You've come to the right place if what you're looking for is an informative and comprehensive guide to microdosing cannabis - also known as Marijuana, Astro Peat, Aunt Mary, Hemp, Chiba, Ganja, Dagga, Herb, Hemp and hundreds other names.
After coffee, alcohol and nicotine, it is the most used substance in the world - and you happen to be reading this article at a very interesting time in the history of cannabis, around which the world legislation prohibiting its use softens quickly.
What is Cannabis Microdosing?
Microdosing is a fast-growing lifestyle trend in which a person regularly consumes very small amounts (literally micro-amounts) of a psychedelic substance or substances every few days for several weeks - to reduce anxiety , relieving depression, sharpening concentration, enhancing creativity, heightening the senses, facilitating communication, increasing energy levels – or any combination of these aspects of being.
Generally speaking, microdosing involves taking about a tenth of the usual "recreational" dose of a psychedelic so that the effect on the mind and body is purely positive, very mild, and unlikely to affect abilities or daily behavior. The goal of microdosing isn't to get "high" when you're feeling low, but to achieve an average, optimal state of mind.
What is Cannabis?
As most people know, cannabis is a psychoactive substance derived from the cannabis plant. It is mainly used for medicinal or recreational purposes.
The main psychoactive component of cannabis – which makes it a psychedelic – is called tetrahydrocannabinol , or THC for short. Cannabis can be consumed by smoking , vaping , in food (known as "edibles"), or in oil form.
Cannabis is most easily recognized by its dark green, fan-shaped compound leaves - but there are at least ten non-psychedelic plants that look like cannabis but aren't.
Are there different types of cannabis?
Yes, there are hundreds of different strains of cannabis, maybe even thousands or tens of thousands of strains. The many different strains can vary widely in terms of taxonomy, and their psychoactive potency can vary from strain to strain.
The three main varieties of cannabis are called Cannabis sativa , Cannabis indica and Cannabis ruderalis .
Sativa : Grows the most, with long, slender branches reaching up to 15 feet tall, and is said to be native to India. Large cannabis growers prefer her because she thrives outdoors, where her wide, long veins absorb sunlight easily. Sativa is the strain most often used as an icon in artistic applications - album covers, t-shirts, tattoos, etc.
Indica : is much smaller, only 3 to 6 feet tall and has a bushier, more robust shape. Indica can be grown very well indoors, unlike sativa which needs a lot of space. Ruderalis is not as common as indica or cannabis "superstar", sativa, because it grows very small and certainly, like indica, does not offer as much power as sativa in terms of psychoactive properties.
As a result of experimenting with these three main strains, growers have developed an almost endless number of sub-strains that can aim to cultivate either higher levels of THC , the psychoactive compound in cannabis, or higher levels of CBD.
CBD is a non-psychedelic compound in cannabis, which may promote relaxation and has other wellness and medicinal uses rather than recreational ones.
Each year, the recreational cannabis community releases recommendations for the best new or existing strains on the market, with some legendary strains such as Holland hope typically remaining at the top of the charts.
What is Hydroponic Cannabis?
While natural "grass" is grown outdoors, hydroponic cannabis is grown indoors under more controlled laboratory conditions, including 24-hour electric lighting, circulating water, and l adding nutrient-rich solutions to cannabis.
In countries where cannabis legislation is very strict, growing it hydroponically, behind closed doors, can make it easier to hide from the authorities. Although the scientific evidence doesn't back it up, many people say they find hydroponic cannabis much stronger than outdoor weed.
What are synthetic cannabinoids?
Although often marketed as natural cannabis, synthetic or "fake weed" certainly is not. There are hundreds of synthetic varieties, which are usually a mixture of different herbal leaves with sprayed chemicals created in the laboratory.
These chemicals are often completely unknown and medical experts warn that synthetic cannabinoids can have serious health consequences.
In July 2018, the United States Food and Drug Administration warned consumers that a batch of synthetic marijuana had been mixed with rat poison and that there are numerous cases of synthetic cannabinoids containing harmful substances. . In short, although they can be purchased at very low prices, synthetics are best avoided.
What is the history of cannabis?
As with other natural psychedelics, such as certain types of mushrooms, mescaline or iboga, whose use dates back to ancient times, the origins of cannabis date back to 500 BC, when ancient cultures used it in herbal medicine , not for its psychedelic properties. Its origins date back even further, to 2727 BC. when the oldest known written record of cannabis use was discovered in China.
The ancient Greeks and Romans were also familiar with cannabis, while in the Middle East the use of ' hashish ', derived from cannabis resin rather than the leaves, spread to the Islamic Empire. and to Africa.
In the Americas, early Western colonizers grew hemp for textiles and rope, but Native Americans have used cannabis as a health enhancer for centuries (probably in a few "peace pipes" along the way).
Likewise, Dutch settlers in South Africa in the 17th century discovered that the plant was already being used by local Khoisan and Bantu peoples.
In the mid- 19th century , cannabis was quite widely used in the West as one of the secret ingredients in so-called patent medicines . Without significant limitations, doctors experience its psychoactive properties both on themselves and on their patients.
At the end of the 19th century , the general consensus was that cannabis could have both positive and negative effects on people, which meant that its use should be controlled by stricter legislation.
Many states are beginning to require drugmakers to list cannabis-containing ingredients on their product labels, as skepticism about its benefits to society begins to grow.
20th century: a period of tightening
Although there is evidence of the prohibition of cannabis in ancient times (perhaps the first recorded example is when Sudun Sheikhuni, the emir of Joneima in Arabia, banned its use in the 1300s), the law began to restrict the use of cannabis in the early 20th century. .
In 1906 , the District of Columbia was the first in the United States to restrict the sale of cannabis . Curiously, in 1913 it was banned in Jamaica (then under British rule).
It was also banned in South Africa in 1922 and in the 1920s in the UK and New Zealand. Canada criminalized it in 1923.
In the 1930s the United States restricted the use of cannabis unless a high tax was paid, and in the 1950s two laws were passed in the United States that paved the way for the long "War on Drugs" that would follow from the 1960s to the 1990s. Under the Narcotics Act of 1956, first possession of cannabis could result in two to ten years in prison.
Cannabis and counterculture
These laws failed to stop the spread of cannabis use , which peaked in the 1960s ; the counterculture decade, in which cannabis, LSD, and other psychedelics became widely associated with "hippies" and were popularized in literature, rock and roll, film, and art .
In the 1980s , it was estimated that approximately 200 million people worldwide used cannabis regularly, but almost two decades passed before the medical community began to seriously study and re-evaluate cannabis .
The 1990s: cannabis becoming medicine again?
In 1990, an anonymous survey of members of the American Society of Clinical Oncology aimed to measure the attitudes of American oncologists toward the antiemetic (treatment of vomiting and nausea) use of cannabis in cancer chemotherapy patients.
Surprisingly, nearly 50% responded that they had recommended the use of cannabis to at least one patient. This was quite a breakthrough for the medical community, and the legal use of marijuana in medical treatment continued throughout the 1990s, with numerous lawsuits filed both for and against the removal of "Schedule" status. 1" of the THC compound in cannabis. .
In 1996 , a major breakthrough was made in California when the US state allowed patients and their primary caregivers to possess and grow marijuana to treat AIDS, cancer , muscle spasticity , migraines and other ailments.
Over the next few years, many US states would follow California's lead, and worldwide in the late 1990s and early 2000s medical cannabis was legalized in a number of countries, including Italy , Israel , Finland and Canada .
Why is Medical Cannabis legal?
Simply put, the many benefits of cannabis in medical care have become systematically proven , and many legislators have decided that its use should be allowed, as long as it is performed under the direction of licensed medical professionals.
Some of the major medicinal benefits of cannabis include chronic pain relief ; increased lung capacity (contrary to popular belief!); regulation of diabetes; possible contribution to fighting forms of cancer and treating depression (read more about the top 20 medical benefits here ).
Curiously, 2020 has seen an increase in the purchase of medical cannabis , with early research tentatively suggesting that it may be able to combat some of the symptoms of COVID-19 : "Cannabis plant extracts have also been shown to Whole reduces blood clotting (coagulation) in animal models; many of the negative systemic effects of COVID-19 are known to appear to be related to impaired coagulation.
In France :
The first medical cannabis prescriptions took place in March 2021.
It has also been confirmed that up to 3,000 patients have been selected and 700 of them suffer from chronic pain. It is important to know that chronic pain affects 5% of the population. This clinical trial is important to them. If the results are conclusive, these new drugs mixing THC and CBD will relieve them on a daily basis.
TO READ MEDICAL CANNABIS IN FRANCE
What are the Benefits of Cannabis Microdosing?
The main "problem" with cannabis is THC: too much of this psychoactive compound can lead to drowsiness, memory loss, confused thinking and memory (conversely, studies on mice show that low doses have a positive effect on memory).
Many people want to experience the therapeutic benefits of cannabis without getting "high" - and that's where microdosing provides a solution.
These days, many people are using products containing CBD or microdoses of cannabis to enhance their daily mental or physical activities, much the same way others may turn to energy drinks or coffee.
Microdosing cannabis can relieve many issues, including pain , arthritis , depression , stress , and anxiety . It can improve digestive disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease , and ulcerative colitis.
For all of these reasons, the line between medical cannabis and cannabis microdosing is becoming increasingly blurred, with many physicians advising patients to follow a cannabis microdosing protocol .
Many people who do not suffer from any of the above challenges simply want to return to a state of homeostasis ; to eliminate that slight sense of anxiety and worry and enter a calmer, less distracted state where concentration on ongoing activities becomes easier.
A few years ago, Charlotte Palermo , writing for Cosmopolitan , chronicled a week of microdosing cannabis and mentioned another benefit we haven't touched on: better sleep -
"My sleep was regular and consistent. As a result, my bags under my eyes were nowhere in sight, and my energy level was above average."
What are the side effects of microdosing Cannabis?
There is of course an obvious risk of breaking the law - this quick-check Wikipedia map will give you a good idea of the legal status of cannabis, whether recreational or medicinal, in different countries around the world.
Also, the risk of microdosing cannabis is generally considered very low - unless you start experimenting with very high doses (this can be tempting, as different people react to different doses and it can take a while to find the appropriate level for you).
Some of the symptoms of excessive cannabis use include tremors , dry mouth , nausea , paranoia , anxiety , drowsiness, and confused thoughts.
If you microdose cannabis and begin to experience any of these things to some degree, you may need to reduce the dose you take and/or the frequency of microdosing.
How to microdose with cannabis?
As mentioned, finding the optimal dosage level of cannabis is a challenge that varies from person to person, but it's an important first step.
For this reason, Dustin Sulak, a doctor from Maine , USA, advises taking very small amounts of cannabis for a few hours a day until you feel you've found a comfortable dose.
He also suggests refraining from microdosing for two days before the day after microdosing. If you follow this you will achieve two things - you will prevent the development of a cannabis tolerance and you will be able to objectively judge how your microdosing went - did you take too much, too little or enough?
As noted on Leafly , Michelle Ross , who treats medical patients with cannabis, suggests that people who are microdosing start with 2.5 milligrams , stick to that level for three days, and then increase the dose as needed.
The standard dose of THC is 10 milligrams , which means that this dose usually produces a high (although frequent or heavy users often need more to achieve a high).
Therefore, a microdose of THC can be 0.5 to 5 milligrams . Since CBD is not intoxicating, but does have some psychoactive effects (e.g., mental relaxation), microdosing of CBD can be up to 10 milligrams .
An experienced user can start with 3-5 milligrams of THC, but refrain from exceeding 10 milligrams.
Microdose With Which Forms Of Cannabis
When it comes to microdosing cannabis, Candies and Oils are the best. These cannabis products are made with specific, measurable amounts of cannabinoids, giving you more control over the dosage.
On the other hand, it is almost impossible to know how many cannabinoids you consume when you smoke or vape.
These products are presented with percentages of cannabinoids, but it is difficult to determine the amount you are getting with each puff.
As oral products, Cannabis Oils also provide a slower and longer lasting effect than flowers and concentrates.
HOW TO MAKE THC EDIBLES?
To give cannabis an edible form, you have to dissolve the cannabinoids into something edible! Cannabinoids are not
not water soluble, so a tea won't do. But they are fat soluble! So you can dissolve them in butter or, if you prefer to avoid dairy products, you can use coconut oil or copha.
Note: The content of this page is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be professional medical advice. Do not attempt to self-diagnose or prescribe treatment based on the information provided. Always consult a doctor before making a decision about treating a medical condition.
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