There are a lot of different types of cannabis products on the market. If you're new to cannabis, all the options can be a little overwhelming. What are the differences between the different types of cannabis products? What are the pros and cons of each? And which is going to deliver the effects and overall experience you're looking for?
Let's take a dive into each of the different cannabis product types so you can find the right product for you.
Flower
There are plenty of new, innovative cannabis products on the market, but for many cannabis consumers, it doesn't get much better than smoking some good old-fashioned flower. Also known as bud, flower is the smokable part of the cannabis plant. It's cultivated, harvested, dried, and cured before making its way to the dispensary.
How to Consume
One of the reasons smoking flower is so popular with cannabis consumers is the variety of ways it can be consumed. You can pack it in a bowl and smoke it out of a pipe, use it to take bong rips, or roll it into a blunt or joint.
- Pros of smoking flowerBecause smoking flower is so popular, you can typically find a wide variety of strains at your local dispensary. The more options you have at your disposal, the more likely it is you'll find a strain you enjoy.
- Flower is one of the most affordable cannabis products, so it's a great option for consumers on a budget.
- Flower has high bioavailability, which means a higher percentage of cannabinoids make it into your system than in some other methods.
- Because smoking allows the cannabinoids to pass directly into your bloodstream through the lungs, the high is almost immediate.
Cons of smoking flower
- You'll need some sort of smoking apparatus, like rolling papers, a pipe, or a bong, to consume cannabis flower.
- Depending on the potency of the strain, the high can be short-lived. On average, effects last anywhere from one to three hours.
- Unlike other cannabis products, there's no standard dosing structure for flower, which can make it easier to overconsume.
Concentrates
Concentrates are made when you remove excess plant material and other impurities from the cannabis plant, leaving only the most desirable plant compounds, namely cannabinoids and terpenes. Because all the other materials are removed, concentrates have a much higher proportion of cannabis terpenes and cannabinoids than cannabis flower.