Right off the bat, I need to confess that my level of knowledge with all things cannabinoids is - not much. I have dabbled (as most of us have) but I would definitely not classify myself as an experienced user.
Back in my younger days, the way to get any sort of cannabinoid into your system was to smoke it. Easy. Light it, inhale, cough and move on. No one I knew was going into their kitchens to whip up a batch of loaded brownies. It was simply [insert your shady friend's name here] who had the connection and you lit up at night when you were going to not be home so your parents were totally in the dark.
Fast forward to today. I am the owner of my own little business, I am a mother and I am a wife. My oldest child is fast growing up and as a "grown up" couple, we are afforded a little more time to ourselves.
Let's Chill
When we are in a city that has fully legalized marijuana, we giggle like little kids and go into a dispensary like the tourists we are and are so "green", it's almost embarrassing.
The selection of everything is just so overwhelming! From strains to flavors, to tools and ingestion options.
I decided to start trying out my options.
Gummies
I started out with a 1/4 gummy of D8 25mg - nothing. I upped it to a 1/2 gummy and I did get that sleepy feeling after about 1.5 hours but I did notice that it gave me a hangover feeling the following day; headache, just somewhat "bleh".
I did take a full gummy once (kinda sorta accidentally) and I can report that after about 2 hours, I was giggling all over the place, and not completely useful. The best way I can describe it is being "drunk", however the next morning I was completely functional. No headaches, no discomforts: 10/10 for the buzz.
I have settled on a 1/2 gummy of either the THC-O or the D9 for a daily dosage in the evenings to take the edge of the stresses of the day.
Vapes
My husband purchased a CBD vape that has no immediate quantifiable effects. However, it does seem to help regulate digestion. I have been using the CBD vapes consistently for about 2 months now and things are moving right along.
D10 vape. This is an interesting one. In my google search, I discovered that D10 is supposedly less potent than D9 but similar to D8. As with my approach to most of these, I inhaled small quantities and move up from there however unlike the hybrid (D8 THC-O), there was no coughing involved. This is a very subtle concoction and I can take about 3 fairly lengthy puffs and get the slightest buzz. I believe this one is my favorite.
I had purchased "stelos" but it requires a specific stelo device, so now I had to buy the device and so far this is the same as the CBD vape that I have. Very subtle effects and If I sit and think about it, I can say that it does provide a nice calmness.
I had purchased a vape pen because I had a cartridge. It turns out that not all vapes are for the same application! The vape that I purchased was great looking, but it is only usable with waxes (...sigh...ok.... put that on the list...).
When I finally got my 510 vape I screwed on my cartridge and assumed I was doing it correctly. The cartridge was a D8 diesel something or other and since I had been using my D10 vape with long inhales, it had become second nature. I am here to tell you that THIS IS NOT THE SAME. My wonderful husband was standing by and he did tell me to "go easy" but the damage had been already been done. After a long inhale of the D8, I immediately started coughing. I felt my lungs constricting and burning and I honestly started to panic. I believed that this was the way I was going to out. I started sweating and the effects were almost immediate. I started to feel woozy, dry mouth, coughing. My heart was racing and I had to collect myself for a good long second before the death panic had subsided. Poor planning on my part, I can see that now. A big long inhale in the middle of my work day with phone calls to make with cotton mouth and wooziness is not very productive. For my lightweight-self, this effect lasted quite a long time and no, this was not my favorite. Maybe a less lengthy hit in the future? Who knows. For right now, I have gained this knowledge and still very fresh in my mind.
Findings
What I have I learned? The learning curve is steep! I have uncovered another piece of the puzzle that is me. My tolerances, limits and an interesting look at where I am most comfortable.
I am not at all afraid of continuing my exploration of cannabinoid life and while I am exploring this legal-ish path with my husband, it is a very unique path. How my body reacts to one thing can be quite different to his experiences.
Personally, I think the perception of the "pot head" is changing. What that person used to look like vs what that person looks like now - that could be me.