5 Ways To Manage Stress Using Cannabis

Things Have Changed Since The Sixties

Sixty-one years ago, in 1960, there was a movement in America which hit such prominence that substances like cannabis became known and popularized across the country. It was called “reefer” before, and though a few hilarious propaganda bits came out of that time, it was a sort of “fringe” substance. It took the cultural revolution of the sixties to popularize it.

Well, today, in 2021, the substance is recreationally legal in fifteen or sixteen states (South Dakota has some controversy on their recent legalization), and there are only six states who don’t have laws which allow medical use or recreational use. Those six holdouts will likely collapse in time, and the substance will be legal nationally.

When half the country has recreational legalization measures in place, there’s a high likelihood the marijuana “bubble” will be at its apex. But that’s a future projection, and nobody knows the future. What they know is the “now”; the present. And in the present, you may just be discovering the benefits of cannabis for stress management—because they are many.

The question is, what’s the best way for you to manage stress using cannabis? Two words: use it. So the question then becomes: what sort of ingestion will define how you use it? Well, there are many ways—here are the five most popular right now.

The Classic: Smoking Herb

It’s like smoking anything else, only with cannabis you hold the smoke in. Joints, splints, doobies, blunts, bowls, bongs, bubblers; there are all kinds of ways to “smoke” the herb—but you will likely cough a little, and there could be mild stuffiness in nasal cavities afterward.

Many who use cannabis prefer this method owing to quick delivery. Ingestion of cannabis via smoke results in the pain-relieving properties of the plant being more swiftly perceived by the user.

Topical Ointments Relieve Pain

Sometimes your stress comes from pain, like that which throbs constantly from an injury that is either exercise or age related. Even basic accidents can result in continuous pain. Well, there are topical ointments that can almost erase that pain; you just rub them on like a lotion. This is as far as some take cannabis use, and it will eliminate pain that causes some stress.

Gummies, Candies, Chocolate, Brownies, Etc.

THC gummies, candies, chocolates, or brownies won’t damage the lungs, they won’t make you cough, and they may represent the safest means of ingesting THC. However, dosages can be a bit unpredictable.

People tend to eat more “candies”, “CBD & THC gummies”, or “brownies” than they ought to, because it takes 45 minutes to 2 hours for psychoactive effects to kick in (it’s quicker for ladies). So know your balance and thresholds by experimenting a bit, and you can get the balance right.

In Beverage Form – There Are Now THC-Infused Soft Drinks

Usually soft drinks cost between $5 and $10 a bottle, and contain between 10 milligrams and 100 milligrams of THC. A 10 mg grape-flavored soft drink gives all but the most sensitive users a mild buzz. A 100 mg drink can knock out even an experienced user. Like with candies or brownies, this method of stress alleviation takes an hour or two to kick in, so be careful.

Wax Ingestion Via Butane – But This Isn’t The Most Advisable

Now this method of cannabis ingestion is the least healthy and requires the most effort; but one dab can send you to Jupiter. The thing is, take small hits, or you’ll cough the whole way there.

However, once you hit your mental “cruising altitude” you’ll stay in that place for a minute.

Basically, THC wax is heated until it vaporizes, and you inhale, getting faster. But the coughing can be legendarily painful. Don’t forget what you’re doing. Never hit a dab rig like a bong.

Finding Which Sort Of Cannabis Use Best Fits You

There are many ways to ingest cannabis and relieve stress; whatever best suits you, be sure you get the right equipment for the job. Whether blazing up a doobie, spliff, or blunt, you’ll want rolling options. Topical ointments have their applicators, gummies, candies, and other treats need proper storage.

For beverages, you want to be able to put a lid on that bottle when you’ve had enough. Waxes need to be stored right, and “dab rigs” require proper butane lighting apparatuses and a new sort of “dab” pipe—that’s the “rig”, if you will. That can get complicated. Then of course there are the pipes from which a bowl may be smoked, and everyone’s favorite, the bong.

Don’t sell unique rigs short, either—piston pipes allow you to suck smoke into a chamber, then pull the “piston” up front which acts like a carburetor, allowing you to “clear” the chamber. There are also pocket bubblers that simply require a little water, and can be emptied when finished. Then you’ve got scraping tools and cleaning implements to consider.

There are many ways to ingest cannabis; about as many as there are strains—certainly the totality of ingestion methods haven’t been explored. For stress reduction, you want to find what’s easiest and least irritating—there’s no use smoking cannabis for stress, then getting stressed about doing it right! Find what works for you, and relax.