What Is Cannabis Microdosing (And How Is It Done)?
If you find that weed benefits you for the most part, but hurts your productivity, microdosing cannabis could give you the herbal boost you need. You won't get too high (in fact, you might not get high at all), but you'll be able to take advantage of everything else the plant has to offer, all while staying responsible and lucid.
Smoking or ingesting cannabis doesn’t have to involve hitting bongs and munching edibles until you can’t keep your eyes open. Although smoking a lot at once is fun, small and frequent doses could keep you elevated without hurting your productivity. Known as microdosing, this process of taking small yet effective doses isn’t exclusive to cannabis, but stoners can certainly benefit.
WHY MICRODOSE CANNABIS?
Microdosing cannabis involves finding your own unique minimum effective dose. But why would you want to do that in the first place? Well, microdosing offers the best parts of smoking weed while removing some of the inconvenient parts.
Ideally, after a microdose, you’ll still feel emotional and mental elevation. Your surroundings will seem brighter; you’ll get creative inspiration, and you might be more talkative and friendly than usual. However, you won’t feel paranoid, overwhelmed, or too blazed to function.
Overall, when done right, microdosing will allow you to experience the benefits of smoking or ingesting weed with minimal intoxication. In turn, it’s a great strategy to boost your workflow and enhance your mindset while going through your regular life.
HOW DOES MICRODOSING CANNABIS WORK?
Many cannabis lovers are used to smoking large amounts of weed over a shorter period of time. Perhaps you wait for the day to wind down before rolling up a few grams. Maybe you wait to go hard on the weekend with your smoking buddies.
- Microdosing cannabis involves the polar opposite strategy: smoking little, but often. It’s all about hitting your vape pen or a small joint every now and then. Just enough to feel minor effects, but not enough to get high.
Although some cannabis users might scoff, teetering on the edge of high and sober comes with a myriad of benefits. Your satisfaction for life could increase, and you could be more motivated to get things done during the day.
HOW MUCH CANNABIS TO MICRODOSE
Not shackled by a strict definition, a microdose will vary from person to person. In other words, it’s entirely subjective. A single hit from a dab pen might serve as a microdose to one person. For someone else, an entire joint of low-THC weed might do the trick. It depends on individual experience and tolerance.
The way you take it will also play a role in how much you need to achieve a successful microdose. For example, you could try hitting a joint once per minute until you find your sweet spot. However, edibles are a different story. They take longer to set in, and do so with more intensity. Take a few nibbles and wait at least an hour, if not two, before indulging further.
- A good general rule to follow: start low and slow. If you’re experimenting with microdosing during the work week, take things easy so you don’t bump into your boss while red-eyed. Start trying to discover your sweet spot at home in the evenings. Once you’re confident you’ve perfected it, you can start introducing microdoses into your daily routine.
HOW TO MICRODOSE CANNABIS
As any experienced cannabis user knows, there are many ways to introduce cannabinoids into the body. You can microdose using all of these different methods. Just make sure you take much less than you usually do. The following are, in our opinion, the easiest ways to microdose.
SMOKING
Smoking provides an easy and ritualistic way to microdose. You can roll a fat joint that’ll last you several days, only taking one or two tokes at a time. The weed might get stale that way, though, so you could try little cones that equal one microdose instead. The choice is yours either way.
Yes, smoking exposes the lungs to higher levels of carcinogens. Many smokers, though, adore the ritual of sitting down, rolling a joint, sparking the tip, and taking that first hit. Even then, you can make things a little easier on your body by using organic hemp rolling papers.
VAPING
First off, cannabis users can vape on the go in a quick and discreet manner. They’ll also be able to choose between extracts, concentrates, and regular bud. Plus, lower temperatures and lack of combustion keep volatile terpenes intact and are less harmful to the lungs. Overall, it’s one of the most efficient ways to microdose.
EDIBLES
You can use ingredients like cannabutter to infuse almost any dish or snack with cannabinoids. You’ll need to be accurate with your dosing, though, to ensure the butter doesn’t make your microdose a standard dose. You can also make individual chocolates and candies with specific amounts of extract to ensure you’re getting a specific dose. Alternatively, place a few drops of pre-made oil onto your meals and salads for a microdose during your lunch break.
OILS AND TINCTURES
Well-crafted oils and tinctures help users dose cannabinoids with extreme accuracy. Many products come with a data sheet that will tell you exactly how many milligrams are in each drop. You’ll also have the choice of changing up the way they enter your system. Swallow your drops for a similar effect to edibles, or place them under your tongue for quicker absorption.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF MICRODOSING?
Microdosing offers a host of benefits that can make a normal day a great one. These advantages include an enhanced mood, strengthened creative drive, and a notably positive affect. With this new mindset and drive, you might also find that you have a better workflow than when you’re sober. Then, when you take time to meditate or do yoga, you might also find these sessions feeling better than usual.
MICRODOSING THC VS CBD
Cannabis contains over 100 unique cannabinoids besides THC. With that in mind, wouldn’t it be a shame to limit your herbal experience to THC alone? Sure, the psychoactive effects are fun, but cannabis offers so much more. Users can also microdose other cannabinoids, such as CBD, to improve their mental state and infuse their day with positive vibes.
Certain extracts and cannabis strains also contain high levels of CBD and varying levels of THC. 1:1 strains offer both in equal parts, whereas high-CBD varieties offer lots of cannabidiol with only a little THC.
SHOULD YOU TRY MICRODOSING CANNABIS?
Yes! We mean, at least give it a go. If you find that you’re very sensitive to THC, microdosing might unlock a new world for you. There’s a risk of overdoing things when trying to find your sweet spot, but take things slow and you’ll be fine!
Microdosing won’t be for everyone, and there will always be smokers that love to go hard with every session. However, it could change the game for others. Will you be one of them?
