Weed FAQs

According to the Los Angeles Times, there are 779 strains of cannabis on record (130 Sativa, 218 Indica, 431 hybrid). As long as there are new growers experimenting, new strains will continue to emerge. The top ten ranked Canadian strains according to High Times are: Romulan, Lowryder, Island Sweet Skunk, Blue Dynamite, Blueberry, God Bud, M-39, Chemo, The Purps and Sweet Tooth. Several of these have won international awards.

THC is a chemical found in marijuana. It is responsible for the majority of marijuana’s mind-altering effects, including euphoria, hallucinations, pain-relief, and short-term memory loss. THC is an abbreviation for tetrahydrocannabinol. It is part of a group of compounds called cannabinoids; there are at least eighty to a hundred cannabinoids found in marijuana, but THC is one of the most studied and most potent. THC acts like cannabinoids produced in the human body.

CAMH considers marijuana an addictive substance. Users who start below the age of eighteen are four to seven times more likely to form dependencies. Compared to other drugs like opiates, alcohol and tobacco, the dependency rate of marijuana users is lower and withdrawal symptoms are much less severe. For those who are addicted, rehabilitation methods include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Enhancement Therapy and Marijuana Rehab Centers.

Yes, medical marijuana is legal in Canada to those who have permission. You will need a prescription, which is granted by a licensed physician or nurse practitioner and your medical marijuana must be sourced through an authorized licensed producer.

There are currently three strains that have passed the thirty per cent THC mark: Chiquita Banana, a stavia-dominant strain that boasts 33 per cent THC; Chem Dog, an indica strain from Colorado weighing in at 32.1 per cent, THC; and Emperor Cookie Dough (a cross between Girl Scout Cookies and Emperor OG) at 31.1 per cent THC. All three have about ten per cent more THC than your average herb.

Hash is a form of weed that is more concentrated. It is derived by separating trichomes, the hair-like glands on the surface of the marijuana plant, from the rest of the plant matter. Hash is weed made from only these glands separated and then pressed together and heated, producing a substance that can vary in density and colour and is far more potent. Hash is ingested much like weed is.

Cannabis clinics are specialized health clinics that focus on the prescription of cannabinoid products.  Clinics house a team of health care providers with expertise in the field of medical marijuana.  Patients require a referral from a family physician in order to visit a cannabis clinic.  Once there, patients will receive a medical consultation and possibly a medical document that allows them to legally obtain marijuana for medical use.

Marijuana is an organic material, and like most things naturally produced, it will eventually go beyond its ‘best before’ date. There are many things to consider when evaluating whether an old piece of weed is still good or not, such as its appearance, smell, and taste. These aspects may become affected by age and how well it was stored, with better judgment being the deciding factor.

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.

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.”

“Stoned” means to be under the influence of drugs, especially for recreational purposes. The slang term usually refers to marijuana, but it can also refer to other drugs and occasionally to alcohol. “Getting stoned” is the action of doing drugs, while “being stoned” is the state of being high. Synonyms include high, blasted, loaded, and spaced out. The opposite of “stoned” is “sober.”

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.

Autoflowering means that flowering is triggered once plants reach a certain size. Traditional photoperiod plants, conversely, flower based on the light-to-dark ratio they are exposed to. Advantages of autoflowering include the elimination of separate vegetative and flowering environments. Disadvantages include difficulty crossing them with photoperiod strains and reports of carcinogenic hormones usage in the process of indoor growth.

The safety benefit of vaping is the inhalation of water vapor rather than actual smoke, which poses a bigger threat to one’s respiratory system. Vaping is also safer from a detection standpoint as a user will not smell like an illegal substance. Still, vaping has some unsafe components. When heated to high temperatures, the solutions in a vaporizer can emit propylene glycol, which converts into tiny polymers that can do great damage to lung tissue.

The short answer is yes! Medical marijuana has been found to be an effective way to manage many types of pain, back pain included. Some patients choose medical marijuana as a natural alternative to opiate painkillers, while others use both marijuana and opiates for increased relief. Health Canada does not impose restrictions on how physicians prescribe medical marijuana, so the choice to prescribe marijuana is up to each individual doctor.

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.

While marijuana has not been clinically proven to help with hangovers, some people claim that smoking weed helps their hangover indirectly. Hangovers are caused by dehydration and the toxic effects of alcohol. Weed can help by suppressing nausea and increasing your appetite, thus helping you eat and drink water to let your body recover. Weed smokers also report that smoking makes them feel generally better when they are hung over.

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.

Being high can make you feel a wide range of positive sensations like mental euphoria, inner calmness, increased appetite and sense of taste, increased sexual arousal and sensation. A bad high conversely, can make you feel both paranoid and anxious. An Indica high is more relaxing, while a Sativa high is more uplifting. THC-rich strains make you high, while CBD strains are more sober painkillers.

Not in any direct way. The global statistic for marijuana deaths is consistently zero. Marijuana can, however, lead to death indirectly by driving while intoxicated, committing suicide as a result of marijuana induced depression, developing fatal heart conditions like cardiac arrhythmia and cannabis arteritis.

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.

There is no official list of qualifying conditions for medical marijuana use in Canada. The decision is ultimately up to the Canadian medical practitioner, either a physician or a registered nurse. Marijuana might be recommended for conditions including cancer, HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, glaucoma, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Alzheimer’s disease, and irritable bowel syndrome.

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.

Chronic marijuana use can cause one to suffer long-term feelings of depression by adversely affecting the brain’s serotonin levels and reward processing capacity. Dose size is an important factor, with occasional smaller doses promoting euphoria. Those who start consuming cannabis in adolescents are at a greater risk for developing depression than those who start later in life. Women are more at risk than men in this regard.

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.

Marijuana strains refer to the different varieties of weed which generally fall into one of three categories: indica, sativa, or hybrid.  Different strains come with different profiles, so users can select a strain based on their desired effects such as relaxation, focus, appetite stimulation, or pain management.  Indica strains are great for relaxation and tend to produce a body high, whereas sativa strains lend themselves more to a cerebral high.