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New to cannabis weed terms
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AMY SHERMAN FOR MICHIGAN GREEN STATE
Are you new to the world of cannabis? Welcome! For those who have been partaking for a while now, welcome to a whole new world. Either way, you might not be sure about the wide variety of new products available in Michigan now that cannabis is legal, and you definitely might not understand some of the terms that get thrown around about marijuana. We’re here to help. No matter if you are a first time smoker, or someone who’s been toking down for years, it can be extremely helpful to know a bit more, to help you make the right choice when you are staring down the options at your local provisioning store. In addition to the incredible variety of flower you can now choose from, you also have options like buying dabs, pre-rolls, edibles, tinctures and topicals. You might be asked do you prefer sativa or indica, or what kind of terpenes do you like. Are you looking for a CBD product or one with THC? And while most budtenders are extremely knowledgeable and excited to help guide you along, it’s also good to educate yourself a bit on this exciting, and rapidly growing, new industry. Here are a few basic terms to understand about cannabis. CANNABIS- This is the genus name of the base plant. It is typically referring to marijuana, but it also refers to hemp, a low THC product that can be manufactured into things like clothing and rope. There are three strains of cannabis, cannabis sativa, cannabis indica, and cannabis ruderalis. You’ll see sativa and indica varieties at your local store, and we’ll explain more on those in a minute. Ruderalis you won’t see much of due to its lower THC content. Did you know cannabis is native to Asia? Now, it literally grows like a week everywhere. Other common names for cannabis that you’ll hear: weed, mary jane, pot, grass, dope, reefer, ganga, chronic, herb. My favorite slang name for cannabis is devil’s lettuce. There are actually hundreds of obscure names for weed out there, with monikers reflecting everything from the type of high you’ll get, the quality of the weed, the fact that it’s a green plant, different language origins, and even some historical nods. CANNABINOIDS- These are the chemical compounds found in cannabis that join the cannabinoid receptors in the body. There are hundreds of chemical compounds in cannabis, about 80 of them are considered cannabinoids.What this means for you is that two of the compounds are the ones you’ll see at the store, THC and CBD. THC- A nice little nickname for tetrahydrocannabinol, which is unpronounceable if you have been partaking in the devil’s lettuce. This is the substance that makes you “high”. You’ll often see percentages on products at the store, these can reflect how high you’ll get, or how long it might take you to get high. These numbers also can give an indication as to how strong the flavor of the marijuana might be. 18% to 23% make for a nice high without too many strong, overwhelming flavors, a lower 13% to 18% might take a bit longer to get there, but your high could last longer. If you want to get there fast, head over to 24% or more. You’ll find THC in everything from classic buds, to edibles, tinctures, and topicals. The right level of THC is extremely personal, and totally dependent on the product, and what your goal is. I’ve been at the provisioning store where customers have just flat out asked for the highest level of THC possible in a flower, which always feels like someone asking at the bar for a shot of Everclear. The aromas, flavors, effects and nuances of each strain are what make marijuana so interesting, so try some experimenting with different ones, instead of just going straight to the high octane. CBD- This refers to cannabidiol, which
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