The first time you use cannabis is a life-changing event since a bad contact might lead to a lifelong hesitancy towards it. As a result, you should proceed with caution during your first session to avoid taking too much. This article will provide some of the finest strains for beginners and some ideas for having a fantastic first experience.
How to prepare for your first time
Depending on your age and past drug history, your first time may not be too exciting. As a result, it is critical to be patient and not give up after only one attempt. It is common and can happen at any time! Also, experts advise inhaling your first time since this is a simple stage for many first-timers to overlook. For many users, the first time they inhale deeply is the first time they feel it; thus, on your first try, take a large intake of smoke and allow it to transcend you to infinity and beyond!
Furthermore, ensure you hydrate because dehydration is one of the common causes of tension and anxiety in the body. Coughing and smoking can cause your mouth and throat to get extremely dry, so keep some fresh water on hand to keep yourself grounded.
Top cannabis strains for beginners
Here are the top strains to consider as a newcomer to cannabis:
Blue Dream
Blue Dream, a hybrid between Blueberry and Haze, is the essential “popular” cannabis strain. Blue Dream is well-known for its well-balanced and euphoric effects, which keep both newcomers and veterans hooked.
Blue Dream strain entices you into a calm experience with the delicious taste of mixed berries, leaving you smiling contentedly as tranquil effects flood your mind and body. Also, Blue Dream enthusiasts like the relaxing yet creatively energizing mental state that it may produce.
Jack Herer
Jack Herer rose to prominence in the 1970s, when cannabis was making its way through the hippie community. Jack Herer is a hybrid of three classic strains: Haze, Shiva Skunk, and Northern Lights #5, and it has a classic flavor to match. This cannabis strain achieved legendary status because of its light yet captivating properties.
This strain is ideal for beginner users since it welcomes you to cannabis with open arms, demonstrating the pleasures of being high without pushing you too far down the rabbit hole. It is renowned for providing a pleasant, energizing high that may assist you in feeling thrilled with any work without the risk of overstimulation.
Harlequin
Harlequin is a hybrid of Colombian Gold, Nepali Indica, and Thai and Swiss landrace Sativa. While Harlequin may be potent at larger dosages, its high CBD: THC ratio makes it an excellent choice for novices. This results in an extremely smooth atmosphere that is unlikely to become overpowering.
Harlequin is an even-keeled strain with somewhat euphoric effects, delivering a mix of THC and CBD. The CBD functions as a set of training wheels for the THC, enabling you to cruise without anxiety or fear.
Cannatonic
Cannatonic is a cannabis hybrid that combines a rare MK Ultra with a G13 Haze. Cannatonic is perfect for individuals who wish to avoid THC’s euphoric effects while taking advantage of some of its painkilling characteristics due to its balanced THC and high-CBD content (typically, nearly double the quantity of CBD to THC).
Like many CBD-rich strains, Cannatonic may be incredibly useful for stress, anxiety, pain, depression, and muscle spasms (and, for some, migraines) during the day.
Northern Lights (NL)
Northern Lights is a classic Indica-leaning strain of Afghani origin (with a touch of Thai Sativa) popular at night for its drowsy “couch lock” effects. This super popular, almost pure Indica is a long-time favorite for its potency and powerful combination of mind-body effects.
Northern Lights has an earthy pine flavor and euphoric, relaxing effects. Furthermore, it addresses stress, anxiety, sleeplessness, and chronic pain.
OG Kush
OG Kush is a cross of two great cannabis strains, Chemdawg and Hindu Kush, which originated in California and gained popularity in the 1990s. OG Kush was many users’ first introduction to cannabis, and with good reason! OG Kush has a lovely scent and flavor and may produce a well-balanced head and body high that helps to wash away stress and worry while providing a positive and goofy mental state that can help you appreciate any activity in a new light.
Since OG Kush is an Indica-dominating strain, it is best enjoyed during the last portion of the day before night.
Granddaddy Purple (GDP)
Granddaddy Purple is an Indica-heavy hybrid strain that crosses Mendo Purps, Skunk, and Afghanistan. GDP is a fascinating cannabis strain with purple flowers that gives a drowsy, dreamy, pain and anxiety-relieving high. It is best reserved for people who wish to ease anxiety and tension or sleep better.
This strain is ideal for novices since it produces a highly calming, tired, and munchie-fueled high that may offer you the classic stoner sensation with your friends.
God’s Gift
God’s Gift is a hybrid strain that combines Granddaddy Purple and OG Kush. God’s Gift may be a wonderful alternative for your first session if you prefer meditating and having dreamy, peaceful sensations.
While this strain may be potent at higher dosages, a few puffs will offer you an enjoyable, soothing, stimulating high that anybody will love. But be cautious about how much you take because this strain has a lot of THC.
Basic tips and advice for cannabis beginners
There’s a lot more to cannabis than just selecting your preferred strain. Here are some pointers to help you better understand cannabis as a plant and its impacts on your body.
Understand the distinction between Indica and Sativa cannabis
There’s a lot of debate about the distinctions between the Indica and Sativa strains. When looking at the chemical makeup of the cannabis plant and the degree of hybridization that occurs, most kinds of cannabis are clustered around the center and appear more similar than distinct. Nonetheless, numerous users have reported major variations in the effects of Indica and Sativa strains. This might be due to a placebo effect and the power of suggestion. The terms “Sativa” and “Indica” are arbitrary, but the selection processes used by breeders are not.
Additionally, it may be simpler to consider strains as groupings. If you discover a cannabis strain that works exceptionally well for you, note its cannabinoid-terpenoid profile, genetics, and breeder, and then seek additional strains in the group that match that profile.
Pay attention to terpenes
Terpenes are just as vital as THC and CBD in a strain. Terpenes are the oils found in marijuana that give it varied tastes and fragrances; they are responsible for certain strains smelling like citrus (limonene) and others smelling like pine (pinene). If you discover a terpene or a set of terpenes that benefit you, seek strains and products that match that profile.
Understand the delivery techniques
How you administer cannabis exerts different effects depending on how your body breaks down the THC and CBD, so the method of delivery matters. The strain is only half the story; smoking, vaping, and eating may all impact the entire experience. For novices, there is no right or incorrect answer method, but there are differences to consider.
Smoking cannabis
Most individuals start with smoking cannabis, which has both advantages and disadvantages. One advantage of smoking is that it is easy to consume a small amount, and the initial effects normally go off within 20 to 30 minutes. However, if you recall the burning feeling in your throat the first time you smoked, you can imagine that smoking may turn some people off completely.
Vaporizing cannabis
Vaporizing may be the best delivery technique for beginners. It’s gentler on the throat and lungs, and the flower tastes are typically better preserved. Portable oil-filled vaporizer pens are also a good place to start because you can take a puff whenever you want, and there’s no tedious assembly required.
Ingesting cannabis
Edibles are an excellent alternative to smoking cannabis. If you’re new to the game, start slowly and with low doses; the effects can take up to an hour or two to set in, and they’re far more potent and long-lasting than smoked cannabis. Novice users should begin with a low dose—perhaps 5mg—and gradually increase to the normal 10-20mg dosage.
Cannabis topicals
Topicals are cannabis-infused lotions and balms that soak into the skin and provide relief from pain, inflammation, and other localized symptoms. Because most of them will not make you high, topicals are highly suggested for those who want to try medicinal cannabis without all the cerebral bother.
Understand the possible adverse effects
Even if you pick a beginner-friendly cannabis strain, you may still encounter undesirable side effects. Sleepiness, anxiety or paranoia, red eyes, dizziness or nausea, dry lips, hunger pains, and elevated heart rate are all common negative effects of excessive cannabis usage. If you encounter any of these adverse effects, remember that they will likely subside within a few hours. However, it is best to seek medical advice if the negative effects are severe or persistent.
Whatever strain you choose, the reality remains that different strains affect people differently, and everyone’s tolerance for cannabis differs. With this in mind, select a strain that suits you, be cautious, and have fun!