Cannabis Product FAQs from Redi

Cannabis is a naturally occurring flowering plant that grows wild in different areas throughout the world (Nepal, Mexico, South Africa, etc). Cannabis, in various forms (smoking raw flower, ingesting tincture, etc) is a psychoactive plant that has been utilized both medically and recreationally for over 2,000 years.

Hey Friend:) Right here! Redi is your friendly neighborhood Massachusetts dispensary for some of the best recreational marijuana in greater Boston. Please stop by the store or take a look at our cannabis menu online.

It is fully legal to place an online order with Redi that you can then pick up in our retail location(s). Start your order at Tryredi.com today!

Depending on diet and metabolism, the time it takes for a marijuana edible to take effect can vary immensely from a fast-acting experience starting in 20-30 minutes, or it could take up to a few hours to feel the effects of a cannabis edible. Moving “low and slow” (low dosage, give it time to take effect) is important when first learning your dosing levels and dialing in your experience.

When consuming any edible, whether a brownie, edible gummies, or infused beverage, make sure to provide yourself with plenty of time to enjoy the experience and its effects. REDI has some of the best greater Boston dispensary edibles. Check out our full selection here.

Curious how long the effects of that marijuana gummy you just took will last? The results of cannabis edibles vary significantly from person to person. As a good rule of thumb: the effects of a marijuana edible usually last 4 – 6 hours, but be prepared as some individuals can experience effects up to 12 hours after consumption!

It’s not entirely clear how marijuana impacts sleep, and research is ongoing. There appears to be evidence that high doses of CBD elevate adenosine by inhibiting its uptake. Adenosine is the chemical agent responsible for making us feel tired. When these receptors are blocked, it signals to the brain to produce more adenosine, causing a sleep-inducing effect.

While sleeping, some studies suggest short-term use of cannabis can increase the amount of time the body spends in deep sleep while reducing the amount of REM sleep.

A cannabinoid is any chemical substance that joins the cannabinoid receptors of the body and brain and is produced by the cannabis plant. The body naturally produces its own ‘Endocannabinoids’ as part of the Endocannabinoid System (ECS). While studies are ongoing, the belief is that the endocannabinoid system plays an important role in regulating various homeostatic systems in the body such as sleep, pain, and appetite (among others).

The body has two main clusters of endocannabinoid receptors, the CB1 & CB2. CB1 receptors are found largely within the central nervous system, while CB2 receptors are largely found within immune cells.

Cannabinoids are compounds that chemically constitute THC. While the most common cannabinoids referred to at recreational dispensaries are THC & CBD, cannabis has been known to produce more than 100 other unique compounds that can interact with this system in the body.

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is the second most common cannabinoid in the cannabis plant. While THC is its more famous psychoactive sibling, CBD is not known to produce the same high experience associated with the consumption of THC. It is thought that CBD helps moderate THC’s psychoactive effects, making the experience more manageable. Many consumers of CBD have shared beneficial experiences for anxiety, pain, stress, and insomnia. However, research validating these findings is still minimal and ongoing.

While you can buy CBD oil and CBD products online from non-dispensary locations, there is a substantial lack of regulation, little to no testing, and no guarantee that what you are getting on the label is in the product. Products sold at Massachusetts recreational dispensaries like REDI have been tested in approved labs by the state’s Cannabis Control Commission.

To date, more than 100 cannabinoids have been identified. The two most common cannabinoids are THC and CBD.

Indica & Sativa are botany terms utilized to describe the physically observable characteristics of a cannabis plant. Indica plants grow faster, with dark leaves, a more woody stem, and a bush-like appearance, whereas Sativa plants grow taller with light green skinny leaves.

Over time, Indica & Sativa have morphed into terms utilized to quickly describe the effects of different cannabis strains. Many will report that Sativa strains are more elevating/energizing while Indica strains are often more sedating/relaxing. However, the intricacies of cannabis effects go far beyond this simple binary.

Terpenes and resin oils present in all cannabis may influence the body’s metabolization of cannabis and the subsequent effects produced. If you find yourself wondering about varied cannabis effects, examining genetics, terpenes, and other cannabinoids present (such as CBG, CBD, and CBN) will be far more informative in the search for your desired effects.

Our Indica vs. Sativa FAQ identified the most common terpenes that characterize Sativa and Indica cannabis.
The dominant terpenes of Sativa are pinene and limonene. Pinene is one of the most common
terpenes in the natural world and can be found in many aromatics like dill, basil, rosemary, and parsley. It is currently being investigated for possible anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety, and cognitive properties.

Terpenes should not be confused with cannabinoids (like THC, CBD, or lesser known CBN, CBG, CBC, among many others). Still, they are believed to play an essential role in “The Entourage Effect” in which these different compounds, when combined, produce a synergistic effect on our experience of the cannabis “high”.

In addition to having higher concentrations of CBD (read more about CBD in ‘What Does CBD stand for?’), Indica can be identified by its high concentration of Myrcene, its most dominant terpene. A cannabis strain with concentrations of Myrcene higher than .05% is considered to be Indica. Its flavor and smell are well-known, giving cannabis its characteristic musky, earthy, or clove-like scent. This terpene’s effects are
believed to be sedating, and consumers of Indica will frequently refer to Indica experiences as having an “in-the-couch” or “couch-locking” feel because of its purported relaxing effect.

Unlike the experience of Indica described above, consumers of Sativa tend to feel an uplifting and more intense high from the higher percentage of THC in cannabis Sativa. Research is ongoing on this topic, but early studies suggest that Sativa’s higher potency of THC and lower amount of CBD result in increased binding of THC to the cannabinoid receptors, resulting in a more intense experience. CBD, on the other hand, acts as an antagonist, reducing the uptake of THC and possibly providing a more “mellow” experience.

Terpenes provide many of the characteristic flavors associated with cannabis products. In addition, there is ongoing research about their role in “The Entourage Effect” the synergistic effect terpenes perform when complimenting cannabinoids like THC and CBD.

Please look at our guide to common terpenes, flavors, and expected experience.

Tinctures are a useful method for regulating the consumption and proper dosage of cannabinoids. When using CBD or THC oil, use the dropper provided to apply the desired amount underneath your tongue and let the drops rest for at least a minute before swallowing. As a reminder for newcomers: start low, go slow, and review the dosage instructions on the packaging!

Cannabis consumers should not overlook the benefits of tinctures. The advantages of tinctures are their ability to be more closely regulated drop-by-drop, faster acting as it is absorbed sublingually beneath the tongue, and the experience is not impacted as much by diet. Standard edible dosing can be tricky. An empty stomach versus a full stomach can greatly affect the experience of edible dosing.

A highly potent and seriously concentrated form of THC that relies on a solvent to extract THC in concentrations as high as 60 – 80%, or about 3x as high as traditional flower.

Concentrate products are not recommended for beginners with a lower cannabis tolerance, but there are many benefits do dabbing or vaping wax products:

• They do not produce as much smoke or odor as traditional flower
  As a result, the wax vapor tends to be viewed as “cleaner and smoother”
• Enhanced potency
• More flavorful – due to the concentration of the product, cannabis wax tends to provide a rich, flavorful experience

If you’re also wondering, “What is a dab?” Dab, wax, shatter, and budder are often used interchangeably.

If you have cannabis flower, you also have kief! A substantial amount of THC is found in the trichomes of cannabis flower. Trichomes are the tiny growths that make the cannabis flower appear as if it has been dusted in sugar or sand. Kief is essentially concentrated trichomes that have been separated from the flower using a variety of methods. Most grinders also come with a catch basin to catch these trichomes when you are grinding up your flower.