Weed Edibles or Smoking: What Canadians Prefer the Most?
Smoking weed is perhaps the oldest and most used means of consuming cannabis. But other methods also exist, and with the advancement of technology, there are now more ways to take your weed.
Most vendors now have various cannabis products, including smokables, vapes, creams, bathing salts, edibles, and tinctures. While smoking is popular, these other methods of consumption are also quickly gaining momentum, especially edibles, which appeal to younger weed users and older individuals who do not smoke. If you want to try some delicious edibles, check out Just Cannabis Edibles Dispensary for the best candies and other products.
What’s an Edible?
Weed edibles simply mean that these are cannabis products that you can eat. Cannabis extract is mixed into different foods, including candies, baked goods, and even drinks, making it easy to consume.
How Smoking Works
You might know how to smoke, but do you understand how it works in your body? Following inhalation of the cannabis smoke to your lungs, the different types of compounds in cannabis, e.g., THC, and CBD are directly absorbed into the bloodstream. These compounds, in turn, find their way to the brain and exact their effects on the endocannabinoid system. They do this by binding to the cannabinoid receptors, primarily the CB1 receptors in the brain, resulting in different feelings such as relaxation and pain relief.
How Edibles Work
After eating edibles, they move through the digestive system and are absorbed in the intestines. The absorbed compounds are first transported to the liver, where they undergo metabolism to form various end products that are finally released into the bloodstream. For example, THC is converted to 11-hydroxy THC. Once the compounds leave the liver, they enter the bloodstream again and move to the brain and the central nervous system, where they enact their effects.
Why Some Users Prefer Edibles to Smoking
Many people are switching from smoking cannabis to edibles. In addition, people seeking alternative medicine are also taking up cannabis use, with edibles being their preferred choice. So, why edibles?
Discretion and Privacy
Although marijuana use for recreation is legal, many people still don’t understand its therapeutic benefits. Some people still hold misperceptions about using cannabis.
For people who want discretion to avoid prejudice, edibles offer a better alternative to smoking. They offer a discrete means for people to use cannabis without the worry of prying eyes. You can stash edibles like candies in your pocket, purses, or even at the office desk. Whenever you need your dose, you pull out one, and people will think you are just eating ordinary candies. You don’t have to worry about smoke, which attracts attention.
Duration of Action
The conversion of cannabis compounds in the liver results in more stable, potent, and long-acting compounds before final release to the bloodstream. Although the effects may take longer to kick in, they are prolonged and more intense than smoking.
Predosed
How much CBD should one take is the most asked question, even by seasoned cannabis users. Edibles, however, eliminate the possibility of guessing the amount of cannabis to consume, especially for medicinal purposes. This is because edibles come with a predosed concentration. However, in smoking, one can’t quite know the amount of cannabis consumed and may result in overdose or underdose.
Edibles Are Delicious
Edibles offer a delicious means of taking cannabis with different fun flavors that mask its earthy taste. You also get different options from banked products to candies and even spiced drinks. If you choke when you smoke, then you can try edibles as they are easy on the throat.
Why Some Users Prefer Smoking
Onset of Action
Smoking delivers cannabinoids directly into the systemic circulation from the lungs. Therefore, they reach the brain almost immediately and enacts their effect fast. The immediate absorption bypasses the first-pass effect in the liver, leading to a rapid onset of action. This method is suitable, especially for patients with chronic pain, as it helps alleviate the pain faster than edibles would.
Ease to Control Dosing
Although not as straightforward as edibles, the dosing is easy by determining the number of joints to smoke. It will take a trial and error mechanism the first few times but once achieved, you will know how many joints you need per day to get your desired effects. Also, it’s easy to control the number of puffs one takes, unlike edibles, where retrieval is close to impossible once consumed.
Prestigious Smoke Production
Some users prefer smoking due to the fun of releasing large clouds into the air. It’s almost like a game or some fun activity for some smokers. Forming various patterns or rings with the smoke they produce brings about excitement.
A Final Thought on Edibles vs. Smoking
Although smoking is the oldest means of consuming cannabis, recent use of marijuana on food products has surpassed smoking as the most favorable method for the younger generation.
Conclusion
Some people like to smoke their cannabis, while others prefer to eat their cannabis. But, then, some people want to do both and switch between the two depending on the occasion. So, in the end, it all comes down to individual preference.
