LEARN:
METHODS OF USE
Cannabis can be used in a variety of ways, and the method of delivery is an important consideration for medical cannabis patients. While smoking and vaping are the most commonly recognized forms of consumption, many patients prefer alternatives such as edibles, topicals, and oils, depending on their needs and comfort level.
Inhaling cannabis:
(flower, ground, pre-rolled, hashish and kief)
Smoking
A common way to use dried cannabis is to smoke it in a joint. Alternatively, cannabis flowers, hashish, kief, and some concentrate extracts can be broken into small pieces and smoked with a pipe, bong, chillum, or similar accessory.
Because hashish and kief have more cannabinoids than dried cannabis, only a very small amount (about the size of a matchhead) should be smoked at a time.. These types of products made from concentrates are not advised for inexperienced users.
Smoking is more hazardous to health than other methods of use because inhaling the smoke created by burning increases the risk of developing lung cancer or a respiratory disease. Do not smoke or burn tinctures, sublingual oil or cooking oil.
Vaporizing
Vaporizing involves heating some cannabis products to a temperature hot enough to cause the cannabinoids to boil and evaporate without burning.
Vaporizing is less hazardous to pulmonary health than smoking. However, it is also less straightforward and requires a relatively complex and expensive device (a vaporizer).
Do not vaporize decarboxylated cannabis powder.
Ingesting cannabis
Sublingual ingestion
(placing under the tongue)
Sublingual ingestion means placing the product – cannabis oil or an oral strip – under the tongue or against the inside of your cheek until it is absorbed through the mouth’s mucous membranes. It is recommended to dry your mouth as much as possible by swallowing your saliva prior the consumption and avoid drinking and eating for the next 15 to 20 minutes.
Because the cannabinoids are absorbed through the mouth’s mucous membranes, the effects can take 15 to 30 minutes or longer to appear and may last up to 6 hours. These timings are approximate and differ from person to person.
Sublingual ingestion is appropriate for oils, oral sprays, oral strips, and tinctures.
Oral ingestion
Oral ingestion simply means swallowing the cannabis product.
Because the cannabinoids go through the digestive system, the effects usually take from 30 to 60 minutes to appear and last up to 8 hours. These timings are approximate and differ from person to person.
Some products, including some concentrates, cooking ingredients and tinctures, can be mixed with other ingredients when preparing a recipe. They can also be added directly to foods before serving (salads, pizzas, main dishes, pastries, etc.).
Oral ingestion is appropriate for edibles, oils, oral sprays, capsules, tinctures, beverages, and cooking ingredients.
EFFECTS DURATION
| Method of use | First Appearance | Peak | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inhaled cannabis | 90 seconds to 5 minutes | 15 to 30 minutes | 2 to 3 hours |
| Ingested cannabis – under the tongue | 15 to 30 minutes | 90 minutes to 2 hours | up to 6 hours and sometimes |
| Ingested cannabis – oral (beverage, cooking oil,tincture, decarb, capsule) | 30 to 60 minutes* | 90 minutes to 3 hours | up to 8 hours and sometimes longer |
