These days we are having to reconsider our approach to so many things, and our cannabis consumption is no different. Maybe the pandemic has affected your income, or maybe you are just trying to reduce the amount of trips you make in public, but there are many valid reasons to try to make your cannabis cache last as long as possible. Here are some tips to help you stretch your marijuana budget!
Think about your consumption method
The way in which you choose to consume can have a big effect on how far your meds can stretch. Joints and blunts, while classic and entirely enjoyable, are actually very wasteful when it comes to bang for your buck. Just in terms of the amount of product you’re using, a one-hitter chillum or bowl with a fraction of the flower of a joint in it can get the job done just as well as a doobie. Further, research has suggested that the THC transfer rate (ie. the THC you absorb) is significantly higher when using a bong vs. smoking a joint (40% for a bong vs. 20-26% for a joint). That same research suggests that a good amount of THC is lost in “sidestream smoke”
when smoking a joint – in other words, it’s drifting off into the air while the joint is burning but not being inhaled.
Taking things a step further, investing in a vaporizer can actually save you money in the long run for a few reasons: First, with a vaporizer you simply use less product than you do with combustion. Second, you can actively control and increase the cannabinoids released via the specific temperature control allowed by a vaporizer (further blogs on this to come!). And third, the mechanism of how a vaporizer works completely eliminates sidestream smoke, so all of the vapor — and all the goodies inside it — go directly into you, not the air. All of this combines to make vaporizers very cost effective in delivering the results you need, and with both tabletop and portable versions available, you can vape at your convenience.
Last but certainly not least, edibles are known to have a longer period of effect on the body, so they can be a great way to get an all-day buzz without constantly smoking. Provisioning centers have a great range of edibles available, but you easily find instructions for making edibles online.
Portion it out
I can’t speak for everyone, but I know that personally, if I have just stocked up and I have a lot of flower in front of me, I’m going to be more likely to treat myself and roll a fatty. So when it’s time to make the stock last, it can be really useful to break it up into smaller portions. If you’re on a tight budget, figure out exactly how much you can afford to have per day, and then separate it out into daily doses. Each morning you can get out your daily allotment and keep the rest stored to help remove temptation.
Get a grinder with a kief catcher
A grinder is an essential tool for flower lovers – not only does it break the flower up for even burning, but a grinder with a kief catcher actually provides you with extra cannabis goodness! A kief catcher is a compartment at the bottom of a grinder, topped with a screen, that collects the crystals that fall off of flower in the grinding process. You can use kief directly by just placing it on top of your bowl or in your joint for an extra kick; you can press it into hash; or you can decarboxylate it and use it in your cooking, stretching that cannabis budget.
Consider trying concentrates
A lot of people find concentrates and the idea of dabbing intimidating, but it truly doesn’t need to be! Concentrates are made by processing flower to isolate the desirable compounds (THC, cannabinoids, etc.) from the plant material, removing impurities and leaving a highly potent product that quickly delivers high doses from very small amounts. The trick is that concentrates require a very high temperature, which is why they generally require specific gear like a dab rig and blowtorches. If that is too involved for you, there are other easy options like portable pens that make it super simple to consume.
Take a T-Break
It’s a hard fact to face, but using marijuana daily will increase your tolerance, so taking Tolerance Break from time to time is an easy way to reduce the amount of cannabis you need to feel its effects.
The good news is, we are essential, and we are here to restock you whenever you are ready, so stay calm and carry on!
