Marijuana Microdose – Less is More
I just finished reading the NY times bestseller Essentialism by Greg McKeown and came away with an impressive, thought-provoking message; Less is More. As I began thinking about a marijuana microdose, it occurred to me that ‘Less is More’ is a perfect way of thinking about this novel way of consuming marijuana. Small doses over a longer period make for a pleasant overall experience.
What is Microdosing
Microdosing is the practice of consuming the least amount of cannabis while still achieving its therapeutic effects. The exact amount of smoke, vapor, or edible required for a particular microdose is not something that can be prescribed. For one thing, everyone’s tolerance to cannabis is different. An edible with 10 milligrams of THC (the psychoactive part of the pot) may be a microdose for one person, but another person may require 20 milligrams. There are other variables as well but micro-doses that have found their perfect formula report feeling relaxed, calm, with less pain, and less anxiety while still being fully functional and sometimes even more light-hearted.
Today’s Pot is Potent
Why micro dosing? Today’s pot is much more potent than yesterday’s weed. Prolific seed development is creating strains of weed with highly favorable traits. Growers are using the best possible techniques and equipment for their growth and the science of growing cannabis is full steam ahead. One, two, or three tokes from a joint or vaping device are all that is needed to enter buzzdom. Four, five, six takes and you can be heading toward oblivion.
Edibles and California’s 10mg Regulation
There is another variability in the micro-dosing story. Edibles in the form of hard candy, chocolate, and other food concoctions all can have varying amounts of THC. Moreover, consuming edible marijuana is very different from smoking it. As soon as I left the dispensary, I consumed half of an infused chocolate candy bar – my first experience with an edible marijuana product that I still vividly recall. I waited and waited (about 30-45 minutes} and didn’t feel any different so I ate the remainder of the bar.
Still feeling nothing, I took a couple of tokes from my vape pen and sat down to watch some tv. After over an hour, it hit me and hit me hard. It was not a very good experience. When you ingest marijuana in any form, it needs to be metabolized by your body, specifically your liver, before entering your bloodstream. This metabolism takes time, sometimes hours, so you will need to take it low and slow with edibles whether or not you are micro-dosing.
Marijuana Product Consistency
There are many marijuana strains available today. Like wine and alcohol, each variety has a specific smell, taste, and physical and mental reaction. Moreover, if you visit the website Leafly, you can find additional information on your favorite including the percentage of THC and CBD. That said there is still no way to know for instance how many milligrams of THC are in one toke and will the same strain from a different grower has the same percentage of THC and CBD. You see where I am going with this. For now, you will have to define your microdose with every new product you purchase or grow. If you visit a recreational marijuana dispensary in California when it becomes legal on January 1, 2018, you will see edible products sold in 10-milligram doses only. They understood the microdose solution and included it in their Prop 64 regulations.
Microdosing is here, and in my opinion, is the only way to use marijuana. Less is more. Low and slow.
