Welcome! If you are new to the world of cannabis but are feeling overwhelmed with all of the options and just want to know where to start, you're in the right place! This guide will cover everything you need to know to start your cannabis journey with confidence.
Features
- A quick and easy guide that will help you get started
- Everything you need to know about application and dosing
- Recommendations for how to use cannabis for the first time
Why You Will Love This Guide
Hello and welcome, my name is Emily Kyle, and I used to be just like you.
I knew that cannabis helped me feel better, but I wasn’t exactly sure why, how, or what I could do to control the experience.
After 10 years of cannabis consumption, I have learned a lot, and I am ready to share it with you so you can confidently start your journey.
This guide will cover all the basics you need to know about the plant, your body, and how to use it to have a truly magical experience.
If you need more help after reading through this article, consider joining my private Well With Cannabis Community for more support and guidance.
And if you're overwhelmed by all the lingo, check out my terms and abbreviations guide before getting started.
Understand Your ECS
This all starts with your endocannabinoid system (ECS).
Yes, you have an ECS, just like you have an immune system and a digestive system.
This system is the reason that cannabis works. The main purpose of the ECS is to maintain balance inside your body.
So it makes sense why we feel so much better when we consume cannabis.
You can read more about the details of the ECS here, but the most important thing to know is this:
Everybody’s ECS is different, so your cannabis experience will be unique to YOU.
What works for your friend or me is not guaranteed to work for you, and that’s OK.
On your cannabis journey, you need to be patient and willing to experiment to find what works best for you and your unique ECS.
Know Your Cannabinoids
You may already know the most popular cannabinoids, THC and CBD.
It’s important to know that there are over 100 cannabinoids found within the plant, and each one affects us differently.
These cannabinoids interact with our ECS to produce a variety of effects. This means that THC will affect you differently than CBD or CBG.
To know which cannabinoid is right for you, you will want to experiment with each one to see how it affects you.
In a very generalized description, this is what each cannabinoid may help with:
- CBD - wellness, inflammation, anxiety
- THC - pain, relaxation, bliss, sleep*
- CBG - focus, energy, clarity
- CBN - sleep, sedation
- CBDA - nausea, vomiting, pain, inflammation
- THCA – nausea, pain, inflammation
*THC is the only cannabinoid listed above that produces a ‘high’ or intoxicating feeling.
As you advance along your journey, you will learn that different cannabinoids work together to produce an entourage effect.
You will also discover that terpenes matter to your outcome, maybe just as much as the cannabinoids consumed.
And finally, different strains of cannabis will contain different kinds of cannabinoids and terpenes.
Therefore, different strains will make you feel different, especially Indica’s vs. Sativa's, although most plants are just hybrids.
Choose an Application Method
Now that you know that you need to select a cannabinoid that will interact with your ECS, it’s time to decide how to use it.
How you use cannabis will affect how it makes you feel and how long it takes to work.
The most common and popular application methods include:
- Sublingual – a product, like a tincture, held under the tongue for quick absorption
- Topicals – products that are applied directly to the skin
- Edibles – products that are eaten and processed by the digestive system
- Inhalation – products that are inhaled into the lungs, whether it be smoking, vaping, or dry herb vaping
- Suppository - products that are inserted directly into the body, rectally or vaginally
Each one of these methods will affect you differently and have different onset and duration times, so be sure to do your research before getting started.
It is best to select an application method you feel comfortable with, not all methods are right for everyone, and that's OK.
Also, know that you can use more than one application method if you want; you are not limited to choosing just one.
Dose Appropriately
Now you know what cannabinoid you want to use and how you want to use it, it's time to decide how much to use.
When it comes to cannabis, there are no standard dosing recommendations because we all react differently.
Therefore, the best option is to follow the golden rule: start low and go slow.
This means you start with a relatively low dose, assess your reaction, and slowly increase the dose as needed until you feel the desired outcome.
Of course, a low dose is subjective, but it’s important to be especially conservative with THC because it can make you feel intoxicated.
If you accidentally consume too much THC, you may feel unwell. A low dose for starting THC would be between 0-5mg.
You can increase the dose as needed depending on your reaction and tolerance.
A low dose for starting CBD, CBN, or CBG could be higher because they will not make you feel intoxicated or unwell.
Most people start with a dose between 5-25mg.
Again, there is no standard dosing recommendation, and it is up to you to experiment with different doses to find what works best for you.
You can learn more about dosing in my dosing guide here.
Stay the Course
The truth is, cannabis is not a magic cure for everything, and it might not work the way you want it to the first time.
Finding what is right for you may take several attempts with different strains, cannabinoid ratios, application methods, and dosages.
And to get the most out of your experience, you will likely need to use the product for several weeks to allow your body time to adjust and assess your progress.
On top of that, so many other factors can influence your experience beyond what we already talked about, including your biochemistry, how your body processes cannabis, what you’ve eaten that day, the medications you take, and more.
The most important thing I want you to know is that your cannabis journey is an experiment that requires patience.
While it can be frustrating, taking the time to stay the course and experiment may lead to your breakthrough in finding the magic combination that works perfectly for you.
Record Your Progress
Sometimes even the biggest changes are hard to notice within our bodies.
And in many cases, like with CBD, it’s not always about what you feel but what you don’t feel.
Unfortunately, this makes it difficult to notice the changes happening to you.
The best way to measure your progress is to record it in a cannabis journal.
Like a food diary, this journal will help you track your journey, assess your progress, and make educated decisions if you need to change.
Having this data recorded will help you look back and make connections about your symptoms, dosages, and experiences.
One of the easiest ways to record your progress is with this patient journal.
More than just a blank journal, this cannabis journal knows what you need during this special time.
“Whether you’re new to medical cannabis or a long-time user, the Patient Journal is designed to help you better understand your body’s response to cannabis treatment. It features guided entry pages, beautifully designed charts, cannabinoid & terpene recommendations based on symptoms, blank lab results pages for entering product details and more. Reference your use history easily and identify what cultivars, delivery methods and doses give you the best results.”
– GoldLeaf
Conclusion
If you've made it this far, congratulations!
You're well on your way to starting your journey with safety, confidence, and success in mind.
I hope this guide has given you the tools you need to get started, but if you're looking for more information, enroll in my Cannabis Compass Online Course, which covers all of these topics in depth.
Stock Your Canna Kitchen
Skip the hard work and have perfectly dosed, delicious, pure Bliss Cannabutter delivered directly to your door! Shop Now →
How to Use Cannabis for the First Time
Watch the Video
Equipment
What You Need
- 1 each cannabis journal
Instructions
- Understand Your ECS: It all starts with your endocannabinoid system (ECS). This system is the reason that cannabis works. The main purpose of the ECS is to maintain balance inside your body. On your cannabis journey, you need to be patient and willing to experiment to find what works best for you and your unique ECS.
- Know Your Cannabinoids: It’s important to know that there are over 100 cannabinoids found within the plant, and each one affects us differently. These cannabinoids interact with our ECS to produce a variety of effects. This means that THC will affect you differently than CBD or CBG. To know which cannabinoid is right for you, you will want to experiment with each one to see how it affects you.
- Choose an Application Method: How you use cannabis will affect how it makes you feel and how long it takes to work.Each one of these methods will affect you differently and have different onset and duration times, so be sure to do your research before getting started.
- Dose Appropriately: When it comes to cannabis, there are no standard dosing recommendations because we all react differently. Therefore, the best option is to follow the golden rule: start low and go slow. This means you start with a relatively low dose, assess your reaction, and slowly increase the dose as needed until you feel the desired outcome.
- Stay the Course: The truth is, cannabis is not a magic cure for everything, and it might not work the way you want it to the first time. Finding what is right for you may take several attempts with different strains, cannabinoid ratios, application methods, and dosages. And to get the most out of your experience, you will likely need to use the product for several weeks to allow your body time to adjust and assess your progress.
- Record Your Progress: The best way to measure your progress is to record it in a cannabis journal. Like a food diary, this journal will help you track your journey, assess your progress, and make educated decisions if you need to change.Gold Leaf Journal
Ask a Question or Leave a Comment: