Publication date: January 29, 2024
Categories: Education
The number of cannabis products now available is extensive, ranging from cannabis flower to weed oil and topicals to various extracts. Because there are so many options presented to you, it can be challenging to choose a cannabis product to try.
Of course, there are many good options to choose from, but you don’t have to try them all to settle on one. Understanding what each product does and how your body can react to it can help you narrow down your options.
Let’s look at some of the currently available cannabis products, what each product does, and their THC concentration.
Cannabis products come in various shapes and sizes, serve different purposes, and offer several delivery systems, from cannabis flower to weed oil to CBD edibles to cannabis topicals.
Your cannabis product of choice is primarily determined by why you’re smoking cannabis in the first place, what type of support you require, and your palette.
We’ve listed some of the most common weed products and what they do below:
1. Cannabis Flower
One of the most popular cannabis products is cannabis flower. It is adaptable and provides a convenient and enjoyable mode of ingestion. The cannabis flower, also known as bud, is the smokable portion of the cannabis plant.
Most individuals prefer to smoke cannabis flowers because the effects are virtually immediate. You start to relax within minutes of inhaling the bud. However, the benefits fade in around 1 to 3 hours after smoking and do not stay very long.
THC Concentration: The THC level of the plant fluctuates from 10 to 12 percent in the blossoms to 1 to 2 percent in the leaflets, 0.1 to 0.3 percent in the stems, and less than 0.03 percent in the bases.
How Are Cannabis Flowers Used?
You can wrap a cannabis flower into a blunt or joint, stuff it in a bowl, and inhale it out of a pipe — or use it to take bong rips.
2. Concentrates
Concentrates are created by removing unwanted plant matter and other contaminants from cannabis plants, leaving only the most valuable plant chemicals, such as THC. They contain far more terpenes and cannabinoids than cannabis flowers.
THC Concentration: Cannabis strength has risen in recent decades, rising from around 4 percent in the 1980s to an average of 15 percent now. THC levels in cannabis extracts in edibles can range from 50 percent to 90 percent.
How Are Cannabis Concentrates Consumed?
There are many different types of cannabis concentrates and various ways to consume them.
For instance, to boost the potency of a bowl of cannabis flowers, you may sprinkle kief on top. You might also vape the concentrate with a portable or tabletop vaporizer.
You can use a dab rig to evaporate concentrate, which involves heating a glass, ceramic, or titanium “nail” and then pressing the CBD to the heated surface, converting it into a consumable vapor.
3. Edibles
Edibles are cannabis-infused foods or beverages produced from cannabis flowers or extracts. Anything ingestible, from drinks to candy to capsules containing cannabis or CBD, falls under the category of edibles.
Thanks to the vast number of edible CBD products available today, people have an easier time selecting something that suits their tastes.
Foods like CBD-infused chocolate, candies, and granola bars, for instance, may have a malty flavor that some people dislike, but CBD pills and capsules are usually tasteless.
THC Concentration: Legally, edible doses are generally standardized at 5 mg per serving. Low-dose edibles, however, with as little as 1 mg per serving, are also available in several states.
How Should Edibles Be Consumed?
Edibles, as the name suggests, can be eaten, drunk, or ingested. For instance, you could eat CBD-infused chocolate brownies or drink cannabis-infused teas or smoothies.
4. Tinctures
CBD tinctures are herbal solutions made by steeping cannabis in alcohol or cannabis. CBD is typically derived from hemp and then blended with a carrier oil. The choice of carrier oil generally is sesame or olive oil.
THC Concentration: THC tinctures comprise more than 3 percent THC and are intended to produce psychoactive properties.
How Are Tinctures Consumed or Administered?
Tinctures are typically sprayed on the inside of the cheek or administered under the tongue. The cannabinoids enter the body through the blood vessels beneath the tongue.
Any cannabinoids that aren’t absorbed through the vascular system reach the digestive system and are absorbed similarly to edibles.
5. Topicals
Topicals are cannabis-infused goods applied directly to the skin, such as lotions, balms, sprays, transdermal patches, or salves.
THC topicals, unlike psychoactive cannabis products, give localized benefits to the specific part of the body where they are administered without causing a high.
As CBD is more accessible and absorbed through the skin, CBD topicals can provide a more relaxing effect that flows through the entire body.
THC Concentration: In terms of concentration, topicals usually comprise 5 mg of cannabis/mL.
How Are Topical Cannabinoids Consumed?
As the name implies, topicals should be administered directly to the skin. Some topicals, such as CBD-infused bath salts, are designed to be used when taking a bath.
6. Vaporizers
Unlike conventional cigarettes, which burn leaves to produce smoke, vaporizers heat a cannabis flower until it dissipates and is inhaled using batteries and tiny metal coils. As a result, they’re also known as vapes, vape pens, and vaporizers.
How Is Cannabis Consumed by Vaping?
The dried cannabis flower is placed inside a chamber in the vaporizer. The potent medicinal ingredients in cannabis become a dense vapor as the gadget is heated. The vapor is inhaled through the nose.
7. CBD Oil Pens
Oil pens are standard among beginners because they are simple and easy to clean. You can buy a refillable vaporizer with oil cartridge accessories in several flavors and marijuana strains.
You can also buy a single-use oil pen, which can be discarded when the oil runs out. A single oil cartridge can last up to a month.
How Is Cannabis Consumed by Using CBD Oil Pens?
Instead of a dry cannabis flower, an oil pen contains a CBD oil concentrate. Cannabis oil is frequently diluted with other carrier oils, such as hemp oil, during extraction.
As a result, evaporated oil is usually weaker than CBD wax but more potent than a vaporized cannabis flower
When it comes to cannabis products, there is no one-size-fits-all option. The best product for you is determined by looking at several factors, including your sensitivity, budget, and desired experience.
However, now that you’ve learned about the many product varieties, you’ll be better equipped to select the cannabis product that’s suitable for you.
