What Is The Difference Between Eating And Smoking Weed?

Now that cannabis is legal in most parts of Canada, there’s more consumption. Two of the most popular methods of consuming weed are eating and smoking. 

Are you wondering what the difference is between eating and smoking weed? The comparison of eating vs smoking marijuana can be an eye-opener. In this article, find the difference between the two methods, and pick the best one. 

 

Effects of Smoking Cannabis

Smoking marijuana is quite popular in Canada. The numbers have grown tremendously after the legalization of weed in the country.

So, when you opt to smoke weed, what are the effects? 

Get High

The presence of THC in marijuana is important to note when you want to smoke a joint. This is because THC is the reason you feel high after a short duration. Getting high means THC is a psychoactive substance that alters your brain function. 

Smoking allows THCA in weed to convert to THC, which travels to your lungs and bloodstream. From the bloodstream, the THC ends up in your brain, where it binds with CB1 receptors. You can get high in 20 to 30 minutes and remain that way for an hour or two. 

When you get high, it’s important to relax and not try to do too much. Only when you sober up can you resume your daily schedule. 

Distorted Thoughts

When THC binds with CB1 receptors in your brain, you start to get high. At this point, your brain function changes, and you start to experience distorted thoughts. 

Always note the levels of THC in the marijuana you intend to smoke. The more potent the weed, the more effects. At this time, you start to experience a heightening of the senses, a lowering of motor skills, and a distortion of your thought patterns. 

Such effects can last for quite some time, so relaxing is a good idea. Since inhibitions are lowering, it’s better to ensure you aren’t in a risky area. 

Helps to Relax

Medical marijuana is one of the most popular ways to relax and soothe the body. Folks enjoy smoking weed since it helps to ease pain, soothe stiffness, boost appetite, and even help with anxiety. 

In Canada, medical marijuana is legal and continues to offer folks much relief. However, there’s a need for more research on medical pot regarding outcomes folks desire. 

Marijuana Dependency

While weed does have its merits, one demerit is dependency. Continuous use can lead to marijuana addiction and dependency. The more you keep using it, the more harm it does to your life. 

It’s easier for an adult to control the effects of marijuana than a teen. If you start smoking at a young age, you are more likely to have marijuana dependency. This is why the legal age for smoking marijuana in Canada is 19. 

How is Eating Marijuana Products Different Than Smoking Weed?

Duration of Effects

One of the best ways of looking at the difference between eating and smoking weed is to note the effects. How long does one have to wait to feel the effects in both cases?

It takes time to start to feel the effects of marijuana when you ingest it. Eating weed edibles can be a lot of fun, but you must wait to feel the effects. The duration you wait for depends on the amount of weed in the edibles. 

But, once the effects start, you will know immediately. The most potent edibles are the ones that contain high amounts of THC. You start to experience effects that can last for quite some time, offering the desired outcome. 

On the other hand, smoking cannabis flowers, the hit is almost instantaneous. The THC on weed heads to your brain, and you start to feel the effects of marijuana. Within minutes of smoking a joint, you start to feel high and remain that way for quite some time. 

Potency 

Another way to note the difference between eating and smoking marijuana is the potency. This is how high you get using one method compared to the other. 

Eating edibles takes time to give you the effects you desire. However, once you start feeling high, this can last much longer. It’s especially true if the levels of THC are high in the weed you eat. 

When THC enters the body through the stomach and ends up in the liver, it metabolizes to 11-hydroxy-THC. The THC’s affinity will be much higher for the brain’s CB1 receptors in this form. This is how you end up with a stronger high. 

If you smoke marijuana, the potency will slightly differ. Exposing THCA in cannabis to heat turns it into THC. This happens through a process known as decarboxylation. 

The THC will then pass through your lungs when smoking marijuana into your bloodstream. It then travels to bind with the brain’s CB1 receptors. The high effect is because smoking takes a shorter duration, and you have a better chance of controlling it. 

Scent

Edibles are a good way of consuming weed without alerting people nearby. They might think you are just enjoying a cookie or eating weed gummies. It’s easier to remain discreet when eating edibles since there’s no discernable scent. 

The opposite is true when smoking weed. Marijuana has a distinct smell when in contact with heat. It’s easy for folks to discern the smell of weed from a distance, making it harder to be discreet. 

 

What Method of Cannabis Consumption is For Me?

The onset of marijuana effects is important when choosing a method of consumption. How long does it take to start feeling the effects? How long will the effects last after eating or smoking weed? 

These are important questions to ask when comparing eating vs smoking. THC has a much more lasting effect when you eat weed rather than smoke. However, the hit of smoking happens faster when THC reaches your brain. 

It’s important in both instances to be in a relaxing environment, especially when the effects happen. Even if you don’t feel ‘high,’ THC is in your system and begins to impair your thoughts and affect your motor skills. 

How to Take Weed Products Safely

When eating or smoking weed, pace yourself. It is good never to be in a hurry to finish the cookie or smoke the whole joint. Instead, go slow and spread consumption over a period. Both ingesting and smoking cannabis will make you high because of THC in the products. 

If you can, take one gummy at a time and gauge the effects — the same works for cookies and other edibles. Some people may have a higher tolerance level and need to consume more. But it’s important to gauge your experience and see how much works. 

One to three inhalations at a time can be a good start for a beginner. Pace this every 15 to 20 minutes to determine the right dosage. Always remember this when consuming with others, so you don’t overdo it. 

 

Where to Buy Weed Online in Canada?

There are many online and physical weed dispensaries in Canada, and you can find a list when you click here. So it’s up to you to do your due diligence and research legit sellers.

You can visit our cannabis delivery service at Weed Delivery Vancouver to get high-quality weed and weed products.  Alternatively, you can get mail-orders from websites like Daily Marijuana.

 

References

Alyssa, S. (2022, July 21). Difference between Edibles and Smoking Marijuana. Available at: https://www.banyantreatmentcenter.com/2021/03/09/difference-between-edibles-and-smoking-marijuana-palmsprings/

Department of Justice. (2019, October 17). Cannabis Legalization and Regulation. Available at: https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cj-jp/cannabis/

 

Atlantic Cannabis (2023, March 5). Find Reliable Marijuana Dispensaries and Weed Delivery Services in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, and PEI. Available at: https://atlanticcannabis.net/

Truong, H. (2022, March 29). Edible Cannabis vs Smoking Weed: How Are They Different and What Are The Health Effects. Available at: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-03-edible-cannabis-weed-health-effects.html

Daily Marijuana. (2023, March 5). Buy Weed Online in Canada. Available at: https://www.dailymarijuana.io/

Ordonez, M. (2020, December 14). Eating vs Smoking Marijuana: What is the Difference? Available at: https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/blog-smoking-weed-vs-eating-weed-what-is-the-difference-n455