Recreational cannabis legalization is expanding across the United States, including Michigan.
Although the once-taboo drug is entering the mainstream, there is still a lot of hesitation about using marijuana. Whether you’re someone who was previously against its use but now curious, or a beginner who doesn’t know where to start, it’s important to realize that there are people willing to help and guide you. There are numerous uses for marijuana, whether for wellness or simply for relaxation.
Perhaps a critical piece of the process is finding a dispensary that works for the consumer. From there, you can build trust with marijuana retail clerks, also known as bud tenders.
“They’re trained to be educated and make recommendations to use marijuana,” said Jamie Cooper, Sensi Magazine’s Michigan market director.
Cooper recently spoke to a group of more than 40 women who were 75 and older about the broader management of marijuana. She said the women were surprised to learn about all the uses and how it’s not just about “putting on.”
Beyond dispensaries, Cooper said people should tap into their own network of friends and family who might be users. But, he cautioned, everyone is different and how one person handles a 10mg dose of cannabis (a standard measure of an edible in dispensaries) may be different from how the next user experiences it.
“You have to experiment for a while to find that sweet spot; start low and go slow,” Cooper said. “If you smoke, start with a hit or two, not a whole lot. The same with edibles. Most adult packs are 10 doses of 10 mg. That’s how it’s labeled, but it starts with 2.5 or 5 mg. Start with half of one and see how it affects you.
“Also note how long it takes to hit the body.”
If the road of “start low and go slow” still ends a little too quickly and the mind starts to go a little wild, a little CBD oil might help ease those feelings, as can the passage of time. Chewing on a black peppercorn, strange as it may sound, can also help.
This story can be found in the May/June 2022 issue of Grand Rapids Magazine. To get more stories like this delivered to your inbox, subscribe here.
