaling smoke.
Relatively new to the market, vaporizers or “vapes”, as they are more commonly known as, have become increasingly popular. Unlike smoking, vaping is the heating of cannabis without burning the flower. The heat releases the active ingredients into a vapor that is then released into the air by a vaporizer device.
Once you have decided how you are going to smoke, the next questions is what you are going to smoke? The two main strains of cannabis are indica and sativa. Indica strains are known to be physically sedating, perfect for relaxing with a movie or before bed. Sativa strains tend to provide more invigorating, uplifting effects that pair well with physical activity, social gatherings, and creative projects. We recommend starting with a sativa strain, like our New York Haze, or an indica strain, such as Peyote Cookies.
Unlike edible servings, there is no exact dosage associated with each hit when you’re smoking. It also differs depending on the person, the strain of cannabis, and how deeply you inhale. The best thing to do is to indulge with someone you trust. Start slow, gauge how your body feels, and then carry on until you reach a level where you can feel the effects and still feel comfortable. You may only want to start with one hit and wait to see how it affects you before having another.
Smoking cannabis for your first time is an exciting experience, but can be a little intimidating at first. Remember to only enjoy cannabis if you are in a situation that you feel safe and comfortable in. Indulging with a friend is not only more fun, but they can help to answer any questions you may have. You can always contact us if you need a little guidance! Go slow, listen to your body and enjoy the new experience.
If you happen to get too high (don’t worry, it happens to the best of us!) and you start feeling uncomfortable, take a breath. Then, hope over to our other blog post on the six things to do if you get too high. We’ve got you!