While most of the cannabis world is in a miniature arms race for the most potent strains anyone has ever seen, there is a growing demand for the exact opposite of these mind-blasting, functionally-incapacitating super buds.
It’s known as microdosing.
It’s become such a fad, it’s even been featured in magazines like the Rolling Stone, who called it “Weed 2.0.” So what’s behind this? Is there more to it than a catchy name and media hype? And what do we mean when we say that microdosing marijuana benefits your health?
What is Microdosing?
Microdosing is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: a very small dose.
Makes sense so far, right?
If a typical joint has somewhere around 1g of cannabis flower, it will maybe have somewhere between 100mg and 150mg of THC, depending on the potency. This is a strong dose to be sure, and especially for someone less experienced.
A microdose is at least ten times less, somewhere in the 1-10mg range.
Why Microdose Marijuana?
With such a small dose, you’re obviously not going to be all that “high.” It won’t get you stoned.
So what’s the point?
To put it into perspective, one glass of wine can be relaxing, it can ease your mental barriers and even help you be a little more sociable. Ten glasses of wine will probably knock you out and leave you hungover.
In the words of pro-cannabis physician Dr. Allan Frankel, who runs one of the most active cannabis medical facilities, “in medicine, with all drugs, you look for the minimum effective dose.”
Basically, all drugs have a certain dose-response curve that defines its efficacy. How much you take changes the effect, and there is typically a sweet spot that maximizes the effect per dosage. Cannabis is what is known as bi-modal: it has one effect at a low dose and a different effect at a high dose.
It’s not about getting stoned. This is about the biological benefit. It’s about being better, happier, healthier, more creative—and functional.
It’s about a shift in perspective from treating cannabis as an intoxicant to treating it like an herbal supplement.
Microdosing Marijuana Benefits
Marijuana has an impressive laundry list of medical benefits: it’s anti-inflammatory, anti-depressant, anti-anxiety, anti-nausea, and it alleviates chronic pain, just to name a few medical uses.
For many, however, the cost of being too intoxicated to function outweighs the benefit. With microdosing, the medical application of cannabis becomes much more accessible to millions who suffer without a natural remedy.
Most interestingly, microdosing marijuana benefits you more in these ways than higher doses would. For example, a small dose of cannabis can relieve anxiety. A large dose, however, can amplify anxiety into a maelstrom of paranoia.
But it’s not just medical.
It’s also potentially performance enhancing.
Boosting Creative Focus
Cannabis has a long history of use amongst artists, musicians, and other creatives. It is known for unlocking the gates of creative flow, helping to create new connections between different ideas, finding new patterns and insights.
Even renowned scientist Carl Sagan credited cannabis for some of his most creative insights into the inner workings of the universe.
And now with microdosing, it’s possible to neurologically prime yourself for creative focus, nudging your brain into the elusive state of creative flow while maintaining the ability to have a conversation with your clients or your boss or your mother.
It’s a subtle enhancement.
Best Ways to Microdose
So you may be wondering how exactly microdosing marijuana benefits your health and wellbeing.
There are a couple guidelines. The first is strain selection. If you are going for a specific benefit, whether it’s creativity or anti-inflammatory or whatever it may be, certain strains are better for certain results. We recommend coming on in and talking with one of our local budtenders or browsing Leafly’s strain explorer for finding the right fit for you.
Next is delivery. Tinctures and vape pens are great because they are easy to control, but 1 hitter pipes and low-dose edibles are also an option.
And finally is the dose itself. The key with microdosing is to slowly titrate to find the optimal dose for you. Start with 1mg. If that doesn’t do it, go for 2, and so on until it feels right without getting too intoxicated.
Give it a shot. This is an incredible and exciting new frontier in cannabis consumption, a whole new perspective on how to best use the plant in a sustainable way for maximum benefit.
Microdosing marijuana may just be the way of the future.
One Response
Thanks for sharing this information! I really need microdosing for my condition. While the effects of cannabis are pleasurable to me, I like to keep it balanced so I can also benefit from the health benefits of cannabis without getting couch locked!