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Missouri is new in the adult use cannabis game, and you may be too. Has the legalization of weed in our state made you a little canna-curious?
For good reason! Cannabis can be used in therapeutic ways, and it can also be a lot of fun.
Now that anyone 21+ can access cannabis in MO, new users are looking for info about how to use cannabis in safe and responsible ways.
Read on for 10 tips about how to get started!
1. What to Expect at the Dispensary
What are the new weed laws in Missouri?
Now that Amendment 3 has passed, any Missouri resident over the age of 21 can legally purchase, possess, and consume cannabis products from a licensed dispensary.
Can anyone go to a dispensary in Missouri now?
As long as you are over the age of 21 and have a government issued ID to prove it, yes! Once inside, a friendly budtender will be happy to talk to you, answer questions, and recommend products.
2. Try Flower First
There are so many different types of cannabis products available, but a great place to start is with good old fashioned flower. “Flower” is what people call the buds of the cannabis plant.
Cannabis flower needs to be heated in order to decarboxylate, which causes its psychoactive effects by turning THC-A into THC, CBD-A into CBD, and so forth. That’s why the tried and true way to enjoy cannabis is by smoking it.
3. What to Do Before You get High
How do you make your smoke session better?
Before you sit down to smoke a bowl, have a good meal and make sure you’re well hydrated.
How do you make your high last longer?
Some foods that may enhance your high are those that share the same terpenes and cannabinoids that are found in weed—like mangos (which contain the terpene myrcene), broccoli (a beta-caryophyllene source), and chocolate (which has the blissful cannabinoid anandamide).
What to avoid before smoking pot?
Alcohol. While alcohol has been shown to boost the effects of THC, this is not necessarily a good thing. Especially if you’re a newbie with weed, combining it with drinking can intensify your experience in a bad way, exacerbating nausea, paranoia, and sleepiness.
4. How to Smoke Weed
Now for the nitty gritty—what weed to smoke and how to smoke it? Is it best to try sativa or indica for the first time? It depends on the effects you’re looking for.
Traditionally, sativa is used for a “head high”—maintaining your alertness while boosting creativity, while indica is perfect for a “body high”—intense relaxation and couch lock.
You can smoke cannabis flower using a traditional pipe, a water pipe (bong), or any number of different apparatus! You’ll need a lighter, wick, or matches will work in a pinch.
Grind the marijuana bud with a grinder (or purchase it pre-ground). Lightly pack the bowl and inhale from the pipe as you ignite the weed.
5. How to Smoke a Joint
A joint, or marijuana cigarette, is another convenient way to smoke weed. Finely ground flower is rolled tightly (but not too tightly) inside a rolling paper.
Joints are nice because you smoke them just like a cigarette and if they are rolled well, they will stay lit as you smoke it or puff and pass it around to your friends.
6. What is a Pre-roll?
If you like the idea of a joint but haven’t mastered the art of rolling one, pre-rolls are a fabulous product for you.
Pre-rolls are a great option for those new to rolling and smoking joints.
Pre-rolls come in a traditionally large 1 g size for experienced stoners (or for sharing), but are now commonly available in .5 g or even .35 g pre-rolls, perfect if you’re smoking on your own.
Related: 5 Best Pre-rolls to Help You Sleep
7. Types of Vapes
There are so many varieties of vapes out there that it can feel overwhelming to know how to start. Not to fret—you only really need two things to get started with vaping cannabis: a battery and a cannabis-extract filled cartridge.
Most dispensaries sell a basic 510 threaded rechargeable battery that fits cartridges for a variety of strains and brands.
Even easier? Start out with a disposable vape—the battery & extract are packaged as one. When the battery and/or extract runs out, you just toss it and buy a new one.