What to Expect When You’re Anticipating Getting High (or not)

It’s Saturday, you wake up, get your day going, check the most challenging thing off your list, and think, I have the whole day ahead of me. You ask yourself, “you know what could be fun right now? Cannabis.” Now, cannabis may be something that you’ve tried in the past and have been thinking about trying again. You’ve curiously read about the plant more and more, and have heard about its positive effects. Then you think to yourself, “Wait, how do I handle this? Where do I start?” Let’s be real, the last time your friend headed down to the dispensary you heard the story of them coming back with some goods that hit them so hard they were unable to move the rest of the day. Or just the opposite, your co-worker said the budtender told them that this was the perfect product to get a fabulous night's sleep, but when said co-worker consumed it, they couldn’t stop their mind from racing, and the restless feeling of just wanting to walk around the room, all night long. 

So, what do you do now? The real question is - what happens when you’re anticipating to get high, but you don’t know what to do? You’re living under a rock if you haven’t heard of how cannabis can provide relief from ailments from anxiety to ulcerative colitis, but what if you’re just looking to get high on a lazy afternoon? We’re not going to be unraveling all the different physiological elements at play here, but we will help give you a baseline understanding of how the plant works with the body’s complex endocannabinoid system (ECS) and most importantly, what to expect when you go to the dispensary (maybe for the first time) and how to interact with the infamous “budtender”. 

First, a brief overview of the ECS. The ECS is a network of signals and receptors that are found throughout our entire system - neurotransmitters in the brain and functions in the rest of the body. These receptors essentially have power of authority over activity of other neurotransmitters - raising or lowering the levels of activity in your system by providing immediate feedback to the activity where you may require adjustment -we’re talking attitude, creativity levels, focus, immunity, even temperature.* Cannabis helps to trigger this system because the compounds in cannabis are similar to the endocannabinoid compounds that your body naturally produces. Consequently the triggering of this system through the use of cannabis can potentially improve the balance of neurological and physiological functions. Great, right? But, what if you just want to get high and not worry about the science? With you there, moving on. 

Folks talk about heading to their local dispensary (we’re into legal entities here at Eighthnote, but by all means, you do you) and we think that's the perfect place to start…if you’re armed with the right information prior to visiting. First, when walking into the dispensary, one may feel wary, curious or optimistic. Depending on where you go, there could be security at multiple points, intimidating storefronts, check-ins, “product” on display (enticing, engaging, empty boxes of product), and the actual cannabis you’ll be consuming, controlled by the staff behind the counter. 

The staff that work at the dispensary are referred to as “budtenders”, folks that have been trained on cannabis consumption methods and product types either by the dispensary, personal use or through brand programs. Let’s just say that their knowledge tends to be historically subjective, and this isn’t a slam to our budtender community, but even with the depth and breadth of knowledge that these budtenders possess, they may not harness the knowledge that directly connects you and your own unique physiology to the type of experience that you’re looking to have based on your intent (solo, creative, social, active, rested). But, that being said, they can get you introduced/re-introduced to the plant and how to safely consume. 

Let your curiosity be your guide. There are no dumb questions, and even if you feel that your budtender isn’t completely engaging with you, feel free to ask them anything, that’s the entire reason that they’re there, to sell you a product and help educate you to the best of their subjective knowledge on what’s in the dispensary and available to you at this particular moment. Most dispensaries still use the archaic, classification trifecta that is indica, sativa, hybrid. Most anything you’re going to get a hold of these days is a hybrid with uplifting or mellowing effects, so communicate to your budtender your intended experience and they’ll make their best educated guess.

Most newbies will consume in three ways - Flower: dried cannabis that is combustible by rolling a joint, packing a pipe or bong, or taking the most convenient way out and purchasing a pre-roll you ignite and quickly enlight. Cartridges, 510s they’re often referred to, require a charged battery to heat the oil which turns into a vapor. And lastly, edibles, which are easy to eat, discreet and are metabolized in your gut (can take a couple hours to achieve full effects based on your unique physiology). To learn more about methods, click here.

Remember when I mentioned the old classifications for strains, or more correctly, cultivar? Indica, Sativa, Hybrid? Well, these legacy terms have had a nice long run, but now many of us are more interested in the molecular compounds contained within the cannabis plant, affectionately known as terpenes and cannabinoids. All plants contain terpenes - citrus, apples, lemongrass, pine nuts, lavender, you know that smell you inhale when you’ve cut open a fresh orange? Those are terpenes you’re smelling, and that’s why cannabis has a distinct aroma that is so beloved. Some commonly consumed plants contain cannabinoids, black pepper, black truffles and cacao, but cannabis plants almost always contain different cannabinoids. (There are about 400 known to be present in cannabis.) The cannabinoids that work alongside the terpenes interact individually with each unique system, working to achieve elevated effects in the body. The presence of different compounds in a cannabis product or plant that interact with the THC (CBD, CBN, etc.) is often referred to as the “Entourage Effect” - and can make your experience more tailored to your intent once you get to know the compounds and how they affect your body as they work together. 

Cool, so you have some of the science - let’s get on to getting high. Unfortunately, there’s going to be some trial and error here - let’s keep it positive, there’s no error really, but you may aspire to feel one way or another and knowing what works best for you is where the empowerment lies. Even though the budtender may recommend a certain flower, cartridge or edible for you to try, you’re going to have to test it out to get a sense for how it affects your own system. You might feel a little wary about this approach, but we want to encourage the curiosity and excitement that one gets from purchasing cannabis and consuming at your own leisure. 

Now, what if there was a way to connect the consumer to budtender to systematically align your intent to your desired experience? That would be epic. A two way street where the consumer tracks their experience to be better informed as to what kind of cannabis to continue to consume based on their unique physiology and intent? And what if the budtender and dispensary worked with them through the knowledge the user was able to retain? You can, with Eighthnote. At Eighthnote, we’re working to create a product that empowers the modern cannabis user.

*Source: The endoccannabinoid system: Essential and Mysterious, Peter Grinspoon, MD