What Form of Medical Marijuana is Best for You – Flowers, Concentrates, Vapes & More
Learn about the different forms of medicinal cannabis products available from the Maine Cannabis Exchange. Find out when & how to use cannabis tinctures, topicals, flower, extracts, and vape pens.
What is the difference between all the different medical marijuana products and how do you decide what to use?
This article will guide you through the various types of medical cannabis products available from Maine Cannabis Exchange.
You will learn the ideal ways to use the products, the benefits of each, and what to be aware of when using them.
Flower and Strains
Flowers, also known as buds, are the raw, classic form of cannabis in its natural state.
The flowers carry the medicinal properties of cannabis and are the most commonly available cannabis product on the market.
Dispensaries sell a selection of cannabis buds, which are categorized by their strain names.
There are countless strain varieties of cannabis, each with its own unique makeup of cannabinoids and terpenes which give the flower its character appearance, aroma, potency, and effect.
Some well-known strain names of cannabis flowers include Sour Diesel, ACDC, Blueberry, Acapulco Gold, Green Crack, and Blue Dream.
The most common and quickest way to utilize flowers is to grind it up, load into a glass pipe, bong, or pen for vaping or smoking.
Flower is great for those who like to smoke and want to be able to try many different strains. Smoking flower is the most direct way to interact with medical marijuana in its pure, unprocessed form.
Medical Marijuana Topicals
A tropical refers to any cannabis-infused product, which is applied directly to the skin.
Topicals can provide direct pain relief without creating any psychoactive or mental effects, though you may feel a deep relaxation in your body tissues and muscles.
Topicals help reduce inflammation and relieve pain in the body tissues. When the product is applied cannabinoids enter into the skin layers, allowing direct application to the afflicted areas.
Some topicals are even specially formulated to address symptoms of skin conditions such as redness, itching, and dryness caused by eczema and acne.
Cannabis topicals are available in many forms including –
Lotion
Salve
Chapstick
Deodorant
Hair products
Body spray
Bath salts
Trans-dermal body patch
Topicals can be used when you have a skin reaction, muscle pain, inflammation, swelling, blisters or other small wounds.
According to Americans for Safe Access, topicals can also work well for menstrual cramping, migraines, arthritic pains, asthma, and much more.
This study shows that topical cannabis products are beneficial for inflammatory skin diseases, including contact dermatitis.
The best time to use topicals is when you want a localized pain relief effect on an external part of your body.
Precise Dosing with Tinctures
Tincture use is one of the oldest methods of cannabis medicine administration and was the primary method used until it was banned in 1937.
Sometimes called the "Green Dragon" cannabis tinctures are created from a simple concoction of cannabis flower and high-proof grain alcohol.
Tinctures usually come in a glass bottle with a dropper applicator, which makes it incredibly simple to titrate precise dosages.
The sublingual method, holding a tincture under the tongue for 30 seconds, allows for the medicine to be delivered quickly into the bloodstream and the brain.
Many prefer tincture applications to other edible cannabis products because tinctures avoid contact with stomach acids and the digestion process.
Tinctures come in various potency and ratios. Depending on your health needs you may want a high THC tincture, high CBD tincture, or an equal ratio of each. You can learn more about potencies and ratios in our other articles linked below.
THC-dominant tinctures will have psychoactive effects while CBD-dominant tinctures will be non-psychoactive. Equal ratio tinctures will give a mild psychoactive.
Use tinctures when you want a fast, simple and discreet dosage of medical cannabis. Avoid tinctures if you are avoiding alcohol consumption.
Extracts and Concentrates
Extracts are the most concentrated and potent cannabis options available.
Types of cannabis extracts include kief, hash, shatter, Rick Simpson Oil (RSO), and rosin.
Extracts are created by various methods, from grinding to processing with heat and/or solvents such as alcohol, butane, and oils.
Each method creates a unique product with various consistency and effects.
The smells, flavors and cannabinoid profile of the final product are similar to the original flower but more concentrated and potent.
Extracts can be used in a variety of ways including smoking in a bowl, a joint, vaporizing, or ingesting.
Vape Pens
Vape pens are small handheld devices that function similar to a tabletop vaporizer, yet are portable, giving you the freedom and ease to vaporize anywhere.
Vape pens allow you to smoke medical cannabis extracts and concentrates, such as hash oils, shatter, and wax. They are very similar to the common e-cigarettes but are made for cannabis consumption.
Many vape pens are easily loaded with a prefilled cartridge of cannabis oils, which are available in various strains and flavors.
To use a vape pen you simply load the cannabis product into the pen and then press a button as you inhale. A small, coiled heating element called an atomizer will instantly vaporize the concentrate.
The vapor inhaled from a vape pen is considered cleaner than other forms of smoke because it reduces the intake of harmful smoke and associated toxins.
Vape pens will be a great method for you if you like to smoke cannabis but want to minimize the harmful effects of smoking and like to be able to carry cannabis discreetly wherever you go.
Medical Cannabis Product Options
The expanding market has allowed users to experience the benefits of cannabis in many different ways.
Depending on your health needs you may find one method to be most effective for you, or if you're a marijuana enthusiast you may enjoy trying every option available just for fun.
Thanks for reading! Make sure to check out our amazing selection of medical marijuana products at the Maine Cannabis Exchange.
Stay connected with us through social media, and continue to read our blog for more great info and deals on medical marijuana.
