Cannabis Curious? Here’s How to Get Started with Cannabis and Wellness

• Getting started with cannabis and wellness can be overwhelming, but our guide is here to help.
• When using cannabis for wellness, you’ll want to know where to find cannabis and how to pick the right products.
• People use cannabis for wellness to help with nausea, chronic pain, anxiety, and more.

6-minute read

You’ve Decided It Might Help What Ails You. But How Do You Get Started With Cannabis and Wellness?

It’s January, and more than ever this year, most of us are thinking about how to enhance our health. Sticking to a new diet or starting up an aggressive exercise regimen can be daunting. So, instead, why not start out the new year by adding more intention to your cannabis and wellness routine? Even if you’re not a complete newcomer to cannabis, figuring out which kind is right for you might still feel complicated. But we’ve got you covered. Here’s the basics of combining cannabis and wellness.

We Totally Get it if You’re Still Nervous About Cannabis and Wellness?

When any of us first find cannabis, we’re overcoming years of misinformation. ‘Just say no’ this and ‘gateway drug’ that. But here are the facts from the CDC. And just to be clear, the CDC is still not a cannabis fan. But they estimate that 1 in 10 adult cannabis users will become addicted to it—that’s 10%. For comparison, a 2018 survey by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism shows that 13% of the US adults who drink suffer from alcoholism. You do the math. Don’t get us wrong—we’re all about responsible, adult use of any substance. The adult part is because we know that cannabis isn’t good for the developing brain. But once you’re an adult, you’re about as likely to abuse alcohol as you are to abuse cannabis. And the majority of us who consume regularly do so with no ill effects.

How Do I Get Medicinal Cannabis?

First, figure out your state’s laws. NORML’s interactive map will tell you absolutely everything you need to know about legal cannabis where you live. Then, if you need a medical marijuana card, you can check out their state-by-state guide on qualifying conditions. Our favorite medical card resource is PrestoDoctor. They’re now in several states, including New York. Through them, you can get your card online.

How to Find a Dispensary

Leafly is your best bet to find dispensaries near you. They’re like Google Maps for cannabis. You can find all the licensed dispensaries in your state, and you can even order online from them.

Ordering Is Where Things Can Get Tricky

If possible, get the deets from your doctor about the best cannabis and wellness options for you. That includes strains and consumption methods. Unfortunately, though, with federal prohibition, a lot of doctors still aren’t terribly knowledgeable about cannabis. Or they’re afraid to be. If you can’t find a doctor who is, you can use your local dispensary as a resource. They’re a lot like pharmacies—both in form and function. That’s true even if you’re fortunate enough to live in a state where cannabis is fully legal. If you’re like us, though, your first dispensary impression will probably be of your fellow patrons. You’ll notice that most of the people in dispensaries don’t look like stereotypical stoners. They’re just average people looking for relief from illnesses like arthritis, anxiety, chronic pain, or cancer.

How Dispensaries Work

In the US, cannabis is treated like a hybrid of an over-the-counter and a prescription med. Like over-the-counter drugs, you can check out the array of options, but it’s up to you to decide which ones you want to buy. You can’t, however, just grab what you need and go. The dispensary staff has to dole it out, and you can only buy a limited amount during each visit. More often than not, dispensary staff (or, as they’re called in med/rec states, “budtenders”) are founts of knowledge. We suggest browsing your local dispensary’s offerings on line first. Then, don’t be afraid to ask your budtender for advice about which products are right for you.

Picking the Best Potion for Your Cannabis and Wellness Needs

Cannabis is a complicated plant that humans have been cultivating for at least 6000 years. So we’re gonna leave the serious science to others. But here are the basics to get you started.

Types of Cannabis

We’re learning more all the time, and legalization is fueling more science. But right now, cannabis is most often categorized as either sativas, indicas, or hybrids of the two. Sativa used to be (and sometimes still is) categorized as cannabis a.m., while indica has talked about like cannabis p.m. But sativa and indica are just different varietals of the plant. And new science is breaking down those old categories. Sativa, indica, and hybrids all contain the full range of the plant’s medicinal substances. That includes the ones you’ve probably heard of (like CBD and THC) and some that you haven’t (like terpenes). All provide benefits in the cannabis and wellness realm. But the effects of each strain differ.

New Research on Cannabis and Wellness

Cannabis is complex. The plant contains 400+ different substances—many of which are found in other medicinal plants. Because each strain contains these substances in different concentrations, the benefits of each strain are also unique. New research has shown that the old sativa/indica divide isn’t the best indicator of the effects you’ll feel. Instead, results depend more on the overall molecular makeup of each strain. Until labeling catches up with the research, though, you can use them as a rough guide. Our team is indica 24:7. We’re totally oversimplifying. But we find that indicas give us a more bodily high that’s great for reducing pain and helping with sleep. Sativas, on the other hand, tend to produce a more cerebral high. Give each a try to see which works best for you.

What’s the Difference Between CBD and THC?

This one’s much easier. THC will get you high. CBD won’t. But that’s not quite all there is to it. Some people get great medicinal results from CBD alone. If you do, that’s great! It’s federally legal, so you can order it online. But CBD efficacy is all over the place. So, if you want to incorporate straight CBD into your cannabis and wellness routine, check out oHHo CBD. We’ve collectively tried a TON of CBD brands. While some don’t do much for us at all, our whole team has had great experiences with oHHo. The advice we’ve gotten from licensed medical marijuana practitioners, however, you should couple CBD with at least 3% THC. Just so you know, in recommended doses, 3% THC isn’t enough to give you a buzz either.

What’s CBD Good for in My Cannabis and Wellness Routine?

CBD has been touted for everything from soothing the skin to reducing seizures. But we still need a lot more research to determine all of its benefits. Since cannabis was demonized for most of the 20th century, modern research into its efficacy is still in its infancy. Regardless, cannabis is currently being used to treat Alzheimer’s, appetite loss, anxiety, cancer, chronic pain, Crohn’s disease, eating disorders, epilepsy, glaucoma, MS, muscle spasms, nausea, PTSD, schizophrenia, and wasting syndrome. Some of us use it daily. We rub topical CBD onto painful joints and muscles. Sometimes, we add CBD oil to our coffee to reduce caffeine jitters. Or we take it at night to get more restful sleep. We’re even starting to get into CBD skincare.

How Much Cannabis Should You Use?

With legalization, dosing gets much easier because you know what you’re putting in your body. Most people shoot for a 10mg dose. But, if you’ve never taken cannabis before, start small. Just a puff or a 2mg edible is a good starting point. Like cocktails, more isn’t always better. Everybody has a different tolerance. Start low, and go slow.

Can You Fatally Overdose on Cannabis?

Unlike the other drugs that cannabis has been lumped in with for so long, lethal overdoses of cannabis are basically unheard of. A 2006 report in American Scientist used the alcohol comparison to put any potential danger in perspective, “Drinking a mere 10 times the normal amount of alcohol within 5 or 10 minutes can prove fatal, whereas smoking or eating marijuana might require something like 1,000 times the usual dose to cause death.” Why is it so hard to overdose on cannabis? (There are literally no fatal cannabis overdoses on record.) Because cannabis doesn’t act on the part of the brain that controls autonomic functions like breathing. It has very little (if any) impact on the brain stem. Opioids do work on receptors in the brain stem. So they can literally slow your breathing to a halt. That’s why they’re so dangerous.

What to do if you take too much

Taking too much cannabis can still be a drag. If you accidentally do, just chill and wait. You can also try taking some straight CBD. CBD hinders the uptake of THC in the body. So it can mitigate a bad high. Regardless, any dizziness, nausea, or paranoia you feel will eventually go away. We promise.

The key is to start slow and experiment with different options until you figure out what’s best for you

Inhale or Ingest—What’s Best for Cannabis and Wellness?

Some people prefer inhaling cannabis. That’s because, especially when you first start, you can much more easily control the dose that way. When you inhale, the THC will hit you immediately or within just minutes. So you can imbibe just enough to feel better, and then stop. If the control that inhalation gives you sounds appealing, here’s how to start. The most inexpensive way is to buy some rolling papers and roll your own. If you don’t love rolling, try using pre-rolled cones. All you have to do is take them out of the box, and pour in your cannabis. On the other hand, if you’re cursed with a delicate throat but still want the fast relief of inhaling, try an Omura dry herb vaporizer. It heats the cannabis instead of burning it. And it has a low setting. Plus, it’ll look stunning in your handbag.

Why Use Edibles?

If you’ve got lung issues (or don’t want to risk getting them), you might prefer to ingest your cannabis. You can do that in several ways, That includes cannabis-infused food and drinks. Word to the wise, though, it can take 1-3 hours to feel the effects of edibles, and digestion multiplies its strength. So this method makes it especially essential to pace yourself.

If You’re New to the Cannabis and Wellness Scene, Start Slow and Experiment

Like us, you’re high functioning, and you want to stay that way. What works for someone else might not be your golden ticket. The key is to start slow and experiment with different options until you figure out what’s best for you.