Weed FAQs

Marijuana prescribed by a doctor to treat specific medical conditions. Patients obtain their medication from one of thirty-nine LPs (Licensed Producers) with pricing between $7-12 per gram. It is not covered by health insurance or any government plan. Patients can legally carry a maximum of 150g on their person within Canadian borders, but not while traveling outside the country. Medication can be written off as a tax expense.

The Endocannabinoid System, or ECS, is a group of endogenous cannabinoid receptors found in the human body. It connects to the peripheral and central nervous system, immune and gastro intestinal systems and portions of the brain responsible for physiological processes such as mood, pleasure sensory, pain, appetite and coordination.  The cannabinoids in weed interact with the ESC by binding to CB₁ and CB₂ receptors, causing the effects associated with the substance.

Raw weed products do not affect the body in the same way as ones that have been activated by heat. In other words, snorting kief will not get you high even though kief is very potent. Kief is a cannabis concentrate with many other uses, so why waste it by snorting it? Try rolling your kief into a twixed joint instead, or crown your bowl with it. You could snort kief, but the real question is: should you?

Different methods of administration will dictate how quickly cannabinoids are absorbed. Even though edibles contain the same active ingredient as marijuana — THC — they affect you in a different way. Edibles take more time to kick in than smoking marijuana does, and the high from edibles lasts much longer. This is because cannabis has to be processed by the liver when ingested orally, which is a more strenuous and lengthy unfolding.

Smoking weed can make people happy by increasing their dopamine levels. Dopamine is a chemical that is released naturally in response to food, sex, and other things that make humans happy. Increased dopamine can help treat depression, though too much dopamine can lead to other problems such as psychosis. Some studies show that marijuana can be an effective solution for PTSD, depression, risk of suicide, and other conditions that impede happiness.

Dabs are concentrated doses of cannabis. They are made by a process of extracting cannabinoids, like THC, using butane or carbon dioxide resulting in a sticky oil-based product that is often referred to as wax, shatter, butane hash-oil (BHO) or budder. This form of cannabis is not currently (2017) legal in Canada.

Mature marijuana seeds tend to be dark brown and tear-dropped, with dark stripes or splotches of various brown, black or tan shades. Seeds can be male, female or both sexes (hermaphrodite) but it is impossible to determine sex by looking at the seeds.

It is true that studies have shown that some cannabis components, called cannabinoids, may be able to kill cancer cells while leaving normal cells healthy. Studies also showed that cannabinoids may be able to stop tumour growth by killing cells and stopping the growth of new ones. However, these studies were performed on mice and rats, not humans. More research is needed before knowing if cannabis can cure cancer in humans.

Weed causes your eyes to turn red as THC lowers blood pressure and causes dilation in blood vessels and capillaries. This is one of the primary mechanisms used in cannabis-based treatment of Glaucoma, as this vasodilation can help relieve unwanted ocular pressure. Products such as Visine or highly caffeinated food and beverages can help alleviate eye redness.

Yes, Cannabis Oil can be smoked. Cannabis oil is just another state in which marijuana can be consumed. In the medical community, this oil can be used by patients suffering from various conditions to ease symptoms. Cannabis oil can be smoked in a number of ways, either by dipping the tip of the joint in oil or by putting a few drops in a vaporizer.

The cannabis community agrees: mangoes get you higher. People report experiencing a stronger high when they eat a mango before or after smoking up. Mangoes also make a person’s high last longer. No, this isn’t an urban legend — the effect is caused by a chemical called myrcene. The myrcene in mangoes is similar to chemicals found in cannabis, and it can interact with those chemicals to make weed’s effects stronger.

In several studies, marijuana users were found to have lower Body Mass Indexes (BMIs), slimmer waists, and lower rates of obesity and diabetes than people who don’t use marijuana. However, this may be correlation, not necessarily causation. While this information is promising, further research is needed before asserting that marijuana is a helpful weight loss drug or a good way to prevent diabetes or obesity.

There is no evidence that marijuana directly causes depression. There’s even less evidence that it will help. Bottom line: more study and research must be done on the subject of whether marijuana helps depression. Canada allows medical marijuana to be recommended for depression under the ACMPR. None of the studies done on animal subjects to see if the compounds that affect cannabinoid receptors in the brain link marijuana with less depression.

An ounce is a unit of weight. One ounce is one sixteenth of a pound, or about twenty-eight grams. So, an ounce of weed weighs about twenty-eight grams. An ounce of weed is a considerable amount; a single gram can last for several smoke sessions, depending on the person’s tolerance. A scale should be used to measure out an ounce of weed, as the size of the weed is not reliable.

Cannabinoids work by binding to specialized receptors in the brain and other parts of the body.  This binding causes neurons to release different amounts of chemicals, such as dopamine.  Cannabinoid receptors are concentrated in parts of the brain that deal with short-term memory, coordination, appetite, and mood.  Some cannabinoid receptors are also found in the immune system, which may be how marijuana helps regulate pain and inflammation.

Hotboxing is an activity where a user(s) smokes cannabis in an enclosed and unventilated space like a closet, car, shed, or blanket fort. A study at Johns Hopkins confirmed that smoking in this fashion can get users far more intoxicated.  They achieved this by placing non-smokers in the same environment as those who were inhaling the smoke first hand, then measuring the effects that the second hand smoke had on the non-smoking participants.  Some refer to this as a contact high.

Wet weed is difficult to smoke because it is hard to light. Weed that has been damp might also be at risk of getting mouldy. Never smoke mouldy weed. Check for a strange smell and for visual signs of mould before smoking. Unfortunately, it may not taste as good as dry weed. Wet weed might also refer to weed laced with PCP, as PCP is sometimes called “wet” or “water.”

To understand marijuana’s effects on the brain we look to how (phyto)cannabinoids from the marijuana plant mimic the (endo)cannabinoids created by our bodies. Something like marijuana’s Tetrahydrocannabinol can act like neurotransmitters but doesn’t give neurons a refractory period in between transmissions. This stimulation results in some pretty profound effects on the brain, like euphoria, intense thoughtfulness, compassion, anxiety, paranoia, and even pain mitigation

Terpenes are fragrant oils found in the resin glands of cannabis. When inhaled, they assist cannabinoids in penetrating the blood-brain barrier and have implications for the production and destruction of both serotonin and dopamine. There are several different kinds of terpenes, each with their own medical benefits. They are useful in treating inflammation, depression, anxiety, suppressing fluids, fighting bacteria and healing wounds. Though promising, legality of testing is an impediment to terpene research.

Dabs are an oil-based concentrate many cannabis users have turned to in recent years. They are smoked using a bong-like device called a rig. Many dab varieties have emerged on the market such as “shatter” “budder” “wax” “live resin” and “C02 oil.” Now an integrated part of cannabis culture, dabs have their own categories at the Cannabis Cup and offer great medicinal value for relief of certain chronic pains.

Marijuana smoke, like any smoke, is carcinogenic, containing at least 6000 of the same chemicals found in tobacco. Complicating matters, the tendency of weed users to hold smoke in their lungs for longer periods of time increases tar deposits in the respiratory system by up to 400%. Having said this, both THC and CBD in non-smoke form have shown promising results in treating cancerous cells and tumors in rodents. Legality of experimentation remains an obstacle.

There is some evidence showing that CBD, a component of marijuana, may help protect brain cells from damage related to concussions. CBD might also promote brain cell growth. Repetitive brain trauma can lead to CTE, a degenerative brain disease that may lead to memory loss, depression, or suicide. More research is certainly needed, but it is possible that smoking weed could help prevent and heal the damage caused by concussions.

A cannabinoid is a chemical compound that alters the release of neurotransmitters in the brain. The three main types of cannabinoids are endocannabinoids, photocannabinoids, and synthetic cannabinoids.The two main cannabinoids are THC and CBD. THC has psychoactive effects, while CBD is a better medicinal fit for a wider range of ailments. When cannabis enters the human body, its physiological effects occur as it interacts with cell membranes known as cannabinoid receptors.

Kief is a concentrate made from the resin glands, or trichomes, of the cannabis plant.  The trichomes look like tiny crystals and act as the cannabinoid factories of the plant, producing THC, CBD, and other specialized compounds. Kief, also known as dry sift or pollen, can be easily extracted using a grinder and, with its high concentration of THC, it makes a great addition to top off a regular bowl.

Marijuana can soothe anxiety in some users while causing it in others. It is said that frequent marijuana users tend to fall into the soothing category, while rookie or occasional users are more likely to experience paranoid episodes. To avoid these, high CBD, low THC strains are advised as THC is cannabis’ main psychoactive ingredient. Dose is also an important factor. Proceed with caution.

Edibles are safer than smoking in that they don’t use harmful combustion to release cannabinoids into the bloodstream but there are some other complicated matters with edibles that could make them more dangerous. Those factors are namely dosage and labelling. Edible products should always indicate the exact dosage of THC within and attempt to deter children from consuming the tasty treat.