First Timers Guide to Buying Weed

In Ontario, You can legally purchase cannabis from an authorized dispensary or the OCS website. With so many innovations in the cannabis industry, there are several ways to buy weed for consumption.

You can smoke it, drink it, vape it, eat it, apply it as a topical, or take it as an oil or capsule. Most people; distinguish the use of cannabis to either “ get high” or to “relax” ( and sometimes both!)

When choosing what to buy, it's important to understand the differences between THC and CBD. THC gets you high; CBD does not. Some strains and products have a mixture of both for more of a balanced experience which is also a great option for many first-time users.

When it comes to THC, we typically see products in 3 categories:

Low Dose – less than 10 percent THC

Medium Dose – 10-20% THC

High Dose – 20-30% + THC

It’s important to mention that everyone’s tolerance and effects may vary depending on individual personal factors, but the above helps as a great starting point. 

Once you have decided whether you want a THC, CBD , or balance product, the next step is to choose your consumption method.

There are different components to each style of consumption, such as:

Smoking a Joint or Bong

Faster onset ( typically within 5-10 minutes), cheapest consumption method, conveniently can smoke anywhere for the most part. You can purchase pr-rolled joints or learn to roll your own. Joints are just grounded up dried weed flower that is rolled in rolling papers made for joints.

Vaporizing:

You can purchase vape cartridges or disposable pens for a more precise and controlled experience. Vape cartridges typically work with a 520 battery ( sold separately), and disposables are for limited use. 

For more on how to vape cannabis, check out our “ How Do You Vape Weed?” tutorial here: https://shivaasrose.com/blogs/news/how-do-you-vape-weed

Edibles

You can consume cannabis in an edible format. Onset times can vary from as soon as 30 minutes to a few hours depending on diet, tolerance, and edible style. Legal and regulated edibles from Shivaa’s Rose are maxed out at 10MG per package, so you don’t have to worry about an overwhelming experience ( We’ve all heard the old stories of taking a cookie or brownie being way too intoxicated). The edible limit gives new users a safe buffer to try and experiment with different edibles.

We carry all kinds of various edibles for everyone’s pallet. Now infused freezies, gummies, chocolates, baked goods, and more are available! 

Beverages 

The world of Cannabis beverages has exploded over the past year! The market is now filled with plenty of options for you to try. If you are looking for a beer substitute, the people over at Mollo and Bedfellows have a similar tasting alternative. Not into the taste of beer? That’s fine because there are over 40 different kinds of beverages, from seltzers to juice blends to infused coffee! Beverages have a similar onset to most edibles, but some can take effect quicker due to recent developments.

Beverages can range from a low dose at 2.5MG to a high dose at 10MG. There are tons of flavours for every palette.

Read our article diving into the world of Cannabis Beverages to learn more about some of the best Cannabis beverages available in Ontario.

Oils and Tinctures

Many great oils and tinctures are available for those looking for a more precise dosage and a non-smoking alternative. These can range drastically in potency, so always ask your budtender for their recommendations as we can help steer you in the right direction depending on your objectives with cannabis.

There are oils with THC, CBD, and other less common cannabinoids. Oils are a great introductory method to get comfortable with finding your right dosage. 

Concentrates:

Concentrates are a more complicated next step and aren’t typically recommended for new users. Concentrates come in various forms, potencies, and shapes. The most common concentrate is Hash, and you can read more about the world of hash here : https://shivaasrose.com/blogs/news/the-world-of-hash

Stay tuned for our concentrate guide as we explore the different concentrates for more seasoned cannabis users.