Stoned vs. drunk

This was not a scientific experiment. Since I know how I feel if I eat an entire cheesecake by myself, or what it's like to canoe after a tornado, you can see it's the sort of experiment that might intrigue me.

I am not a big drinker; I like alcohol but it's not central to a good time. Alcohol for me is a great addition to a meal, enhancing the food. Alcohol can be a great dessert - a smooth bourbon or excellent gin is fine way to sit after a meal (or instead of a meal). I'm a huge fan of sparkling wine; my favourite brand has a gold label that looks like wriggling sperm. 

There have been a few occasions when I overindulged. So I do know what it is like to be tipsy and, with more alcohol, drunk. What I was wondering is how it felt to be stoned and how different it that is from being full of alcohol.

Here's my totally arbitrary measurement:

• 1or 2 drinks - no effect.
• 3  drinks - tipsy. Things seem much funnier. I seem funnier.
• 4 drinks - very tipsy. My cheeks feel numb. Possibly from laughing. I have to focus to walk 'normally' but dancing is easier.
• 5+ drinks or - never again - shots...  the world spins and it's a miserable existence. Sometimes there's a reenactment of dinner.

Stoned is a whole new world of sensations. 

• 1 - 3 hits or 5mg of THC - Slightly relaxed. Less pain. 
• 4-6 hits - Very relaxed. Time for a short nap. 

then we jump straight to...

• 1/8th of a laced cookie - Body weighs a ton. Vertigo kicks in; navigating the world upright is difficult. Dry mouth. Can't hold a thought. Completely useless. Not unpleasant but not much fun. 

See? Not scientific. 

Stay tuned; I'm still experimenting.

Medical vs recreational

What's the difference aside from buying it legally vs. off the street? A prescription vs. a desire? (Buying from the provincial wine stores or the private importers?)

Here's what I've discovered so far...

Medical can mean:

• you're taking it first for relief of some ailment - getting high is not necessarily your aim
• your doctor would or has prescribed cannabis for your ailment
• You're looking for higher CBD levels but not necessarily

It's the same cannabis. Really.

One other bit to note - smoking it sets the terpenes on fire and really the terpenes are the most beneficial part of the exercise. For some, getting high is what is needed for relaxation. But there are other ways cannabis can relax us and that's understanding the terpene profile and how you react to the various types. 

For me, medical marijuana has come to mean using it in any method except smoking. 

Terpenes next week!

It's like learning about wine

Seriously. There are studies and there is marketing. There are established and new producers. There is the cliche of the wine drinker/cannabis user and there is everyone else. There is good, poor and unclassified quality. There are tools and gadgets and preferences and taste profiles. You can cook with it, ingest it, mix it into unexpected places... There are founded and unfounded claims as to what it can do for you and to you.

Start simply.
Ask why you're going to try. All answers are good but know what yours is.

Think about where you're going for advice. Collect and cross-reference answers. Every body/mind is different... this isn't acetaminophen where dosages and side effects are generally the same for all.

Know your tastes. Sharp? Sweet? Citrus? Woodsy? It matters. (more on this later)

• This article on INC. shows how aromatherapy oils have different effects; different smells & strains of marijuana do too.
• This article on ScientificAmerican shows how our emotional response to smells can increase or decrease efficacy.

Don't be shy about talking about this. If you're already twitching about any perceived stigma, then the choices and discussions you need will be harder to find.

You may very well end up with a few jars & bottles of different strains for different ailments and needs. Like my wine, I'm curating a collection of things I love.