If you are reading this as a new patient – welcome to the world of marijuana. Unlike most prescribed drugs, you probably haven't been given specific instructions on how to use it – you are probably supposed to "feel" your way around to get your dosage right.
If you are not a marijuana user – I recommend you stay away from edibles as they are difficult to control. The key to using marijuana "all the time" is control. Some refer to marijuana as a "friend" – its something that is familiar and sticks with you – as long as you keep your dosage right. Smoking or vaping is the only thing I recommend unless you physically have to – in which case I would say try a tincture edibles can be overwhelming.
Please use the word smoke and vape interchangeably if I don't clarify – some choose to do one or the other for various reasons. Vaping is the recommended method at this time in history.
What you need:
Vaporizer (if you vape)
Grinder
Rolling Paper (If rolling joints)
Filter Paper Tips (If rolling joints)
Zen Roll Box (If rolling joints)
Digital Scale
Cannabis
Note: All Cannabis is different – some is uplifting (Sativa) some is sedating and pain killing (Indica) – some are a bit of both. Contact your local dispensary for details
Take some cannabis and grind it. Weigh a single paper and filter on the scale to subtract from the weight of your joint – if vaping, weigh the amount you plan to pack in your vaporizer. It is a good idea to write this down – so you can track your usage and achieve the optimal effect.
If its your first time, take 4 puffs and wait 15 minutes and repeat until it feels good. The benefit of doing this over edibles is it leaves the body fairly quickly if you take too much.
The goal is to treat your issue without succumbing a mind numbing high. You don't want to be a "pot head" even though you might use more than one. They key is to finding an amount that "gets you there" without getting you "high".
I use marijuana for free floating symptoms (ones that are hard to treat). I don't think it's the cure for every disease on earth - but it has helped me.
When you find how to "get there" – you might experience some "elevated" effects for 20 minutes and then feel normal (but better). The number of times you do it a day is something you have to feel around for. If you take pain medication 3x a day – that would probably be how many times you would want to smoke/vape. Only you will know – if you start napping during the day and are apathetic – you are probably overdoing it. Its non-toxic, it cant kill you – but apathy can destroy your social life. Depending on your medical situation you might need more or less – keeping track of your usage, keeps you accountable which save you from overdoing it. Overdoing it again leads to apathy, which isn't a terrible side effect as far as drug side effects go – but it can be damaging
Things to think about:
- It smells – your house, your clothes, everything will smell.
- People may say something nasty to you indirectly or directly
- If you have kids – people may not want to let their kids over
- Your short term memory takes and absolute beating
It takes a lot of time to smoke joints multiple times a day (lots of time alone)
You have to put your Cannabis away from your kids and pets. Get a rolling tray of some sort and keep all of your ground marijuana, tools, papers, etc. on. I recommend Mason Jars for your cannabis as it contains the smell and it's difficult for a kid to open.
If you smoke in "public" wear sunglasses and earphones to tune out the noise: there is still a stigma. I have had people hassle me over the years, it's most annoying if people ask you to "buy weed". Just keep walking – that's all I can say.
The pros outweigh the cons for me. I have my regular routine, sometimes that means taking one to go. I don't smoke with my friends for fun – I don't smoke extra on the weekends – I have a regimented program I follow. It helps to keep the balance between killing the pain and being able to get your work done.
Hopefully this helps someone – I sure wish there was an instruction manual when I started out. I knew very little about smoking marijuana, I just thought it made you feel sleepy or paranoid. It wasn't until I started using it with some regularity that I developed a consistent effect. Now I feel normal in my head most of the day – but the pain is kept at bay. I am okay with having to be a little political to get the pain relief I need – I'm hoping the stigma goes away in the near future and people will be scientifically instructed on how to use the drug.
