Cannabis Consumption Strategies

YES! YOU NEED A STRATEGY if you want to use cannabis therapeutically. The idea is to consume (or effectively use) the least amount possible to achieve maximum results. This will of course save your wallet (expenses) but more importantly, you can take back control over the quality of life you lead and manage your medication effectively.

ONE OF THE MOST USEFUL TOOLS you will either want to create for yourself or you can purchase here, is a CANNABIS LOG or JOURNAL. There are numerous “templates” you can begin with to create your own, and they vary according to the information you’ll be keeping track of and of course price. Some get quite detailed and can make recording a part-time job, while others are too simplistic and may not give you the information you need to move forward in your care plan. Therefore today’s content deals with WHAT to record, WHY such information matters, HOW to apply that information to your care plan, and WHEN to make adjustments or seek assistance.

WHAT TO RECORD? LET US BEGIN WITH THE REASON we are keeping track of our Cannabis use. Therapeutically speaking this could be for a number of reasons, for the sake of this post I will limit to and generalize with the overall reasons:

1. Titration is a big word that means working with a GP or other health care professional to get your medication just right. The goal is to find the dose (or amount) of medicine that controls your symptoms with the fewest side effects.
   • In relation to cannabis, the “side-effects” could be: expenses or costs related to medication, undesired euphoria (high), increased or decreased appetite, anxiety or paranoia, insomnia, or lethargy.
     NOTE: Cannabis (naturally grown & cured) is NOT lethal. Over-consumption may cause undesired or unpleasant experiences BUT will not (has not to date) cause death.
   • It is also very important to note, cannabis has “bi-phasic” properties. Basically, different effects for different people according to genetic make-up, as well as different physiological responses according to dose – where .25 of a gram ingested may result in reduced anxiety for several hours, double that amount may increase or even induce anxiety. Just like the strain can change the effect so can the consumption method – ingested versus inhaled – very different onset, effects and duration of effects. Topical applications don’t produce euphoria and Raw (non-euphoric very beneficial) vs Activated (decarboxylated – high inducing also beneficial) is a thing too!
2. Info IS Power and learning how to use cannabis – MOST effectively, whenever you want – to achieve what you want, is truly the ultimate in HERB HAPPY for the cannabis connoisseur.
   • Knowing which strain or profile to pair with a great meal or choice in wine
   • Planning a HYPNOTIC escape, knowing the perfect bud for the journey is very empowering
   • Expecting company for an evening of entertainment? Having the “happy” herb handy could make the difference between a chatty social event and a quiet introspective chill scene.

REGARDLESS of the REASON or WHY YOU ARE KEEPING TRACK – WHAT YOU TRACK MATTERS MOST. Beginning with the DATE, STRAIN NAME, and knowing if it’s INDICA or SATIVA dominant or HYBRID with or without dominance. STRAIN NAMES though, they matter, don’t get caught up on one or another. They are crazy and there are new ones I hear every day. With cross-breeding, pollination, missing and mis-information filling the fields of green – one can never be certain that the GSC#4 is the same GSC#4 they purchased the last time. Or, Joe Blow grew “Ancient Trust” – and you loved it, it worked great, but you can’t find it, and it turns out Joe Blow doesn’t know what he grows and named it himself 🙂 it happens, trust me!

So whether you are a medical consumer or recreational connoisseur – THE SECRET IS IN THE PROFILE! Yes. Learn what the CANNABINOID %s are, the predominant TERPENOIDS and if you’re pairing with food and beverage, consider the FLAVINOIDS too!

Next, you’ll want to identify the PRODUCT and METHOD OF CONSUMPTION. For therapeutic use, it is also important to monitor the TIME OF DAY you consumed.

FINALLY – NOTES on how it made you feel. Basically, what were the effects? Did you achieve the satisfaction you were seeking? Was this a good strain? Are there better ones you’ve tried? Did this bud make you shakey at night when you vaped it? Did it relax you too much in the morning?

NOTABLY: I put x3 NOTE/REMARK sections per DATE PAGE (morning, mid-day, and evening notes) – In the past, this has helped me and many others identify BEDTIME strains for sleep – very efficiently! And, in a very short time, I (like many others) was able to FIND, ACCESS & PURCHASE the type of weed I wanted for whatever reason I wanted it – NO MORE BUYER REMORSE! HOW COOL IS THAT! No less either for that matter! I still love to “TRY IT” new strains, methods of consumption, etc. and much like wine tasting, it’s a lot of fun and quite exciting when you find a NEW WONDER.

You may also enjoy and glean a fair bit of information from the conversations on GREEN IRENE’S THC TALK TIME – TUESDAYS AT NOON on PACERADIO.NET – Note that on July 14, 2020 I talked with William Barwell from Cannabis Consultants of Canada about this subject specifically 🙂

Listen to “Green Irene's THC Talk Time” on Spreaker.