Todays cannabis isn’t like what you tried or avoided trying behind the bleachers at school. It is cultivated carefully and purposefully. You can pick the strain, the ratio and the terpenes to get whatever desired effect you are looking for. Researchers have discovered that cannabis is made up of more than 120 components. These components are called cannabinoids. Of those 120+, researchers have really honed in on the two most well known cannabinoids, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol).
For many years – those years spent behind the school- growers thought the good part was THC, so most plants were grown to only have THC. Due to this, and likely a bad experience, this is what most people think of when they think of cannabis.
THC is the psychoactive component in cannabis and it will make you feel intoxicated or high.
CBD is still considered psychoactive because it can alter your mood, but it is not intoxicating, you will not feel high from taking CBD.
Let’s say that again, CBD will not get you high, will not get you buzzed, will not make you feel intoxicated. The feeling you get with CBD use is more of an absence of the unwanted feeling or pain- comparable to taking a pain killer.
ARE YOU NEW TO THE WORLD OF CANNABIS?
A good place to start if you have never tried cannabis is a CBD dominant product. You will still be able to do your job, be present in your kids life, and function at your best when you use a CBD dominant product.
HOW CAN YOU IDENTIFY A CBD DOMINANT PRODUCT?
With the legalization of cannabis, and stores popping up across many Canadian cities, it is becoming very easy to find the information you are looking for.Many local stores and provincial online retailers have make it easy to find the products you are looking for like CBD dominant products. Some have taken it a step further on their site to identify categories by name, themes or colours. Some retailers you may be able to search for themes like “calm” or “get up and go” to make shopping and finding what you are looking for as easy as possible.
Keep in mind stores are deemed recreational, not a wellness store. Budtenders (people working behind the counter at cannabis stores) are not allowed to tell you how to consume the product or advise based on medical issues. They can however, describe the qualities of the product.
RATIO…??
Ratios are used to tell consumers how much CBD TO THC they are getting in a product. While it isn’t mandatory to list the ratio on the label, the amount of THC and CBD is required to be displayed. You may be lucky to get a package that lists the product contains 1:10, 1:20, 1:30 of THC:CBD. or you could find 30:1, 20:1 or anything in-between. If your package does not lay out the ratio, you can figure it out by looking at the how much THC and CBD are in the product when ready to consume
WHAT DOES A STRAIN MEAN? GREAT QUESTION.
Strains are used to describe the plant and the effects it will have on you. The two main strains are called indica and sativa.
Indica is known for being more mellow, calming, relaxing and could put you to sleep.
Sativa is known for getting you up and going, and motivating to finish your projects.