Despite tax breaks and compassionate pricing offered at some dispensaries, medical marijuana can still be an expensive treatment option, especially if you need a larger supply to manage the symptoms of your condition more effectively.
Cutting back on your treatment to save money isn’t usually an option when it comes to medical marijuana, but there are some smart ways to maximize the effects of your doses and thus reduce how much marijuana you need every day. In turn, this can reduce the cost of treatment since your supply may last longer.
Pair Cannabis with the Right Foods
Did you know that what you eat can affect how long your marijuana high lasts? A 2015 study indicated that foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, some terpenes, and/or cannabinoids can boost THC absorption in the bloodstream.
Eating certain foods while consuming cannabis, then, can maximize the health effects of your dose, which means you won’t need to take another dose so quickly.
So, which foods should you have on hand?
Because THC is a fat-soluble compound, fat is its medium. Nuts contain high levels of unsaturated fats, which help your body absorb more THC and thus can increase the intensity of symptom relief. Fun fact: nuts can also make THC work faster by reducing the time it takes for the cannabinoids to pass through the blood-brain barrier.
The vitamins B and E in sweet potatoes can also enhance the euphoric effects of THC, which makes it a great option for those using medical cannabis to treat depression.
On the other hand, the antioxidants in herbal tea may bind with cannabinoids to enhance the sedation effect of THC, increase the lifespan of effects, and strengthen the THC compounds. Choose this option if you want to get more from your cannabis for the treatment of insomnia. Try chamomile, lavender, or peppermint tea right after treatment.
Finally, some physicians believe the myrcene terpene found in mangoes can help enhance the psychoactive effects of THC if eaten right before taking your dose.
Use a Grinder for Cannabis Flower
A grinder is a specialized device that grinds up cannabis flower, so you get more out of every gram. By using a grinder, you can catch all the kief that falls off the cannabis leaves, which you can then use to make a cannabis-infused product or concentrate. You’ll end up using more of the flower, so you don’t end up wasting any. This kief is filled with potent, powdery trichomes that are full of THC, so it’s worth saving.
Choose Glassware
There’s usually around half a gram in each cannabis joint or blunt. If you take two or three doses a day, your supply won’t last very long. Using a glass pipe can reduce the amount of flower you use in every dose because it has a smaller bowl. Experiment with it and see if the lower amount of cannabis still helps you adequately manage your symptoms. It can save you a lot of money and trips to the dispensary in the long run.
Get a Vaporizer
Making an investment in a vaporizer can make your medical marijuana supply last longer. When heated at a lower temperature, you won’t burn through the cannabis flower as quickly as you would if you were to smoke it (bonus: you won’t inhale lighter fluid either). Further, you tend to get more cannabinoids when vaping. You can get the same effects while consuming less cannabis. And while the effects of cannabis wear off shortly after consumption when smoked, the effects tend to be more balanced and last longer when vaped.
Change Strains
When it comes to changing strains, you have two options:
- You can step down from an expensive strain to a more affordable strain if your symptoms are mild and you can receive the same symptom relief with a different strain.
- You can move up to a more expensive strain that’s more potent. While this may increase the price of your supply, it may mean that you can wait longer in between doses, which will ultimately make your supply last longer.
Switch to Edibles
If you suffer from chronic pain or another long-lasting symptom, you might empty out your supply quickly because you have to dose often to maintain symptom relief. To get more out of your medical cannabis purchase in this case, consider switching to edibles, which have a lower absorption rate and last considerably longer with reducing the effectiveness of treatment. In some cases, you can double or triple the lifespan of the health effects.
If you’re just starting out, prevent an edibles overdose by starting at a low dose and going slow.
