How great is it to live in a time where cannabis isn’t just legal, but is socially accepted and celebrated?!?! One of our favourite things about having locations in Guelph and Waterloo is meeting customers who are experiencing cannabis for the first time.

Being leaders in our industry, we’ve learned so much and are grateful for the opportunities to pass that knowledge on to our customers. That’s why we created this guide, with the Dos and Don’ts of Cannabis.

DO USE THE RIGHT TOOLS
If you’re new to smoking cannabis or smoking in general then start with a vape pen, it’s easy to use and easier to consume. The smooth draw from a vape is kinder on your throat and lungs. When you use a vape pen such as this blue slushie flavoured Indica strain, you don’t need to worry about grinding the cannabis, or rolling a joint.

DON’T INVEST BEFORE YOU’RE SURE
If you try a disposable vape pen and love it, then we recommend investing in a vaporizer. However, you may decide that you prefer eating your cannabis, in which case spending $150-$700 on a vaporizer would be wasteful.

DO TRY EDIBLES
Edibles come in a variety of forms such as canned beverages, chocolates like this Cookies & Green Chocolate Bar, ice cream, pasta sauce, these medicated skittles, casseroles and more. Not only are they tasty, they’re discrete and don’t require any smoke or vaping.

DON’T RUSH YOUR EDIBLES
Health Canada warns that edibles can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 6 hours to take effect. Most consumers take an hour. However, until you know how and when an edible will affect you, it’s best to take it slow and not consume more, while waiting for it to kick in.

DO STAY HYDRATED
You’ll want to have plenty of water, preferably cold water on hand. It’s the only way to beat cottonmouth. Smoking and vaping cause your submandibular saliva glands to dry up. Lip balm and eye drops are also good to have nearby.

DON’T DRINK ALCOHOL
Consuming cannabis and alcohol can both alter your state of being, but in very different ways. Enjoying both at the same time though, often causes discomfort and severe dizziness.

DO RELAX
Playing video games, watching James Franco movies, reading a good book… they’re all great to do while enjoying marijuana. Remember, the point is to relax and enjoy the experience.

DON’T DRIVE
Cannabis drastically slows our reaction time. This makes driving incredibly dangerous for you and everyone else on the road. Treat marijuana as you would alcohol, something to enjoy safely.

DO READ THE LABEL
There are different strains available, different types (such as indica or sativa). There are also different strengths available. As you experiment and learn more about marijuana, take the time to learn what you’re consuming and how you feel. You’ll eventually get to know what you prefer and how long you’ll feel its effects for. The same is with edibles, you’ll get to know how you feel when you consume them on an empty vs full stomach. How long they take before feeling it, etc.

DON’T OVERDO IT
While it’s true that you can’t have a dangerous overdose with cannabis like you can with most other drugs, you can still consume too much. Everybody who’s been there knows; being too high is no fun. It does happen though, so when it does for you keep in mind the best thing you can do is sit back, relax, and hydrate. When in doubt, read this article.