Cannabis Oil Vs. Smoking Marijuana

When you think of “classic” marijuana usage, what do you picture in your mind? 

Maybe it’s a few old hippies enjoying a joint in a circle. In order to roll that joint (or blunt,) you grind green, dried flower up and use rolling papers or wraps to pass around. 

But if you’ve browsed through Reddit or taken a look around our shop, you know that not all cannabis products are green. They don’t always come in flower form. Concentrates like shatter or budder are becoming more and more popular in the cannabis world as dabbing and other forms of ingesting cannabis are more accessible. 

One of the more versatile cannabis concentrates is cannabis oil. If you’ve never tried cannabis oil before, know that it’s useful to do some research and check it out. While smoking has its benefits, cannabis oil can be a discrete and versatile way to consume cannabis anywhere. 

Let’s talk about it. 

What Is Cannabis Oil? 

Before we get into the pros and cons of using cannabis oil vs. dried flower, let’s talk about what cannabis oil is in the first place. 

Cannabis oils, also known as cannabis tinctures, extract the main ingredients of cannabis using alcohol. After the extraction process is over, you are left with either THC or CBD. THC oil gets you high – CBD oil doesn’t. (CBD oil still has a lot of different benefits when it comes to pain relief, reducing inflammation, and feeling more calm!) 

While most cannabis oil products are simply THC oil or CBD oil, you can get a mixture of CBD and THC in the same product. 

As you can imagine, extracting THC out of the dried flower results in a very strong product. You can make your own cannabis oils, but if you’re new to this idea, you can buy cannabis oils online and get a precise idea of how much THC you are consuming in every drop. 

How to Ingest Cannabis Oil vs. Dried Flower

Smoking marijuana is a classic form of ingesting cannabis. You grind up dried flower, add it to a bowl, a joint, or a bong, and breathe in. Dried flower has also made its way into pot brownies and other edibles, but these offer a much different high and experience than good ol’ smoking. 

Now that oil is in the picture, users have much more options for ingesting cannabis. Ingesting cannabis oil is as easy as lifting your tongue and squeezing a few drops into your mouth. Cannabis oils were created to be consumed orally. 

If you want to get creative, you can also add cannabis oils to your smoothies, coffee, or tea. (You can also add dried flower to your tea as well – we’ve got some recipes to help you get started.) It’s easy to add cannabis oil to just about any food or drink that you were already planning on consuming.

But that’s not all. You can also add cannabis oil to a vape cartridge and take a few puffs. Vape pens are becoming a more popular way to consume THC, CBD, or tobacco. On our website, we offer Juul cartridges that contain THC oil and are ready to pop into your Juul. 

Cannabis users can experiment further by using cannabis oil on a dab rig. This delivers a fast, intense high – beginners should hold off on dabbing until they’ve gotten used to the effects of orally ingesting tinctures. 

Health Concerns 

Let’s talk about one of the reasons that users switch from smoking to vaping: health. What’s healthier: smoking marijuana or ingesting cannabis oil? The answer isn’t so simple.

People on the side of smoking marijuana do have some points to make about health concerns. Cannabis oil is stronger than good ol’ fashioned bud. Strains of marijuana have gotten stronger in recent decades – you can easily snag an indica that contains 25% THC. Concentrates triple that number. 

What does that mean? It’s easier for people to get “too high.” There is a lot more research to be done on the long-term effects of THC and cannabis. We do know, however, that too much THC can cause anxiety, dizziness, nausea, and an increased heart rate. THC impairs your thinking and brain function. You don’t want to have to call in sick or cancel your plans because you actually ingested too much of a product that is up to 80% THC. 

On the other hand, many people switch from smoking dried flower to ingesting cannabis oil for health reasons. 

Smoking marijuana requires burning through your joint and dried flower. Like smoking tobacco, simply inhaling the smoke can cause long-term damage to the lungs, blood vessels, and heart. Tobacco smoke and marijuana smoke also both contain toxics and possible carcinogens that increase your risk of lung infections, chest illnesses, and even cancer. 

When you compare these risks to popping a more pure THC oil into your banana smoothie, it makes sense that you should want to make the switch to oil. But take things slow and dose appropriately. One drop of cannabis oil is much different than one bong rip. Take things slow to find the amount of CBD oil that works for you. 

Other Benefits of Cannabis Oil 

Easy Dosage

One of the best ways to ensure that you enjoy cannabis oil safely is to pay attention to how much you are ingesting at any given time. Droppers of cannabis oil make it easy to know how much you are taking (vs. smoking marijuana, which can’t give you a great estimate of how much THC you are consuming.) 

Portable and Discrete 

Whether you pop a drop under your tongue, add THC oil to your coffee, or take a puff of your vape, you won’t have to worry about smelling like a skunk. Cannabis oil has no odour and won’t leave a long trace of smelly, thick smoke in the room. The tea at your desk can have THC oil and your supervisor won’t even know! 

What Cannabis Products Should You Buy Next? 

Once you know the ins and outs of smoking vs. vaping vs. other types of dosing, the choice is yours. Smoking is a classic way to enjoy marijuana with your friends and enjoy the smells and tastes of different strains. On the other hand, cannabis oil is a discrete option that allows for higher (and stronger) doses. 

Browse through our full selection of flower, oil, and other concentrates to enhance your journey into the world of cannabis.