Although CBD oils and concentrates seem extremely popular with audiences who want a smooth introduction to the world of cannabis, nothing can beat the authentic experience of using cannabis flowers. The dried bud of the cannabis plant is a great and versatile way to consume CBD or THC, while it also allows the user to inspect the quality of the product visually.
Contrary to other forms, there are many methods you can ingest cannabis flowers depending on your taste. Let’s check some of the most popular so you can pick the one that suits you!
Joints/Blunts
The traditional method of grinding a part of the flower, rolling it up, and lighting it up still holds true today. This is how our grandfathers did it, how Cheech & Chong did it, and how you probably first tried cannabis in your life. Although popular, smoking cannabis, whether with tobacco or not, has certain drawbacks. It can damage the lungs, as the smoke contains toxic chemicals that can irritate the respiratory system. Additionally, smoking cannabis can cause a strong, pungent smell, which some people may find unpleasant.
Pipes/Bongs
Smoking cannabis via a bong has essentially the same drawbacks as smoking. The only real difference with bongs is that the smoke gets filtered and cooled through a compartment filled with water before entering your lungs. Also, the hits you take with a bong will bring about your desired effect much faster than rolling a blunt.
Dry Herb Vaping
Another popular (and very modern) method of consuming cannabis flowers is through dry herb vaporizers. This involves using a specially designed vaporizer to heat the cannabis flower, releasing the active ingredients into a vapor that is then inhaled.
There are many types of vaporizers in the market, but the best models have a chamber where you can load your ground cannabis flower.
Vaporizing is often seen as a healthier alternative to smoking, as it reduces the number of toxic chemicals inhaled since no combustion occurs. The flower is not burned but rather “boiled” to release its chemicals, resulting in a much smoother and more potent experience.
Additionally, vaporizing cannabis flower produces a milder and more pleasant smell than smoking it. However, vaping cannabis flower can be more expensive than smoking it, as good-quality vaporizers can be costly.
Edibles
A less common method of consuming cannabis flower is through edibles. This is by far the most potent way to ingest cannabis flower, since the effects of edibles hit harder and last longer than any other consumption method.
If you have enough flower at your disposal, you can create your cannabis butter and add it to a recipe. Since cannabinoids are fat-soluble, most people go for fatty foods like brownies or cookies.
Apart from the excessive calories, the only downside of edibles is that they can be difficult to dose correctly, and by the time you realize it, it will be too late. It would be best if you always started slowly when consuming space cookies or cakes.
However, edibles can be tricky to dose accurately and the effects can take a while to kick in, which can be inconvenient for some users.