Blunts, Bongs, and Balms: Finding a Method That's Right For You
- Ara Weston
- Aug 11, 2021
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 23, 2021
Just as the varieties of cannabis are vast, so are the methods of consuming them. If you've considered using medical marijuana before but weren't thrilled about a specific way to use it, fear not: There are numerous options, and this post will help you find one that's right for you.
The image that comes to mind most frequently is a rolled blunt, a crude looking cigarette of sorts that users pack with a strain of their choice and inhale the smoke from it. Since the lungs are the vessel of the smoke or vapor, the bloodstream almost immediately receives the active ingredients. Bongs, despite that hilarious name, have the same mechanism at work with a different system. These provide instant effects, though most have promoted vapors as a healthier alternative to smoke. However, the medical cannabis world has expanded far beyond the old-school blunts and bongs that allow for long-term effects that are better for chronic conditions. Below are some other options you have:
Edibles:
Food and drink is a great way to consume medical cannabis, as it's easy to work them into your daily routine. Gummies are a common form, with CBD isolates and pure strains that take out guesswork. The dosage is usually predetermined, making them easy to use.
CBD oil is also a great way to go. Infusing oil is easy given its solubility, which means it'll work well with oils such as olive, coconut, and other healthy fats. If infusing CBD isn't up your alley, you can purchase ingredients that are pre-infused with a simple google search. Recipes are also ubiquitous.
This consumption method gives you an extended period of relief, since the molecules must go through your digestive tract as does the rest of your food. This means they will take a little longer to get into your bloodstream, but the healing effects will still be noticeable.
Pros:
Easy for beginners, especially gummies
Customizable
Extended relief
Cons:
Not an immediate effect
Topicals:
Instead of ingesting cannabis, another way that's cropped up in boutiques and small shops are topicals. These consist of a CBD-infused lotion, salve, or balm that's applied directly to the skin. This makes it great for relieving muscle and joint pain and associated inflammation, as they interact with receptors in the skin instead of your bloodstream.
Topicals provide targeted approaches, since you can apply them directly to your area of concern. They're widely available online and in small boutique stores, which make it easy to test and determine if this method is right for you.
Pros:
Targeted relief
Ability to test depending on where you buy
Cons:
Since these are not made for ingestion and do not enter the bloodstream, there's no full-body effect
Tinctures, Sprays, and Pills:
These methods have gained recent popularity as an easy way to ingest cannabis: simply open your mouth, and spray, drop, or swallow. Sprays function exactly as they sound, while tinctures can be a little more confusing right out the gate, but ultimately do the same thing. Pills are a bit of an obvious one.
Sprays and tinctures work with a liquid solution of CBD, tinctures often having a carrier oil mixed with the active ingredient. A dropper is used to place a few drops under your tongue. Sprays are simply spritzed into your mouth. And pills, which look like any other medication, you simply take according to label instructions, which may vary.
The internet is full of options, making it easy to find one for your particular needs. Since these are ingested instead of inhaled, the effect is a prolonged relief instead of instantaneous. This makes these a good option for daily routine relief.
Pros:
Easy to administer
Varying strengths according to patient use or product used
Cons:
Relief may take longer to kick in
Transdermal Patches:
You may be thinking, now that's a new one! In reality, this method isn't new in theory, since the technology is the same used with pain relief patches in conventional medicine. Instead of lidocaine, these patches release CBD over an extended period of time through the skin.
These function like topicals, but the patch allows for more accurate dosing than your typical lotion. This means they're a great choice for chronic pain, especially if you need stronger concentrations.
As with others, this is easy to find online with numerous stores and options available.
Pros:
Concentrated dosing for maximum relief
Slow-release patches can last for up to 12 hours
Cons:
Very localized, which may not be ideal for full-body relief.
If smoking isn't for you, you're not alone. But you can still receive the benefits of medical marijuana through numerous other methods. The imagery of the smoke-filled room is expanding to include new delivery methods, which means more people can reap the benefits of cannabis.
Below are some links for your convenience:
Vapors:
Edibles:
Topicals:
Tinctures, Sprays and Pills:
Transdermal Patches:
I use cannabis as recommended by my doctor. It helps relieve stress after a hard day's work. I like Blue Dream cannabis the best. I often buy it for parties and lonely evenings.