A Brief Medical Marijuana Dosage Guide

One of the most frequently asked questions for marijuana users is how exactly to control your dosage when it comes to marijuana. With so many different strains, concentrates, and other cannabis products and so many different ways to consume them, users often undergo a lot of trial and error to figure out what exactly is the best dose for their needs. But instead of winging it, it helps to have a marijuana dosage guide.

Of course, the dose you should take realistically depends on many different factors. For instance, some users have a much higher tolerance than others, and users with higher body weights can often consume more cannabis. Some products are also dependent on individual differences. For instance, users with faster metabolisms are likely to be hit by marijuana edibles quicker and harder.

The dose you should take can also depend on whether you’re using marijuana for recreational use or for medical symptoms. But while there’s no one-size-fits-all dosage when it comes to marijuana, there are some general rules you can follow when it comes to different products and methods of consumption. Here’s a marijuana dosage guide to help you figure out exactly how much marijuana you should use.

Marijuana Flower Dosage Guide
Also known as weed, bud or simply marijuana, flower products are usually the most popular choice when it comes to marijuana. You can buy flowers in various quantities, usually from 3.5 grams up to an ounce. However, you won’t need to pack a joint full of an eighth and you can make your weed last a while if you use it wisely.

The amount of weed you should use can depend on a few factors. A poll carried out by High Times magazine found that the average smoker packs a joint or blunt with around 0.5 grams to a full gram of cannabis. Similarly, a 2011 study on marijuana users found that the average user used around 0.66 in each joint.

Different methods of use can alter the dosage. For instance, the same 2011 study found that users used 0.97 grams of cannabis in each blunt on average. Smoking out of a pipe or bong can also give users stronger effects with the same quantities, and as such users generally used a lower amount of around 0.39 grams when smoking out of a pipe or bong.

For the most part, around 0.5 grams to 0.75 grams should be enough to use in a joint or blunt. You can also mix in tobacco to pack your roll up and prevent the effects of being too strong. When it comes to using a pipe or bong, you can afford to use less- around 0.39 grams should be enough.

The right dose can also depend on the strain- some cannabis strains have higher levels of THC whereas some provide a much milder high. However, smoking is beneficial in the sense that you can always take it hit by a hit and stop when you feel high enough.

Marijuana Concentrates Dosage Guide
Gram for gram, marijuana concentrates are much stronger than flower strains. Because of this, users can get the same level of effects with a much smaller dose. Concentrates come in many forms such as shatter, hash, and wax. These are all made using processes that condense marijuana to contain extra high levels of THC and terpenes.

You can use concentrates in a few different ways. Some people add concentrates to joints or bowls to strengthen the effects. Various vaporizers also allow users to vape concentrates. Since concentrates contain higher levels of THC, you only need a very small amount when it comes to dosing. Around 0.3 grams should be enough even for experienced users.

The ideal dose can depend on the type and strain of concentrate you use. However, much like with flowers, you can control your dose with concentrates by taking it hit by hit. Just a couple of hits can often be enough to give you a powerful, long-lasting high, so you can always stop smoking or vaping once you get the desired effects.

You can also use a dab rig for cannabis concentrates. This is a special kind of bong with a nail and blow torch which is used specifically for concentrates. When you use a dab rig, one hit can be enough to give you an extra strong high and, as such, only a tiny dab of your chosen concentrate is necessary.

Marijuana Edibles Dosage Guide
Marijuana edibles provide especially strong effects. When you consume marijuana in edible form, your liver converts THC into the stronger 11-hydroxy-THC before it’s carried throughout your body. Not only does this give you a much more intense high, but the high can also last for much longer than smoking or vaping.

The ideal edible dosage for you can depend on your body weight, your tolerance, and what you use them for. Edibles are usually split into servings of 10mg of THC. This is enough for general recreational effects, as well as providing relief for pain, anxiety, stress, and other medical symptoms.

Experienced users may want to increase their dose to 20mg or more. It’s usually easy to do this, especially with products like THC Gummies which provide 10mg per candy. With other edibles, you may need to split the food up into smaller pieces. Higher doses can also be useful for medical users with severe symptoms who need more potent effects.

Alternatively, you can microdose with edibles. You do this by splitting edibles into smaller doses of around 2.5-5mg of THC. Smaller doses of edibles will still give you long-lasting effects, but the high will be much more manageable. This is ideal for those who want a mild recreational high or sustained medical effects.

Keep in mind that when you eat edibles it can take up to 2 hours for the effects to kick in. You should not increase your dose during this time- even a small dose of edibles can give you an extremely intense high and taking too much can result in a bad trip.

Marijuana Topicals Dosage Guide
Marijuana Topicals are unique when it comes to dosing as, for the most part, they don’t give you any psychoactive effects. Whereas most THC products are absorbed into the bloodstream, topicals are absorbed into the skin where they attach to cannabinoid receptors. These won’t get you high, but they can be useful for medical effects such as relieving pain and reducing inflammation and skin infections.

Because they don’t give you any psychoactive effects and have no harmful side effects, you can use topicals safely in pretty much any dosage. However, you’ll still want to avoid using too much as it only takes a small amount to get the desired medical effects. For instance, you can get pain relief by rubbing a dab of CBD Cream into your skin. If you need stronger effects, you can always apply more.

The one exception is THC Transdermal Patches. These are administered by application to the skin, near the veins. However, unlike most topical products, patches can be absorbed into the bloodstream and give you psychoactive effects. These usually come in a dose of 10-20mg of THC which is enough to give you long-lasting medical relief.

Marijuana Tinctures Dosage Guide
Cannabis Oils or Tinctures provide a convenient way to get the effects of cannabis without smoking or vaping. Instead, you simply apply a few drops of the tincture under your tongue and hold it there for a couple of minutes to absorb the cannabinoids into your body. They can give you all of the same effects as smoking or vaping cannabis in a swift and hassle-free manner.

You can treat dosing with tinctures similarly to dosing with other cannabis products, such as edibles. A dose of around 10mg of THC Oil should be enough to give you a good buzz along with medical effects such as pain relief. More experienced users may want to up their dose to around 20-30mg for stronger effects, and medical users with severe symptoms may also want to increase their dose.

Be sure not to take too much THC Oil as the effects can be very strong. Generally, you’ll feel the effects of your dose within around 20-30 minutes. You should wait until this point before you try to take more.

CBD Dosage Guide
When it comes to CBD products, dosing is entirely different from marijuana and THC products. Unlike THC, CBD does not give you any psychoactive effects, but it does have a range of medical benefits. It also has a high safety profile with minimal side effects and no risk of dependence or overdose. As such, you can use as much CBD as you want without any negative consequences. However, studies show that certain doses are effective for different symptoms.

If you want to use CBD for pain and inflammation, a dose of around 15-25mg should help. CBD can help with all kinds of painful conditions, including those associated with chronic pain such as arthritis, MS, and cancer. If you find that a low dose doesn’t help, you can always increase your dose for stronger analgesic effects.

You can also use CBD for anxiety. Various studies have found that cannabidiol can significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety and stress. One study found that a single 600mg dose of CBD could quickly reduce social anxiety and make users feel more mentally relaxed. Another study on using CBD for anxiety and sleep found that taking a daily dose of 25mg of CBD for a month could significantly reduce anxiety and improve sleep.

CBD is also helpful for relieving symptoms of depression, and research suggests the effects can help almost immediately. One study found that a dose of 7-30mg of CBD per kilogram of body weight could swiftly reduce symptoms of depression. The effects were also sustained, lasting for up to a week.

CBD can also be effective in treating epilepsy. Clinical trials on multiple forms of epilepsy have found that a dose of 20mg of CBD per kg of body weight per day is particularly effective for reducing seizures and helping improve symptom management for patients.

In some cases, you may need to take CBD for a while before you see significant improvements to your symptoms. However, it’s safe to use in any quantity and if you feel you need more, you can always increase your daily dosage without worrying about overdosing.

What Happens if You Take Too Much Marijuana?
Unlike CBD, the THC in marijuana can have significant negative effects if you take too much. Although there are no reported instances of a fatal overdose from marijuana use, using too much can still result in some very uncomfortable side effects.

Taking too much THC can result in severe anxiety, paranoia, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and impairments to your memory and judgment. This is known as a bad trip, and it’s important to be aware of your tolerance and avoid using too much marijuana to avoid these negative side effects.

If you feel you’ve taken too much marijuana, there are ways to reduce your high. Eating a lot of food and drinking plenty of water can help sober you up. It can also help to try and fall asleep- resting off the effects is the best way to surpass a bad trip.

For the most part, you shouldn’t have to worry too much about going over your limits. Methods such as smoking or vaping allow you to control your dose hit by hit so you don’t get too overwhelmingly high. When it comes to products such as THC Edibles and Oils, you should be careful not to use too much and avoid increasing your dosage before the effects wear off.

Conclusion
The right marijuana dosage can come down to all kinds of factors from the type of product you use to your tolerance level. However, there are certain guidelines beginners can follow when it comes to controlling your dosage.

When it comes to smoking or vaping weed, you can always take it one hit at a time and decide when to stop. With Edibles and Tinctures, a dose of around 10-20mg is usually recommended for beginners. As for Topicals and CBD products, you can pretty much use as much as you want, although certain doses seem to work better for certain symptoms. Remember to use marijuana wisely and always stay within your limits.

Keywords: guide, medical, dosage, marijuana