BAKING JUST BECAME A LOT MORE FUN

Part 2 in the Marijuana Series

Last week, health risks, benefits, and an introduction to the legality
of medical marijuana in Canada and the United States was discussed.
Read on this week to learn about the various ways of ingesting
marijuana (for medical purposes).

Canadian website Medical Marijuana, which assists patients with
finding doctors and growers, has published a comprehensive and
comprehensible list of uses. "Although smoking marijuana is thought to
be the most common form of ingestion," the website states, "there are
many alternatives to smoking."

First, baking. An Associated Content article points out that dangerous
chemicals, like carcinogens and tars, are left behind when marijuana
is used in cooking. Medical Marijuana reports that marijuana infused
butter can be used in baking and cooking. The effect is more calming,
as the marijuana must travel through the bloodstream, instead of going
right to the head as it does when smoked. Higher amounts of the drug
have to be used to make the product effective. Therefore, "edibles" as
the pastries and candies are commonly called, are fairly expensive.
Many patients also will not have to eat a whole brownie, for example,
to get the amount of the medicine that they require. While the edibles
are expensive, they can last a long time to make up for that cost.
Marijuana infused olive oil can also be used for cooking and baking.

Second, drinking. Medical Marijuana writes, "Try steeping your
favourite tea with some marijuana in it, don't put in too much the
first time as it can give you a different effect than what you are
used to." The Associated Content article claims, however, that THC,
the psychoactive substance found in the cannabis plant, can be
absorbed through the digestive tract, but it must be bound with fatty
acids. It seems a more effective way of ingesting marijuana is by
cooking with it.

Third, vaporizing. This is a much safer alternative to smoking
cannabis. According to Medical Marijuana, "A vaporizer heats the
material in a partial vacuum so the active compounds contained in the
plant boil off into a vapour without releasing carcinogens, tar, or
any other harmful properties." The German company Storz & Bickel is a
manufacturer of the "Volcano" vaporization system. This is a highly
recommended machine for the ingestion of marijuana, but it costs
around $539 USD to purchase on the Storz & Bickel website.
Vermont-based VapeNow offers a vaporizer for $169 online. Vaporizers
can be found in local dispensaries for hundreds of dollars less.

With the private dispensary boom in the United States, literally
hundreds of marijuana strains have been developed. There are three
types of medicinal marijuana on the market: Indica, saliva, and a
hybrid of both. Indica is short and denser, with broad leaves. It has
a wide array of flavours and aromas, and creates a much heavier high,
causing users to feel more sleepy. Sativas are tall, thin plants with
narrower leaves. There is a higher percentage of THC than Indica, so
users feel more energy as brain activity is stimulated. Prices depend
on where the user is purchasing the marijuana, but generally, thirty
to forty USD per gram is common. In Canada, it also depends on the
strain that is purchased. The site Medical Marijuana can assist
patients in finding growers with strains they can afford.

The final instalment in this series will appear next week with
information on the struggle and push to legalize marijuana in the
United States and Canada.