Weed FAQs

To obtain a card, you must see your healthcare practitioner, qualify for a prescription, and connect with a licensed producer. Your legal documentation (card) will be provided to you by the licensed producer via mail once you complete your first order. A card issued to you by a storefront “dispensary” or “compassion club” does not lawfully protect you if you are in possession of marijuana.

Cannabis is typically broken up into three different kinds of flower: indicas, sativas, and hybrids. Indica strains, have calming effects are a popular choice for nighttime use, while sativas are said to produce a functional and “creative” high ideal for daytime use. Hybrids then are a mix between indica and sativa genetics. This method of classifying strains is controversial in that it’s not the most accurate way of describing each genetic strain beyond the plant’s morphology, flowering time, yield, and terpene profile.

One of the most common side effects that occur in most everyone who uses or has used marijuana is getting a dry mouth. Also termed as “cottonmouth” or the “pasties”, dry mouth attributed to marijuana may be due to the effect that cannabinoids; the chemical compounds that act on our endocannabinoid receptors, have on the glands in our bodies that produce saliva.

Weed is fully legal in Canada for medical purposes.  Patients with a range of health conditions can get a medical document from their physician to legally obtain marijuana from a licensed commercial producer.  However, weed has not yet been legalized for recreational use.  Possessing, growing, and selling marijuana without permission from Health Canada remains a criminal offense in Canada.

Sometimes discretion is needed when indulging in cannabis, which is known for having a very distinct smell. Dabs are one option to get high more discreetly. Dabs still smell like weed, but they do not smell as strongly as smoke from a joint. For best results, be sure that all the vapour from the dab goes out the window or — less ideally — into a vent.

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.

A number of clinical studies have proven that weed can be used to treat cancer. Even though widespread use of marijuana against cancer is hard to find, herbalists and pro-cannabis treatment centers have often prescribed different strains for treating cancer and alleviating its side effects, as well as those created by the harsh treatment methods. The active ingredients in the marijuana plant are believed to have anti-tumor properties and hence, help in the destruction of cancerous cells. Research in this context is still on-going, and can currently be classified as pre-clinical at best.

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.

Cannabis was first discovered in Taiwan (8,000 BC) where hemp was used to make pottery. The first signs of recreational use of Marijuana can be traced back to the Middle East, where a Persian religious text referred to it as a “good narcotic” in around 600 BC. Cannabis’ medicinal roots in North America can be traced back to the USA where it was sold as a medicinal drug from 1850-1914.

Ocular redness subsequent to marijuana usage, whether through inhalation or ingestion, is a common occurrence for most infrequent and frequent individuals with exposure to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The severity of ‘red eye,’ as it is colloquially referred, is invariably dependent upon not only the quantity of cannabis absorbed but also the quality/potency – the more elevated the THC content within the strain, the more likely the user is to exhibit redness.

Weed consists of the small conical-shaped buds that come from the flowers of the female cannabis plant.  The buds look like a tangle of dried leaves that are green-brown in colour with strands of orange hair intertwined, and they are covered with a layer of fine crystals.  Depending on the particular strain, weed can come in a wide variety of different colours, shapes, and sizes.

When you eat weed, it gets metabolized in your digestive system to produce a different kind of THC than when you smoke.  The gut and liver form a product called 11-Hydroxy-Delta-9-THC, which then gets circulated in your bloodstream to your brain to take effect.  It takes longer to get high when you eat weed, but it can offer a longer-lasting and more intense body high than smoking.

By many accounts, the “war on drugs” mentality in Canada began with the release of a book called The Black Candle in 1922. Written by Emily F. Murphy under the pen name “Janey Canuck” in 1922, the book called for law enforcement to address the problem of Cannabis. Shortly afterwards, Cannabis was added to the Confidential Restricted List in 1923 under the Narcotics Drug Act Amendment Bill when the government introduced the Act to Prohibit the Improper Use of Opium and other Drugs.

Cannabis has proven to be a great treatment for both concussions and post-concussive syndrome. The US government is such a believer that it holds a patent on the neuroprotective properties of CBD. Recently, a professor emeritus at Harvard University wrote an open letter to the NFL making them aware of Cannabis’ ability to treat concussions in their players, which has been a devastating and well-publicized issue over the years.

The Green Party of Canada strongly supports the notion that marijuana should be legalized, regulated and taxed. In combination with implementing a marijuana awareness program, the Green Party believes that legalization would lead to a decrease in organized crime associated with marijuana, keep it out of the hands of youth, and better protect the health, public safety and promising futures of Canadians.

Large-scale studies have not been able to link smoking weed to lung cancer or other serious respiratory conditions.  Marijuana smoke contains some cancer-causing compounds and deposits tar in the lungs, yet there has been little evidence linking moderate marijuana use to lung cancer.  Smoking weed can cause short-term respiratory irritation such as coughing and sore throat.  Weed can be consumed in other ways to reduce the impact on respiratory health.

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.

THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the chemical compound in marijuana that is responsible for the “high” users experience. THC’s effects depend on the individual. Some people may feel that it promotes strong feelings of calm, peace and elation. Others may experience an increase in anxiety levels. The factors at play include the person’s unique body chemistry as well as the strains and concentrations of THC found in the plant.

Marijuana is thought to have both positive and negative effects on many different parts of the body. Further study is needed before scientists can conclusively say that weed is good for you or bad for you in the long term. It is likely a mixture of both. Some negative effects of weed may include paranoia, psychosis, vomiting, severe headaches, bronchitis associated with smoking, impaired brain development, and memory loss.

The body naturally produces Endocannabinoids, which are processed by the endocannabinoid system. The Endocannabinoid system is composed of two types of receptors; cannabinoid 1(CB1) and cannabinoid 2(CB2) receptors. These receptors are responsible for the associated physiological responses to both THC and CBD.  As such, weed can be used to relieve pain, combat mental health disorders and alleviate side effects from major disease states and their associated treatments.

Eating mangoes, including dried mangoes, will intensify the effects of cannabis. The main culprit behind this is the terpene myrcene. It helps by making cell membranes in the brain more permeable and receptive to cannabis. Specifically, it helps THC to pass the blood brain barrier, and thus, makes the effects of cannabis much quicker. For best results, you should eat a ripe mango at least 45 minutes before taking cannabis.

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

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.

As the market for marijuana grows, so do the variety of strains and olfactory profiles that make each one so unique. Typically, when we talk about the flavour of marijuana, we are referring to the oils secreted from the same glands that produce cannabinoids (like THC and CBD). Those oils are called “terpenes”, and can range in flavour and scent from lemon to berry and from perfume to gasoline. Each strain of marijuana has a distinct terpene profile which helps to define it, and that’s where we get such whimsical names as Strawberry Cough, Black Cherry Cola, and even Sour Diesel. The taste is most profound when vaporized at a low temperature, but it becomes bitter and harsh upon decarboxylation.

Marijuana seeds are small and oval, with a greenish-brown color. They commonly need to be purchased separately, but you may find the odd stray buried in your weed bud from time to time. If rolled up along with your marijuana and smoked, the seeds will pop or crackle when lit on fire. This may give off a strange taste and smell; making your smoking experience considerably worse.  There are no health implications to consuming weed seeds.

The idea that Marijuana kills brain cells is unfounded, and dates back to popular anti-drug campaigns of the 70’s and 80’s. Rather, the photo-cannabinoids in cannabis are shown to interact positively with CB1 receptors in the brain’s endocannabinoid system. This has benefits for seizures, Alzheimer’s and cell regeneration. A study done on animals shows that both THC and CBD promote the formation of new healthy cells in the adult brain.

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.