The global legalization and decriminalization of recreational and medical cannabis have led to an exponential rise in the use and possession of the substance. Alongside this, the medical and recreational benefits of cannabis intrigue scientists.
Hence, with advancements in science and technology, researchers have conducted clinical studies to unearth the potential cannabis products held for treating certain medical conditions.
Correspondingly, the support from scientific experiments is the root cause of the growing reliance of people on cannabis products as an alternative to traditional drugs. However, legal terms are not the same for all components of cannabis.
Microdosing cannabis is the new kid on the block. This method is remarkable as it allows cannabis consumption in very small doses. Moreover, it allows people to consume cannabis responsibly. This article discusses everything you should know about cannabis microdosing.
CBD Vs. THC?
CBD Vs THC ,among the 100 chemical compounds present in cannabis, cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are the two most prevalent cannabinoids. On the one hand, CBD is a non-intoxicating compound with various recreational and medical benefits.
Medical patients use CBD products for anxiety management and to deal with chronic pain, posttraumatic stress disorder, and other health conditions. Meanwhile, THC is more popular for its intoxicating effects.
THC is a psychoactive compound that produces a high in consumers. Nevertheless, this cannabinoid also has its own medicinal purposes. The cannabinoid can offer various health and wellness benefits.
Delta-9 THC– What Is It?
Cannabis is the dried leaves, flowers, and stems of the Cannabis sativa plant. The plant contains over 100 cannabinoids, out of which THC is the most predominant. Additionally, delta-9 THC is an intoxicating chemical that has the most noticeable effects on consumers.
Like other cannabinoids, THC interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system receptors. As a consequence, THC delivers psychoactive effects, better known as a high. Marijuana is a cannabis species that is rich in THC content.
Previously, there was a stigma around the use of THC, which is the primary reason for cannabis prohibition in most parts of the world. Nevertheless, legal boundaries still do not allow cannabis enthusiasts to use cannabis strains with high THC concentrations.
On the contrary, the 2018 Farm Bill prohibits the THC concentration from exceeding 0.3% in legal cannabis products. However, consumers can still enjoy the medical benefits of THC from a low-content species of cannabis, i.e., hemp.
Medical Benefits Of Delta-9 THC
The body’s endocannabinoid system controls various biological functions, including pain, memory, sleep, appetite, mood, stress, and immunity. Our body synthesizes its endocannabinoids, which are molecules responsible for the regulation of these processes.
On the other hand, cannabinoids produce unique effects on the body depending on their interaction with the endocannabinoid receptors in the brain. Apart from producing a high, THC has many medical and recreational uses.
Large doses of THC can heavily affect your motor control. Not to mention, it also influences your appetite, mood, and stress levels. Also, high doses can lead to panic attacks and an elevation in anxiety levels.
Therefore, it is essential to take a low dose if you wish to treat a medical condition. It is best to be mindful that there is still a need for more research on the medical uses of THC.
However, this psychoactive cannabinoid can potentially treat conditions that include chronic pain, anxiety management, and chronic stress. Also, it helps reduce inflammation and stimulates appetite.
In patients suffering from multiple sclerosis, THC can help in relaxing muscles. The cannabinoid is commonly given to cancer patients to help with the side effects of chemotherapy, like nausea.
Not to mention, in patients with advanced cancer who do not respond to treatment from traditional opioid painkillers, THC is given because of its potential to kill cancer cells.
Thus, when taken in very low doses, consumers can lower the risks of experiencing side effects and enjoy the medical advantages of THC.
Delta-9 Products– Legality
The use and possession of THC lie in a legal gray area because of the contradicting laws in federal and state legislation. In most states, manufacturers abide by federal legislation.
Farm Bill 2018 legalizes the growth and cultivation of hemp. Also, it allows the use and possession of hemp-driven cannabinoids. Among these, the THC concentration has to be less than 0.3%.
Initially, when manufacturers extract oil from the hemp plant, the oil is rich in all the cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids present in cannabis. This initially extracted oil is commonly called full-spectrum CBD oil.
Many manufacturers further process the oil by removing THC to get broad-spectrum CBD oil. Meanwhile, they can also remove all the other cannabinoids and fatty acids to extract pure CBD isolates.
Nevertheless, full-spectrum CBD oil has the best effects as it delivers the benefits of every chemical present in hemp. However, most brands sell cannabis products with THC concentrations lower than the legal limit to avoid trouble.
Brands identify the need for THC and feature product ranges that contain THC in the maximum legal concentration. However, users should bear in mind that products containing low THC concentrations do not make it non-psychedelic.
Consequently, consumers should be mindful of how much THC they consume and avoid activities like driving to remain on the safe side.
What Is Microdosing?
The term ‘microdosing’ is self-explanatory. It means dividing your standard dose into small amounts to consume throughout the day.
This method produces mild effects that last longer while reducing the chances of experiencing potential side effects.
Although increasingly popular among the masses, the idea of microdosing is relatively new. It is the brainchild of the tech workers in Silicon Valley in an attempt to enjoy the positive effects of THC. The workers successfully enjoyed a more creative edge by consuming very low doses of the psychoactive chemical at frequent intervals.
THC also helps improve focus and relieves stress, allowing workers to perform better. Therefore, to avoid the full force of the psychedelic effects of THC, cannabis enthusiasts can use small pinches of the substance to enjoy its benefits.
Fundamentally, the purpose of microdosing is to avoid experiencing noticeable effects. Therefore, if you can feel the psychoactive effects of THC, you should improve your microdosing technique.
Why Should You Microdose?
In previous decades, brands in the cannabis industry were focused on making stronger, more potent cannabis strains because of their high demand. With time, there has been a shift in priorities.
As people have become more aware and conscious of living a healthy lifestyle, there has been a change of intent toward cannabis consumption. Instead of using cannabis to achieve a great high, people use it for its convenience and the benefits it has to offer.
Microdosing THC is the most efficient way to get a functional high that helps the workforce beat the competitive environment and withstand the stress that comes with their work.
Consequently, using microdoses of THC is one of the lifestyle changes that help many people work better.
Microdosing is also an effective technique for cannabis consumption in people who are intolerant to the side effects of the substance. Very high doses can cause paranoia and panic attacks in some consumers.
Therefore, using low doses of THC helps them in taking advantage of its therapeutic effects while reducing the risks of side effects.Another advantage of microdosing is that it prevents the body from building high tolerance for THC. Moreover, consuming relatively lower doses does not allow the cannabinoid receptors to be dull.
Instead, the calculated doses of THC help in only creating mild effects that ensure that your endocannabinoid receptors are responsive to cannabis, even in small doses. Consuming microdoses of THC ensures the constant presence of the chemical in your bloodstream without the adverse effects of a high.
How To Microdose THC– How Much THC Is A Low Dose?
The cannabis microdose varies for each individual depending on the type of delta-9 THC product they use, their dose, and their body’s tolerance of the cannabis. Everyone’s body has different needs and unique reactions.
Therefore, determining your microdose needs some experimenting. However, the process can be daunting as even slightly higher doses of cannabis can interfere with your consciousness and compromise the quality of your work.
Contrarily, taking doses that are too small might be fruitless. The process of determining the perfect microdose to meet your needs depends on your method of THC consumption.
People who prefer using oils and tinctures can keep track of their doses by noting the milligrams of THC they use. On the other hand, people who consume cannabis edibles can regulate their doses by keeping track of how many pieces they have consumed.
Oils And Tinctures
Consumers who use THC or CBD oils and tinctures for pain and stress management can microdose their standard consumption for better productivity. Initially, it is best to use ¼ of the dropper.
Eventually, build the dose until you can begin to feel the effects of the psychoactive compound. Once you identify the perfect dose that can help you lose the nerves and focus better without any neuropsychological effects, that is your perfect microdose.
Cannabis Edibles
An even better, more discrete method of consuming THC is edibles like THC gummies. Although edibles take more time to kick in, depending on the metabolic rate of the consumer, their effects are long-lasting.
This method of THC consumption is also easy to microdose. Not to mention, edibles produce sustainable effects that can last from six to eight hours.
Additionally, microdosing edibles increase the likelihood of benefitting from the therapeutic effects of THC while minimizing the chances of a potential high.
Like THC oil, you can experiment with microdosing your edibles. Divide your delta-9 gummy or candy into four parts. Start with consuming one piece from the four halves and build your way up until you find your sweet spot.
Microdosing Cannabis– Potential Benefits
Delta-9 THC is a chemical compound that can have different outcomes at different doses. On the one hand, using low doses can produce mild, therapeutic effects that can potentially help treat conditions.
Meanwhile, high doses of the psychedelic compound can have adverse impacts. Therefore, for people who are sensitive to THC, microdosing is an easy way to benefit from its medicinal properties.
Not to mention, the “low and slow” method of action that microdosing follows reduces the risks of adverse effects of THC.
However, in certain medical conditions that hold more severity, like chronic pain and advanced cancer, microdosing might not be sufficient in meeting the consumer’s medical needs.
Does THC Show On A Drug Test?
Although Farm Bill 2018 legalizes the use of hemp-driven cannabis. Regardless, you should avoid using the substance if your workplace has a policy against the use of THC.
Even if you microdose, THC can build up in your system leading you to test positive on a drug test. Irrespective of the legality of the products you use, a positive drug test can be against your employers’ policies.
Hence, it is better for you to either consult an official in the management or switch to broad-spectrum CBD or isolate to avoid failing a drug test.
Conclusion: Does Microdosing CBD Work?
Despite being a relatively new phenomenon, microdosing has quickly become very popular. This method is an easy way to attain the medical advantages of the psychoactive compound without experiencing its neuropsychological effects.
Microdosing THC can help enhance your mood, relieve stress, bring out your creativity, and improve overall productivity. However, the first step is to identify the perfect microdose to suit your needs.
You should bear in mind that there is no particular standard microdose for everyone to follow. Instead, it varies for all consumers depending on the product they use and their body’s bioavailability. Hence, have fun with the experience, and start low and slow to identify the best microdose for you.
On the other hand, also remember that microdosing THC does not prevent the build-up of the substance in your system. In case of a drug test, you can still test positive if you consume cannabis microdoses for some time.
Also, if you take prescription medicine, you should consult your physician before taking cannabis microdoses, as THC can potentially interact with some pharmaceutical drugs.
