What is Microdosing Weed?

We’ve all heard the phrase “less is more” but you’ll probably never hear it when discussing consuming cannabis. With weed consumption in the U.S having almost doubled in the past three years, according to polling from Gallup and one in eight American adults saying they smoke marijuana, there have been a number of new trends emerging in the world of cannabis. Everything from edible pizzas to vaping, these days smoking a joint is not the only option out there for weed lovers.

One of the latest and albeit surprising trends to hit the market is a process involving how NOT to get high when consuming weed. Yes, we see the shocked glares and stares on the other side of the screen but believe it or not there are people out there who enjoy consuming weed but don’t enjoy the effects of being ‘high’. This new trend that is rapidly making its way through the market is known as microdosing.

As we can guess, you may have many questions regarding this new and interesting trend. In this article, we will cover the ins and outs of microdosing, including what it is, what some of the benefits are and of course how to microdose.

What is microdosing?

Microdosing is exactly what it sounds like! It’s the practice of taking small (micro) amounts of cannabis in measured doses with the aim of getting the medicinal benefits minus the side effects. In other words consuming weed in tiny doses to eliminate the fear of intense psychoactive side effects.

With the rapid growth that we’ve seen in weed consumption over the last few years, it should actually come as no surprise that we are seeing the emergence of new and interesting trends such as microdosing.

Typically speaking, microdosing is the perfect practice for people who enjoy the day to day health benefits of marijuana but don’t consume it on a social level. Here at MarijuanaBreak we love to introduce new and exciting trends in the market, from cannabis strains to methods of smoking but we also understand that for some, marijuana is used merely for it’s benefits and not as part of their social lives. It is for these people that the practice of microdosing has become so life changing!

Why bother to microdose weed?

Not too long ago the concept of consuming weed had everything to do with smoking as much as you could to get as high as possible with your friends. But as the saying goes, it’s a different ball game now. Of course you will always have your stoners who are looking to get baked 24/7 and to them the idea of consuming weed in small enough doses so that you might avoid any sort of high seems crazy. But there is now a crowd that has emerged that rather treat weed like a connoisseur would treat a good wine.

As most of us know by now, there are a vast number of health benefits associated with Marijuana cannabinoids. But we also know that cannabis consumed in high doses can cause an unpleasant high that could last for some time. We are all completely different to one another and naturally some of us have a higher tolerance than others. For those just starting out on their cannabis journey, microdosing is a great way to control the intake and gage just how much they can tolerate while avoiding any nasty psychoactive aftermath. With microdosing, people are getting the maximum benefit from the minimum amount, without becoming stoned, paranoid, or lethargic. Some are even microdosing to regulate their moods, boost their creativity, or enhance their workouts and yoga sessions.”

Microdosing is still a relatively new practice but it has already been proven to present some promising benefits. According to a 2012 study done on cancer patients, it was discovered that those who consumed the lower doses of a THC/CBD compound, actually had the greatest improvement in their pain.

What are the benefits of microdosing weed?

As well as the numerous health benefits associated with microdosing, one of the added advantages of this practice is the fact that you can handle your day quite well without being noticeably high, since users have the ability to control their own high.

Microdosing is a great practice for people who might be at a point in their lives where they are taking on more responsibilities and are therefore looking to change their smoking habits. Science has shown that marijuana can be safely and healthily consumed on a daily basis. In addition, users benefit from the various healthy properties of THC with minimal to no “buzz”.

There are a host of benefits associated with THC from anti-inflammatory, to relieving of stress and anxiety. But it can be said that these many benefits are even more vast and effective when not shrouded in a “high”.

With all the knowledge and science behind microdosing and its many benefits, you may be wondering why governments and society aren’t looking into it further? In fact microdosing weed regularly is no different from taking a daily vitamin. So why then is more not being done to promote the practice of microdosing? Unfortunately, the marijuana stigma is still prohibiting the chance of microdosing becoming a routine part of life.

Over half of the American population take dietary supplements and in 2017 a massive 36.1 BILLION vitamins where sold! Now just imagine the impact that would be possible on the industry as a whole if we could generate the same levels of acceptance for taking cannabis in small doses as part of a healthy lifestyle.

How to microdose?

So after discussing what exactly microdosing is and how it can benefit us, let’s now take a look at HOW to do it.
Obviously it’s all about the dose. It can take a bit time to perfect because it is naturally going to vary from person to person.The most popular ways of microdosing are smoking, vaping and ingesting cannabis. All have their own advantages and disadvantages but some are definitely easier than others. We will cover these different methods below in detail.

• Smoking and vaping
  If you prefer to stick to the more traditional form of smoking, you can microdose your weed with a regular joint. For those looking for a healthier option, vaporizing your weed is a decent option. The best way to achieve accuracy is to start by taking only ONE puff of a joint or vape. Then wait it out for up to 10 minutes to feel any effects and then take another if necessary. This may seem like a long process, but it is absolutely required to avoid an accidental high!
  This is probably the most difficult method for controlling your dose since it’s not easy to be precise with the amount of weed you are using.

• Edibles
  Arguably the easiest way to microdose is via edibles. The long-established industry has moved on from laced brownies and cookies and these days you can find cannabis infused just about anything and everything from medicated tea to BBQ sauce, jerky and chewing gum. Edibles give you the chance to control the amount of THC intake.
  If you choose to microdose using edibles, you should exercise caution. Make sure you know the THC content of the strain you are using and then divide your batch accordingly. You need to be patient and wait for the effects to kick in. Bear in mind that while a food product may say it contains a certain amount of cannabis, once broken into pieces it becomes difficult to determine how much of it you are consuming. It’s also important to remember that consuming weed via edibles takes longer - patience is the key to not overdoing it.

In addition to the above methods, microdosing can also be done with oils and tinctures. There are a variety of products on the market now that have been specifically designed for microdosing!

Final thoughts

While microdosing is still a relatively new trend, there’s expected to be a growing number of people that move towards this practice. Microdosing is seen to be a healthier, more discrete, and methodic way to consume cannabis. It’s a great practice for those who enjoy the benefits of weed but want to avoid the overwhelming psychoactive effects that it could have.

Microdosing is also a great way to introduce newbies to weed, without the fear that comes from consuming for the first time. There are a number of benefits associated with microdosing but if you looking to get high and experience the more extreme effects, this practice probably isn’t for you.

It might not be for everyone, but it seems as if the new trend is to get high on life without the actual high.

SOURCE
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1526590012000193

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