If you’re new to cannabis and aren’t sure where to start, we’re here to help. Some cannabis products are much more beginner-friendly than others. These products are easy to dose and use, and don’t require getting a bunch of equipment. Below, we’re sharing the 6 best types of products for beginners, as well as specific product recommendations within each category.
Before we get into our recommendations, we have an overall tip for beginners: go low and slow. Whichever product you try, take a lower dose than you think you need at first. Then, if you didn’t experience your desired effects, you can slowly increase your dose. Going low and slow is the best way to avoid accidentally overdoing it.
Low-dose edibles are an excellent option for beginner cannabis users. They’re discreet, incredibly easy to use, and even easier to dose. Low-dose edibles generally come in bite size pieces, each of which delivers an exact dose of THC.
If you’re new to edibles, it’s important to understand how they work. Edibles last for longer than other consumption methods, but they also take a while to kick in. It can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours to start experiencing the effects of an edible.
Because edibles take a while to start working, it’s very important not to take more too soon after your first dose. It’s common for beginners to accidentally take far too high of a dose because they thought their first edible did nothing.
So, just remember to take it low and slow, even with low-dose products. Take just one low-dose gummy, then wait at least two hours before you even consider taking another.
Like edibles, tinctures are discreet, easy to use, and quite easy to dose. Use the bottle dropper to measure out your dose, hold it under your tongue for around 20 seconds, then swallow.
Technically, tinctures are cannabis edibles, but know that they can work more quickly than other edibles depending on how you take them. If you just swallow a tincture, it will take longer to kick in, much like other edible products. However, you can also take it sublingually by holding it under your tongue before swallowing it. When taken sublingually, tinctures can take effect in as little as 15 minutes.
If you’re a beginner who likes the idea of smoking marijuana, go for a pre-roll. Pre-rolls are pre-rolled joints that are ready to be smoked right away. You don’t need to do any grinding, sifting, or rolling. Just light and inhale.
If you’re not sure how much to inhale, try taking 2 or 3 puffs to start. After taking each puff, pull the pre-roll away to breathe in a bit of air as well. Hold in your lungs for a few seconds, then release. After taking your first 2 to 3 puffs, put out your joint. Wait around 10 to 15 minutes, which is around how long it takes to feel the effects of smoking or vaping marijuana. At that point, you can take another couple of puffs if desired.
It’s important for beginners to start with a more moderate strain, like the one we recommended above. When you’re new to cannabis, try to avoid ultra high THC strains that are described with words like “potent” or “heavy hitter.” Instead, look for strains that are described as “high CBD,” “moderate,” or “mellow.”
If you’d prefer to vape rather than smoke, go for a disposable vape. Disposable vapes essentially work just like pre-rolls, but without the need to have a lighter. And unlike other vapes, they don’t require any complex set up. Just take a few puffs on your vape and enjoy.
Like with pre-rolls, you want to make sure you choose a more moderate potency for your vape. The Kurvana vape we recommend above is great for beginners, as it has a high CBD to THC ratio. It still has plenty of THC, but the CBD in the blend will help ensure a less intense experience.
If you’re using cannabis for pain relief, consider a topical product. Topical products work directly on the area they’re applied to, providing localized relief. And because they don’t directly enter the bloodstream, they do this without causing psychoactive effects.
CBD products are the perfect starting point for many beginners. Unlike THC, CBD doesn’t cause psychoactive effects, so it won’t get you high. It’s a non-psychoactive cannabinoid that can allow you to experience some of the other potential benefits of cannabis (like reduced inflammation or better sleep).
Research suggests that CBD can also help ease the potential side effects of THC. So, if you want to experience psychoactive effects while also reducing the risk of adverse effects, THC products that are also high in CBD are an excellent choice.
If you want the benefits of cannabis with little to no psychoactive effects, look for CBD-dominant products with little to no THC. If you want psychoactive effects and a reduced risk of side effects, look for THC products that are also high in CBD.
More Beginner-Friendly Cannabis Products
Have questions or need a personalized recommendation? Send us a message or stop by your local DC Collective dispensary. Our expert team members are always here to answer questions and help you find the perfect products for your experience level and desired results.
If you’re feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or burned out, a relaxing night in is just what you need. It’s the perfect way to reset and recharge, so you can feel like the best version of yourself again.
When you need maximum relaxation, supercharge your evening with calming cannabis products. Whether you’re looking for relief from anxiety, pain, or a lack of quality sleep, there’s a product for you. Here are 10 of the best cannabis products for relaxation and rest.
Elevate your night with Kurvana’s Northern Lights vape. Northern Lights is a beloved indica strain known for its euphoric and ultra-soothing effects. Fans of the strain say it melts away stress, anxiety, and pain, leaving behind a relaxed and sleepy feeling. It’s an ideal way to unwind and recharge after a long day.
If you’re looking for stress relief without psychoactive effects, turn to the Releaf CBD tincture. This full-spectrum CBD product is made from just two all-natural ingredients: MCT oil and cannabis oil. While it’s predominantly CBD, this 30:1 tincture also contains a range of terpenes and natural cannabinoids for an added wellness boost. It’s an excellent CBD oil for sleep, stress relief, or general relaxation.
Get a restful night of sleep with Kiva’s Midnight Mint Dark Chocolate. This gourmet cannabis edible features 5 mg of THC and 2 mg of CBN per piece, so this sweet treat will leave you ready to drift off in no time.
Featuring hybrid lineage and a 1:1 THC to CBD ratio, this refreshing cannabis-infused beverage is here to help you have a balanced night in. Hoppy Balance creates a well-rounded experience, with calming yet lightly energizing effects. It also offers a balanced and refreshing flavor profile, with a blend of hops and bright citrus.
Drift into a peaceful slumber with these delicious gummies for sleep. These marijuana-infused gummies feature a 1:1:1 ratio of THC, CBD, and CBN. CBN, the sleepiest cannabinoid in the cannabis plant, makes these THC edibles powerfully relaxing. They’re formulated to help you quickly drift off to dreamland and have more restorative sleep.
Soothe stiff or aching muscles with the Releaf Massage Oil. This fast-absorbing topical is designed to reduce tension, inflammation, and pain. Use it on yourself or a loved one and enjoy relaxation, relief, and hydration.
Infused with the beloved Blue Dream cannabis strain, these marijuana edibles offer a hybrid experience. Blue Dream starts with a happy and creative feeling, then settles into a relaxing and mellow effect. Pick up your paint brush and bask in your creative energy, then enjoy a night of quality sleep and sweet dreams.
Get relief with this beloved topical product from Mary’s Medicinals. Designed to deliver potent cannabinoids to targeted areas, this non-psychoactive lotion provides localized relief. It’s formulated to ease acute and chronic pain, which can aid relaxation and promote more restful sleep.
Melt away stress and pain with Verdure’s Honey + Lemon Tincture. This all-natural, gluten free, and vegan tincture is the perfect nightcap when you’re feeling worn down. Featuring 10 mg of THC per ML and an infusion of terpenes, this tincture offers natural pain relief and balanced therapeutic effects.
Sink into the sofa with Passiflora’s Private Reserve OG, a sleepy strain with powerful effects. Private Reserve OG is best for more experienced users, as it packs a potent punch of sedation. One of the best strains for sleep, Private Reserve OG is the perfect companion for experienced medical or recreational users who want a top notch sleep aid.
Looking for more cannabis products for a relaxing night in? Visit a DC Collective cannabis dispensary or browse our online store.
If you're familiar with cannabis extracts and their use, you have probably heard the terms, "solventless" and "solvent," both of which are used to describe certain cannabis products. In recent years, use of cannabis extracts have surpassed the use of cannabis flower products, which means that more people are trying them every day. If you are interested in using extracts, it's a good idea to understand the lingo and a bit of the science associated with them so you can choose the product that best suits your needs. This guide can help.
To create cannabis concentrates, the plant material is filtered out, leaving behind the active compounds that produce the effects of use. That includes both tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). The process also removes the terpenes, concentrating them into the finished product. The terpene profile refers to the combination of chemicals that produce the unique scent and flavor of a given cannabis product. No two are quite the same and you can find those that offer up an herby profile, as well as many that have a fruity profile.
The most common way to make a concentrate is to use some type of solvent to dissolve the plant matter, leaving behind the cannabis compounds and terpenes. The trick is to use a solvent that won't destroy the CBD, THC or terpenes. Once it's done its job, the solvent is typically left to evaporate. There are several solvents used to create the various forms of concentrates found in dispensaries.
It might sound like the use of these chemical solvents are something you should avoid. However, this process has been used in the food industry for decades. Provided you buy your concentrates from a licensed and reputable dispensary, you can safely use cannabis products made using a solvent such as those listed above.
There are a variety of options when it comes to choosing solvent-based concentrates. Understanding their properties and uses will help you decide, not only if they're right for you, but which one is the most ideal for your marijuana goals.
Butane Hash Oil (BHO)
This is perhaps the most common extraction method and is done using lab-grade butane. Butane is lauded for its bipolarity, which allows manufacturers to separate the plant matter from the cannabinoid content and the terpenes in an efficient manner. At the same time, the process eliminates any residual butane from lingering in the final product. Examples of this include the following:
Propane Hash Oil (PHO)
This product utilizes propane to separate the cannabinoids and terpenes from the cannabis plant material. This is done at a higher temperature and lower pressure than the butane method and removes more the residual plant materials, resulting in a high terpene, full-spectrum extract.
Ethanol Extracts
Ethanol is the agent that creates intoxication in liquor and is a colorless and flammable liquid that works well as a solvent. It's used for a variety of food preservative and additive purposes. It doesn't have the non-polar properties of butane, but many experts say it's just as effective and helps retain some of the chlorophyll in a cannabis plant, producing products with a pleasant grassy flavor and scent. The main limitation with this extraction process is that it cannot reach a purity of more than 80 percent, so the finished product isn't as full spectrum as others.
Weighing the good with the bad is always an important part of choosing the right cannabis concentrates for you.
Pros
Cons
Solventless extractions are resin concentrates that are created without the use of chemicals. They are an ideal choice for someone who wants to be sure they aren't getting any residual butane, propane or ethanol in their concentrates. Keep in mind that solventless concentrates are not the same thing as solvent-free products. A solvent-free concentrate is one that has had the solvents used during the manufacturing process removed before sale. A solventless product has no chemicals used at all and is an ideal choice for a medical marijuana user, as well as health-conscious cannabis connoisseurs.
As with solvent-based extracts, there are a wide variety of solventless concentrates to choose from. As the technology for manufacturing this kind of concentrate continues to advance and evolve, you can expect new products in this category to pop up all the time. In the meantime, have a look at your options below.
Hash
Also called hashish, hash has been around for centuries and has its origins in India and the Middle East. It's very popular due to its potency and true flavor profile. It's made by identifying and separating the trichomes from the cannabis plant. Originally, this was done by simply massaging the marijuana buds between the fingertips. It's now done using screens, which is an efficient way to capture all of the resinous trichomes from the flower, which is then pressed into bricks, that in turn is used to create other cannabis products, including the following:
Bubble Hash
Also called water hash or ice-o-lator, bubble hash is a resin that is extracted from the cannabis plant material using ice-cold water and agitation. During ice water extraction, the buds of the plant are stirred, either by hand or with a machine, which causes the trichomes to break off the plant. The water is then poured through a series of mesh bags, with the mesh material becoming finer as the cannabis is poured through. These are often called bubble bags. The quality of the water influences the quality and potency of the final product, with the expectation of total cannabinoids being between 50 and 80 percent.
Rosin
Using only heat and pressure, rosin results from extracting a full melt oil from the cannabis flowers or hash. This is a new method of creating solvent-free cannabis products and dates to only 2015. It is one of the quickest and most efficient ways to extract resin while keeping as many of the terpenes as possible.
Rosin can be created using many original sources, including kief, bubble hash and flower and works with both fresh and frozen materials. Because the chemical structure of rosin can't be altered, there's no way to make the high-quality products that other methods that are used in the cannabis industry. In other words, the quality of the plant directly correlates to the quality of the rosin.
Budder
When you have a resin product, you can process it further by whipping it. The resulting product is called budder and is often used for dabbing due to its texture. The process of creating a budder is a good way to increase the aroma of the starting material. Budder can be found at many dispensaries, but can also be easily made at home by stirring rosin with a spoon to get the desired texture.
Again, before deciding if solventless extracts are right for you, it's important to have a look at the advantages and drawbacks that such products offer.
Pros
Cons
No matter whether you choose solventless cannabis extracts or the solvent-based variety, safety is of the utmost concern. Only buy your products from licensed dispensaries with proof of their quality and safety compliance. Low-quality concentrates pose health risks, so it's best to be sure you are choosing the safest products on the market. If you have more questions, don't be afraid to talk to your budtender at DC Collective who can guide you to the right concentrate product for your wants and needs.
⚠️WARNING: Products sold on this site can expose you to chemicals including marijuana smoke, which are known to the State of California to cause cancer. For more information, go to http://www.P65Warnings.ca.gov
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