Is There a Best Way to Consume Cannabis?

• Smoking, vaping, edibles, oils and tinctures, and topicals are all simple and effective ways to introduce cannabinoids to your body. However, they all have benefits and drawbacks.
• Depending on your specific needs (e.g., if you need a discreet, long-lasting, or fast-acting method), some administration methods may be a better fit than others.
• Vaping, edibles, and tinctures/oils are highly discreet. Edibles and tinctures/oils offer highly precise dosing. Cannabis flower is typically the most affordable of cannabis products. Edibles offer the longest-lasting results, but smoking and vaping methods are the fastest-acting.

Vaping, gummies, lotions, joints—newcomers to medical cannabis have many options when it comes to dosing their medicine. But if you’re in the early stages of your medical marijuana journey, where should you start? Are some methods better than others?

While all ingestion methods introduce cannabinoids into your system in some fashion, not all of them are right for everyone. Personal preference and individual needs are key considerations when it’s time to select an administration method.

In this guide, we’re breaking them all down: smoking, vaping, edibles, tinctures and oils, and topicals. We’ll explain how each one works and then review which method might be best for you based on your unique needs.

Cannabis Consumption Options

The sheer number of administration options can be overwhelming for a newcomer. First, let’s shed some light on how each one works to bring this landscape into focus.

Smoking

Smoking is the cannabis community’s go-to method for introducing cannabinoids into the body, perhaps because it’s so simple:

• Users grind raw cannabis flowers into a finer consistency before rolling it into a joint (a hand-rolled cigarette) or packing it into a piece of glassware.
• After preparing their smokables for consumption, users ignite the cannabis and inhale the smoke produced by combustion.
• Cannabinoid-infused smoke permeates the mucous membranes in your mouth, throat, and lungs, where cannabinoids are absorbed into your bloodstream. Some combustion smoke escapes into the air.

Smoking produces fast results, and it’s one of the simplest ways to use cannabis. However, newcomers will need a few materials to get started: a grinder, rolling papers (or a piece of glassware), and a lighter.

Vaping

Vaping is smoking’s high-tech cousin. While the methods are slightly different, the goals of smoking and vaping are the same: to introduce cannabinoids to the body via inhalation.

Here’s a quick overview of how vaping cannabis works:

• Users insert a cartridge (“cart”) filled with cannabis-infused oil into a vape device (like a pen).
• The vaping device uses a heating element to increase the temperature of the cart’s contents, eventually producing vapor (not smoke).
• Users inhale the cannabinoid-infused vapor to introduce the active compounds into their system. Depending on the device, very little vapor escapes the device into the air.

Like smoking, vaping is a fast-acting method. However, it does require some startup materials: a vape device and a cart.

Edibles

While smoking and vaping introduce cannabinoids via inhalation, edibles introduce cannabinoids via ingestion—absorption through your digestive system.

Edibles can be either:

• Premade – Patients in some states can purchase premade, prepackaged, manufactured edibles at a dispensaries or pharmacy. These are precisely dosed and come in packages complete with nutrition facts.
• Homemade – If you’re familiar with the cannabis black market, you’ve likely encountered “special brownies”—homemade baked goods made with cannabis-infused oils. These tend to feature less precise dosing.

Premade and homemade edibles work the same way: You eat them, your digestive system breaks down the components, and cannabinoids enter your bloodstream just like other ingested compounds would. Edibles can take time to kick in, but the results are typically longer-lasting than the effects of smoking.

Tinctures, Oils, and Concentrates

Edibles are typically made with cannabis-infused oils—but patients can purchase these oils before they become tasty treats, too.

Oils and tinctures are two kinds of liquid-based cannabis concentrates:

• Tinctures are alcohol-based extractions—like vanilla extract.
• Oils are liquid fat-based extractions—like herb-infused cooking oils.

These can be introduced to the body sublingually (under the tongue). Placing a few drops of a cannabinoid-infused oil or tincture is slightly more fast-acting than using edibles because they absorb into mucous membranes (the tissues in your mouth) quickly.

However, dispensaries also sell more solid cannabis concentrates.

These go by many names, including:

• Dabs
• Budder
• Shatter
• Wax
• Resin

These solid concentrates are highly potent, and they can be used in a few different ways (only some of which are beginner-friendly). To learn more about cannabis concentrates, check out our complete guide.

Topicals

All of the methods above require inhaling or ingesting cannabis in some form. However, there’s an outlier option for patients looking to take a more external approach: topicals.

Cannabis-infused topical products:

• Absorb into the skin – Users apply a small amount of a product onto their skin to experience localized (or generalized, if they use the product throughout their body) effects.
• Do not reach the bloodstream – Cannabinoids in topical products aren’t intoxicating—even if THC is in the ingredients list. Why? Because topical products don’t actually reach the bloodstream. Instead, the cannabinoids in a topical formula act locally (wherever the product is applied).

Topicals produce relatively quick, long-lasting results, and they’re particularly useful for chronic pain relief.

Which Method Is Right for You?

The above is a lot to take in. Let’s cut to the chase: which one is best for your needs? We’ve broken out a few common patient preferences, and we’ll describe which methods are a good match for each.

Discreet Options

If you live with relatives (including children), in an apartment with roommates, or next to nosy neighbors, you might be looking for the most discreet solution for dosing cannabis.

The most lowkey options include:

• Edibles – No smoke, very low odors, and simple dosing—there’s nothing simpler than popping an edible.
• Tinctures and oils – Infused liquids are almost as discreet as edibles, but they can have slightly stronger odors. Not to mention that they’re sold in dropper bottles—these aren’t exactly commonplace household dispensers.
• Topicals – Since they won’t intoxicate you, topicals won’t run the risk of altering your behavior in a noticeable way. Plus, many products are practically scent-free.

Precise Dosing Options

You’re an amateur mathematician, professional pharmacist, or nootropics devotee—you want to know exactly how much of a given substance you’re introducing into your body, so you need a dosing method with precision.

Your best bets in the medical cannabis world are:

• Premade edibles – Commercially produced edibles are highly regulated for consistency and content: You’re getting exactly what’s on the label every time. However, edibles aren’t always as precise for newcomers (because it’s hard to split a gummy into exact portions if you’re trying to start with a low dose).
• Tinctures and oils – With a few simple calculations, you can fine-tune your tincture or oil doses down to the half-milligram.

Affordable Options

How can you get the most bang for your buck at the dispensaries/pharmacy?

Some options are more budget-friendly than others:

• Tinctures, oils, and concentrates – Tinctures, oils, and concentrates are highly potent cannabinoid extracts—they contain a lot of cannabinoid content in a small volume. So, these products can last a while. Concentrates in particular are known for their potency, but they’re not for the faint of heart (or the newcomer).
• Vape cartridges – Since they contain concentrated cannabis oils, vape cartridges abide by the same principle: a large cannabinoid volume in a small package.

Because they’re highly concentrated (and require manufacturing procedures), tinctures, oils, concentrates, and vape carts typically fetch a higher price than raw cannabis flowers. However, keep in mind that you might save in the long run (because you’re technically buying cannabinoids in bulk).

Long-Lasting Options

You work a busy job, so you need a cannabis product that will keep providing relief throughout your whole shift.

Edibles are, by far, the longest-lasting cannabis administration method. While they can take time to kick in, edibles produce results for multiple hours—no need to re-up on your lunch break.

Fast-Acting Options

Whether you’re looking to kick muscle soreness right after a hard workout or quell an acute anxiety attack, fast-acting options play a critical role in the medical cannabis world.

The best options for fast results are:

• Smoking, vaping, and concentrates – Smoking and vaping produce results almost instantly—but start slow. While you’ll start to feel the effects right away, they can still intensify with time. The same can be said for dabbing (i.e., inhaling the vapor from solid concentrates).
• Topicals – Topicals aren’t as fast-acting as inhalation methods, but they’re still a relatively quick antidote to chronic pain or post-exercise aches.
• Tinctures and oils – When used sublingually, tinctures and oils typically take between 15 and 30 minutes to kick in—slower than inhalation, but quicker than edible ingestion.

TeleLeaf: Bridging the Gap to Holistic Cannabis Care

No matter your specific needs, there’s a medical cannabis administration method (and product) out there for you. One of the benefits of medical marijuana? It’s highly customizable and easy to tailor to your exact preferences.

Another benefit is easy access—it’s never been easier to get a recommendation for medical cannabis, especially with help from provider networks like TeleLeaf. Our licensed providers offer same-day telehealth appointments and recommendations, getting you started on your medical cannabis journey fast.

Ready to unlock the healing powers of cannabis? Schedule your first appointment with TeleLeaf.

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