While the term “microdosing” is most commonly associated with psychedelics such as magic mushrooms (psilocybin) and LCD, there’s also a burgeoning movement of people microdosing cannabis. Here we explore the ins and outs of microdosing cannabis so you can determine if it’s right for you.
What Is Microdosing?
Microdosing is when you consume a small amount of a substance with the intent of experiencing the optimum benefits of that substance without the overpowering extremes the substance can – at times – deliver at full dose. Microdosing can be used for a variety of goals, including pain relief, improving focus and concentration, and stress and anxiety relief. Why and how much a consumer microdoses is entirely dependent on their own individual goals and needs, so a microdosing system that works for one person may not work for another. Part of the microdosing fun is figuring out what dose works best for you.
What Are The Benefits?
Like with hallucinogens, the benefits of microdosing cannabis depend on what the consumer is trying to work through. In microdosing cannabis, consumers are trying to figure out how best low doses of THC can help them alleviate – or address in some way specific – ailments like stress relief, pain relief, insomnia, and PTSD symptoms. Microdosing cannabis addresses the same issues using full doses of cannabis can accomplish, however, the treatment is spread out over many small doses to achieve its intended effect rather than consuming a full dose in one sitting.
How Do You Microdose Cannabis?
Just as there are many ways to consume cannabis in “regular” dose form, so too are there many ways in which someone can microdose cannabis. The most popular forms of microdosing are edibles, oils and tinctures, and smoking. The method someone chooses to use for their own microdosing ultimately comes down to personal preference, but there are pros and cons to each.
Edibles: The explosion of the cannabis market has created a burgeoning edible market, and edibles have now become a science. No longer are you struggling to figure out how much THC is in your homemade brownie squares when you can go to your nearest dispensary and purchase pre-dosed gummies, hard candies or chocolates.
Oils and Tinctures: With tinctures, oils and even sublinguals, consumers are better able to use science to their advantage and measure out specifically how much THC they’re consuming per dose. Oils and tinctures are a great starting point for microdosers or first time cannabis users because they allow a user to experience different strains at accurately measured low doses, so one can experience a whiff of the effects – positive or negative – without fully committing to the strain. A general rule of thumb is to start low and work your way up.
Smoking: Vapes and flower are much more of a wild card when it comes to microdosing, since it’s a bit harder to track how much THC is in a particular puff, but that’s become somewhat easier using vape pens like those from dosist, which administer a specific amount of THC oil per puff, and can thus be a moderately effective tool at measuring your microdosing.
How Can I Buy A Microdose?
Beginning to microdose cannabis is as easy as heading to your nearest dispensary. There, you can discuss your microdosing needs with a professional budtender who can advise you on not only the best strains to address your underlying symptoms, but who can also help you devise a microdosing plan of trial and error until you discover the strain(s) and dose that works best for you. All you need is cash, credit, or money in your bank account to get started.
How Can I Make My Own Microdoses?
The bigger question is, why would you want to make your own microdoses? With the growing popularity of dispensaries, it’s much easier – and will probably end up being more cost effective – to again, share your desires with a professional budtender who can help walk you through the microdosing process and identify strains and quantities that can help execute your vision faster than if you were to try and experiment on your own. Sure, you can buy a bunch of different cannabis options and treat your body like a Tim Ferris test, but you’ll ultimately be on a faster road to relief if you consult your local weed professional about your microdosing desires and let them guide you to a fulfilling microdosing experience.
