WHICH ONE IS SAFER: SMOKING MARIJUANA OR ORALS METHODS?

It’s unclear how long humans have used marijuana as a drug, but it should be noted that tools used to burn used to burn psychoactive marijuana dating back 2,500 years in China have been discovered.  The first writen record of marijuana use was created by the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung in the year 2727 B.C., almost 5,000 years ago and of recent medical research on this plant has made it more available and highly consumed. Even though marijuana has been smoked for thousands of years, its effects on our bodies are still being discovered and new ways of consuming the herb are also being discovered such as vaping, dabbing,edibles etc. this article looks at advantages of smoking marijuana over oral methods of administration

 The Pros of Smoking marijuana

The major benefit of smoking over vaping and other oral methods is that it typically produces more intense overall effects such as: it doesn’t require as much of an investment, the whole smoking ritual can be addictive – rolling up a joint or packing the users favorite glass piece, and lastly, smoking requires relatively low maintenance, as it’s easy for the user to roll up a joint, put it in his/her pocket and go about his/her business.

  • Smoking is more intense effects:users report that smoking dry herb can more quickly create intense and euphoric effects because the extreme temperatures of fire immediately release all of the cannabinoids responsible for this more sedative effect such as THC in addition to THCv.
  • Smoking does not require any much investment up front unless the user is buying a big fancy glass piece. Rolling papers are much cheaper to buy, which prevents a lot of smokers from delving in to vaping or other oral methods.
  • Smoking is a ritual:The entire process of smoking from rolling, packing, to smoking can become almost ritualistic at times which can be difficult for some users to break this routine.
  • Smoking does not have learning curve:Smoking is simple and doesn’t require a lot of practice as  anyone can light up a joint or bowl, and it’s easy to know when his/her session is over unlike vaping and other oral method which are  more complex and requires a bit of experience and knowledge.
  • Smoking requires low maintenance: even though smoking marijuana requires some general maintenance involved with pipes or bowls, they typically don’t require as much effort as cleaning a vaporizer. Marijuana joints on the other hand require relatively low maintenance, aside from having to roll them.

 The cons of Smoking

The main disadvantage of smoking over vaping and other oral methods are the health risks associated with smoking. This is because the  user  has   less control over the effects coupled with a much stronger smell left by smoking and isn’t as efficient as vaping and other oral methods. The final downside to smoking is that the user does not notice the subtle nuances between strains as much as he/she would if he/she were vaping or consuming them orally.

  • Risks associated with combustion:Although smoke from marijuana  is said to be less harmful than tobacco smoke, it’s still smoke and it should be noted that when any plant matter is combusted it generates tar, carcinogens and other by-products like toluene, naphthalene and benzene not leaving out  the hazards of second-hand smoke and using an open flame.
  • Less control: the user has less control of the effects of smoking. He/she can find a strain with less THC, take smaller puffs or roll his/her joint a little tighter, but that’s about it. Vaping and other oral methods give the user a lot more control over the overall experience.
  • Stronger odor:when marijuana is smoked, the odor can be detected from much further away and it lingers for longer than vapor where as when weed is vaped, it has an aroma, but it doesn’t have the same burnt smell and it disappears quicker, after airing out the room.
  • Smoking is not as efficient: reports suggest thatSmokers tend to burn through their stash quicker than people who vape it. Once a joint or a bowl is smoked, it’s gone. When the herb is vaped, it is cooked much slower, giving the user more opportunity to extract every last drop of THC.
  • Less nuanced flavor:When marijuana is smoked, it is a lot harder to discern the differences between strains. If the user is very experienced, it is still possible, but vaping gives the user a much more distinct flavor profile for each one because most of the terpenes responsible for giving marijuana  its unique smell are depleted at these higher temperatures.

The take home message

 The choice is of choosing smoking over gaping and other oral methods of administration is left to the user, but every smoker should at least try vaping and other method of administering weed to see if they enjoy it. Vaping and other oral methods of administering marijuana vs. smoking can be night and day. Even though smoking marijuana is ritual, it will equally be good to embrace the new technology.

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