Written By: Faith Steele
I talk about it a lot, but as someone who grew up in a community where cannabis use was demonized and frowned upon, the current state of cannabis is truly awe-inspiring. It seems that every day the stigma becomes less and less, and that brings more first-time users and beginners who may not know or understand some things long-time consumers might think are common knowledge. Weed for beginners can be confusing and that’s ok!
If this sounds like you fear not, as my goal with this article is to help those who are inexperienced feel comfortable with weed for beginners. The goal is to understand what you are using and how to make informed choices so that you ultimately have a positive experience with cannabis. Who knows, those more versed with cannabis might even find something helpful here. So let’s kick off our crash course on weed for beginners!
There are two questions everyone should ask themselves when thinking of weed for beginners, the first being “How am I comfortable consuming?”. This is important, as there is a plethora of ways to use cannabis now and you don’t just have to smoke it unless you want to.
Weed For Beginners: Smoking & Vaping
The most popular and classic option in weed for beginners is smoking. As an option, it is great because its effects are present almost immediately, but vaporizing (cartridge/battery or dabbing) is also instantaneous without smoke being involved. With our vast flower selection there is always an option in weed for beginners, just ask your friendly neighborhood budtender to help you with the strain selection (more on that later) and with getting set up with a smoking device such as the Special K bongs we carry or a Grav Glass we carry for smaller, more compact options (read our article here).
While I normally would not recommend dabbing to someone who is brand new to cannabis due to the startup cost and easier potential to green out, Cartridge-style vaporizers are extremely easy to use. We have a vast cartridge/battery selection to choose from that are a great option in weed for beginners. From The Refinery blended cartridges to the Highland Provisions rosin cartridges and our Nectar brand battery to the Vessel batteries, there is an option for everyone.
If you are set on dabbing though, one of the MJ Arsenal mini rigs we carry will do you right, my favorite being the Ursa. You’ll also need to pick up a butane torch and some dabs, but of course, we got you covered there as well!
While all this is fine and dandy, you might not want your lungs involved at all, regardless of if it is smoke or vapor. For consumers like this, products such as edibles are amazing options.
Weed For Beginners: Edibles
Since there are so many factors that determine how an edible will hit you and there is a delay with when you will feel the effects from when you ingest them, Oral consumption can be tricky to get your dosing right, so when thinking of edibles and weed for beginners, it is best to go low and slow. 5mg of THC is what I usually recommend for first-time edible users, but this can be increased to 10mg if you feel comfortable with other cannabis use, or lowered to 2.5mg if you are nervous about your experience.
I always compare eating edibles to getting a haircut: You can always cut off more hair just like you can always eat more edibles, but if you cut off too much you’ll just have to wait for it to grow back, and if you eat too many you’ll have to wait out an uncomfortable and intense high. Edibles can be an awesome option when talking about weed for beginners, but the dosage is key to this as too much too fast can turn your vibe south in a hurry.
Most things will be dosed out in 10mg servings, however, the Drops 20-pack gummies and Grön chocolate Pips are dosed in 5mg, making both of them excellent newcomer options. Another amazing product I would point someone to is our Gateway gummies, as they are made with real fruit and taste absolutely amazing!
Weed For Beginners: Sativa, Indica, Hybrid
Once you’ve determined what method you want to go with, the question of “What am I trying to achieve with cannabis use?” becomes important. It might sound silly, but in my experience, it is a question a lot of consumers actually don’t know the answer to making it a crucial concept in weed for beginners.
There isn’t a right answer, as using cannabis to relax and have a good time is just as valid as using it for pain management or medical issues, but what products you use may be different. In most avenues of consumption you are going to have to pick a strain to use, which is separated by the categories of Indica, Sativa, and Hybrid.
While these terms are used to refer to the species of the cannabis plant (read here), they are more commonly used now to tell you if your cannabis is going to give you a relaxing body high, a buzzing head high, or a little mix of both. Something that always helped me remember the difference is the saying Indica in the couch, Sativa Saturday night. Some strains are also known for having high doses of CBD in them, potentially providing a host of other benefits.
Now, I’d love to list all the strains for you, but at the time of writing there are a little over 1,700 strains (depending on the database you are using, heres one to look at) and this article would be way too long, so I thought I would give some examples that are more commonly found in the Oregon cannabis market:
| Golden Goat | Sativa | An intense tropical and lemon aroma, with a sweet and mildly earthy flavor, these strain effects are described as a stronger more heady feeling |
| Lemon Kush | Hybrid | A strong citrus aroma and flavor, the effects of this strain are described as creative and mellow; a perfect blend |
| GMO Cookies | Indica | A consumer favorite, this strain is known for its garlic-like scent and is reported as having strong sedating and relaxing effects. |
So, now you have your cannabis and are ready to partake. A few words of wisdom with weed for beginners:
- Make sure you are in a comfortable and familiar environment.
- If you are smoking in the classic “Stoner circle”, don’t ask why but it is customary to pass to the left, don’t hog it, and if you are passing around a joint; Puff puff pass is the rule!
- Always start out low and slow and don’t feel pressured to continue if you are feeling a little too stoned
- And if you do start to feel too stoned, some things that have helped me and others I have talked to are Ingesting CBD, chewing on black peppercorns, and cold showers. Remember, No one has overdosed on cannabis and you are going to be okay! Check out our green-out article for more!
I know I didn’t even begin to cover every single product or question you will come across when purchasing and consuming legal recreational cannabis, but I think this is a good place to start in terms of weed for beginners. Not to mention your friendly budtenders at Nectar are always there to answer any questions you do have. I hope this little crash course was helpful in making you feel comfortable and could at least point you in the right direction with your cannabis journey. We all start somewhere and I hope this article helped enrich your knowledge of weed for beginners!
