As much as we’ve come to realize in the last few decades that our usage of marijuana is really not as problematic as previous generations believed it to be. This doesn’t mean that it’s an impossible thing to abuse.
Sure, you don’t have to worry about overdosing, you don’t have to worry about hangovers and you don’t have to worry about getting a physical addiction to the stuff. But there are certain ways in which it can become a problem for you if you’re not careful.
At the end of the day, it’s still a mind-altering substance and if you are going to put something like that into your body you should be aware of any kind of potential risks, no matter how small or manageable they are.
In some cases, marijuana can lead to mental health problems such as anxiety or depression, and you can build up a dependency on it that would make these things more likely if you decided to cut back.
Overuse can also affect things like coordination, reaction time and concentration and certain studies do suggest that those who smoke a greater quantity of marijuana will often find themselves with struggling relationships and inhibited social skills.
With all of this in mind, it’s wise to think about your own personal marijuana intake and maybe alter your approach a little bit. Let’s have a look at a few smart ways to consume marijuana.
Smoke Wisely
Before we discuss the other methods of consumption, let’s first look at the most common one, which is the act of simply smoking. Whether it’s a blunt, a joint or a bowl, this is how most people will get their weed fix.
It’s probably not the best way to avoid the risks, but it’s one of the easiest and most convenient ways to consume marijuana so let’s talk about how to do it intelligently. Even though you’re not smoking straight tobacco, nor are you smoking as much as someone addicted to cigarettes (hopefully), you’re still exposing yourself to harmful materials.
There’s still tar and carcinogens in there so when you inhale, don’t hold it for too long. You don’t need to, you will still get the benefit and it’s better for you to exhale after just a second or two. Also, make sure you clean your grinder and your bowl if you use one after every use.
And don’t share a pipe with anyone. In the wake of the current pandemic you will probably be less likely to do this anyway but even putting that aside, the less mouths on your pipe the better if you want to avoid infections and other potential side effects of sharing.
Now as we said earlier, there are other ways you can consume marijuana that might be more desirable for you and come without some of the risks so let’s take a look at them.
Consider Other Methods
One popular method is through the use of a bong pipe. You are still technically smoking if you use a bong but they are a type of water pipe and including water in the process comes with some great benefits.
It acts as a filter for the smoke which means that you don’t get as much of the dangerous toxins that you would get through a joint or a blunt. It also cools down the smoke which makes it easier to inhale.
And then, of course, there are edibles. Weed brownies or cookies are common variations but you can get a ton of different foods that contain cannabis.
You need to be a little bit more careful with these because the high is more intense, lasts longer and if you eat more than necessary, you can find yourself feeling too much of the high.
This is why you should know what you’re doing if you want to make your own edibles because the temptation to eat like six brownies will be there but if there’s weed in them then you could be feeling that for hours and hours.
You can also get THC capsules which generally are for medicinal marijuana users but can be used by anybody. Similar to edibles in terms of the length of the high and also don’t have any of the dangers of smoking.
Again, smoking is the easiest way and it’s not going to do significant harm but you should think about exploring these other ones to keep those minor risks at bay.
There’re other things to consider too like the fact that thousands of toxic substances are released when you smoke it which could contribute to hair loss.
If you can master the art of making weed brownies or invest in a good bong you’d be doing yourself a lot of favours.
Scaling Back Your Usage
Making sure that you are consuming wisely is very important, but the smartest thing that you can do is make sure that you aren’t smoking too much. As I said, it won’t kill you, but it will cause problems and the fact that it won’t kill you is an incentive to do it more.
If you’re used to two or three joints a day, which a lot of people are, you should try to scale back. Even just to prove to yourself that you can and that you haven’t already developed a dependency on it.
There are a few things you can do to cut back. In a lot of cases, the company you keep contributes to your usage, so if you tend to join in sessions with heavy smokers, you should limit those.
That environment will be counter-productive. It’s also wise to keep yourself distracted. At times when you would usually smoke, pick up a hobby instead, something that will keep your mind off weed.
Because you won’t be physically addicted, all you really need to do is shift your focus. You won’t face any physical consequences. You definitely don’t need to cut it out completely, but if you can keep it to a few joints or a few brownies per week, you’d be in the sweet spot.
Marijuana is great. It’s a great way to relax, it can help with stress, it’s effective in dulling the symptoms of illnesses, it can help you sleep, the benefits are numerous.
But as with any good thing, you can do it too much. And you’ll enjoy these benefits more if you don’t overdo your consumption.
What are your preferred ways to consume marijuana? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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