{"id":1882,"date":"2021-10-20T20:25:01","date_gmt":"2021-10-20T20:25:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/wp-home\/?p=182199"},"modified":"2021-10-20T20:25:01","modified_gmt":"2021-10-20T20:25:01","slug":"10-things-ive-learned-during-my-10-year-relationship-with-weed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/?p=1882","title":{"rendered":"10 things I\u2019ve learned during my 10-year relationship with weed"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>  <title>10 things I\u2019ve learned during my 10-year relationship with weed &#8211; Leafly<\/title>     <!-- This is Index Exchange, a script\/\/3rd-party integration that interjects GAM. It needs to be 'ahead' of GTM in the DOM, which comes from Cephalopod. GTM loads GAM. This script needs to setup it's interjection stuff before GAM loads. --> <!-- End Index Exchange --> <!-- Quotes = strings--><!-- No quotes = boolean-->\t   <!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v17.1.2 (Yoast SEO v17.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->                  <!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. --> <\/p>\n<p> <!-- BEGIN Sailthru Horizon Meta Information --><\/p>\n<p><!-- END Sailthru Horizon Meta Information -->  <!-- Google Publisher Tag --> <!-- End Google Publisher Tag --> <!-- Google Tag Manager --> <!-- End Google Tag Manager --> <!-- Chartbeat --> <!-- End Chartbeat --><br \/>\n <!-- Google Tag Manager (noscript) -->   <!-- End Google Tag Manager (noscript) -->   <title>Leafly<\/title>     <title>Leafly \u00ae<\/title>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              <title>Loading\u2026<\/title>     <\/p>\n<div class=\"bg-white fixed flex hidden inset-0 items-start md:h-auto md:items-center overflow-auto\" id=\"age-gate-container\">\n<div class=\"bg-white md:h-auto mx-auto p-lg text-sm w-full\" id=\"age-gate\">\n<p><label for=\"select-country\">Where are you from?<\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"age-gate__info\">\n<p><button class=\"button\" data-testid=\"age-gate-no-button\" id=\"tou-cancel\">no<\/button><button class=\"button ml-md\" data-testid=\"age-gate-yes-button\" id=\"tou-continue\">yes<\/button><\/p>\n<p><label class=\"checkbox__label my-xl\"><span class=\"text-xs\" id=\"remember-user-label\">Remember me for 30 days. <br \/>I confirm that this is not a shared device.<\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<p class=\"error error--underage hidden\">Darn! You&#8217;re not old enough to use Leafly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"hidden age-gate__loading\">Redirecting you to<span class=\"redirect-domain\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"text-xs mt-auto\">By accessing this site, you accept<br \/>\nthe <a class=\"py-xl\" data-testid=\"tou-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/info\/terms-of-use\">Terms of Use<\/a><br \/>\nand <a class=\"py-xl\" data-testid=\"pp-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/info\/privacy-policy\">Privacy Policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"container my-xl\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col md:col-9\" id=\"article-content\">\n<p><em>This autumn, I\u2019m celebrating my 10-year cannaversary with sweet Mary Jane. <\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\">I smoked weed for the first time a decade ago, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/lifestyle\/using-weed-in-college-without-losing-focus\">when I was a 21-year-old college student<\/a>. My then-boyfriend and I hotboxed my pickup truck one evening, and I proceeded to eat an entire can of Pringles. I\u2019ve had a relationship with cannabis ever since. <\/p>\n<p>Like most long-term relationships, we\u2019ve had our ups and downs over the years, but I\u2019m not sure I\u2019d be here if it weren\u2019t for the plant\u2019s healing and soothing powers.<\/p>\n<p>Alright, enough gushing. Here\u2019s a non-exhaustive list of the things I\u2019ve learned during my 10-year relationship with cannabis.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-how-to-salvage-or-simply-manage-an-overwhelming-high\">How to salvage \u2014 or simply manage \u2014 an overwhelming high<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" alt=\"woman meditate in wood, close up of legs, hands and part of body in white shirt, selective focus on hand, side view\" class=\"wp-image-182209 has-ll lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/10-things-ive-learned-during-my-10-year-relationship-with-weed-1.jpg,compress&amp;w=550 550w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/10-things-ive-learned-during-my-10-year-relationship-with-weed-1.jpg,compress&amp;w=740 740w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/10-things-ive-learned-during-my-10-year-relationship-with-weed-1.jpg,compress&amp;w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/10-things-ive-learned-during-my-10-year-relationship-with-weed-1.jpg,compress&amp;w=1480 1480w\"><\/figure>\n<p>Most seasoned cannabis consumers have gotten too high too fast at least once. I know I have. The last time I dabbed, I immediately felt panicked and paranoid. Luckily, those feelings dissipated quickly when I went outdoors, and I ended up having a really fun day.<\/p>\n<p>What helps me salvage \u2014 or simply manage \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/cannabis-101\/8-ways-to-counteract-a-too-intense-cannabis-high\">an overwhelming cannabis experience<\/a> might not work for everyone. That said, spending time in nature, being with people I trust, cuddling pets, or taking a walk can help me feel grounded and safe when the weed hits too hard. When nothing helps, I try to sleep it off.<\/p>\n<h2>Ways cannabis can help women, survivors, and anyone with a menstrual cycle<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/health\/how-cannabis-can-improve-sex-studies\">Cannabis can make sex more pleasurable<\/a> for many women (myself included). <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/strains-products\/excellent-pot-products-menstrual-pain\">It eases excruciating menstrual pain<\/a> as well. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/health\/cannabis-healing-sexual-violence-survivors\">It can also help survivors heal<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>As a survivor of abuse and sexual violence myself, I\u2019m still healing, and I don\u2019t know if I would have made it through the darkest parts of my healing process if it weren\u2019t for cannabis. Among other things, the trauma of abuse and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rainn.org\/effects-sexual-violence\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sexual violence can cause panic attacks, depression, PTSD, and consistently poor sleep<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>Often, cannabis can make all of these conditions easier to manage.<\/p>\n<h2>Why cannabis justice is social justice<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/politics\/black-residents-made-up-97-of-marijuana-arrests-in-new-york-state-capital\">Racial disparities in pot arrests<\/a> make it abundantly clear that cannabis justice is a social justice issue. Additionally, there are thousands of people imprisoned for cannabis in America and even more worldwide. <\/p>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/politics\/you-can-help-free-americas-cannabis-prisoners-heres-how\" class=\"wp-block-leafly-blocks-leafly-single-inline-block leafly-inline-related-story\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"border border-deep-green-alt border-l-0 border-r-0 my-xl p-md font-bold\">\n<p>Related<\/p>\n<p>You can help free America\u2019s cannabis prisoners. Here\u2019s how<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a> <\/p>\n<p>Even in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/learn\/legalization\">states that have fully or partially legalized<\/a> the plant for adult consumption, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/newshour\/nation\/as-more-states-legalize-marijuana-people-with-drug-convictions-want-their-records-cleared\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">people with cannabis convictions may have to wait years<\/a> to see their records cleared. <\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s also undeniable that cannabis can be a powerful medicine for people suffering from chronic illnesses and chronic pain. Keeping the plant even partially illegal creates barriers to access and causes undue suffering. The issue of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/politics\/leafly-seeds-of-change-2021-report-rates-states-on-marijuana-equity\">cannabis equity<\/a> is another reason why <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/learn\/social-justice\">cannabis justice is social justice<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>The pros and cons of different consumption methods<\/h2>\n<p>For most of my 20s, I was a daily smoker. When I didn\u2019t smoke, I vaped. Admittedly, these are probably the most social and iconic ways to get lifted, but <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/health\/edibles-may-be-better-than-smoking-cannabis-during-pandemic\">they\u2019re certainly not the healthiest for your lungs<\/a>. That\u2019s why <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/strains-products\/best-cbd-oils-and-tinctures\">I stick with tinctures<\/a> and edibles nowadays, and why I\u2019ll probably avoid inhalants for the foreseeable future. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img width=\"1024\" height=\"686\" alt=\"Glass Bottle and Dish of CBD or THC Oil with Hemp or Cannabis Buds on Aqua Blue Background\" class=\"wp-image-182203 has-ll lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/10-things-ive-learned-during-my-10-year-relationship-with-weed-2.jpg,compress&amp;w=550 550w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/10-things-ive-learned-during-my-10-year-relationship-with-weed-2.jpg,compress&amp;w=740 740w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/10-things-ive-learned-during-my-10-year-relationship-with-weed-2.jpg,compress&amp;w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/10-things-ive-learned-during-my-10-year-relationship-with-weed-2.jpg,compress&amp;w=1480 1480w\"><\/figure>\n<p>I feel like tinctures and edibles are much kinder to my body, and although they\u2019re typically not as fast-acting, they\u2019re better at providing long-lasting relief in my experience. Fortunately, with widespread legalization increasing cannabis transparency, it\u2019s easier than it used to be to find the right product and dose.<\/p>\n<h2>The importance of weed-friendly loved ones<\/h2>\n<p>I don\u2019t need everyone in my life to be a cannabis enthusiast. Weed isn\u2019t necessarily for everyone. I\u2019ve taken a couple of months-long weed breaks myself. But it\u2019s important to me that my closest friends support my relationship with cannabis and adult cannabis consumption in general. <\/p>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/lifestyle\/survey-60-percent-of-cannabis-users-want-to-get-high-with-a-grandparent\" class=\"wp-block-leafly-blocks-leafly-single-inline-block leafly-inline-related-story\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"border border-deep-green-alt border-l-0 border-r-0 my-xl p-md font-bold\">\n<p>Related<\/p>\n<p>Survey: 60% of cannabis users want to get high with a grandparent<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a> <\/p>\n<p>My relationship with cannabis hasn\u2019t always been the healthiest, but overall, it\u2019s been \u2014 and continues to be \u2014 a positive part of my life. I won\u2019t be shamed for it by the people closest to me.<\/p>\n<h2>Ways aging can change a person\u2019s relationship with cannabis<\/h2>\n<p>Earlier in 2021, I wrote an entire article about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/health\/cannabis-routine-and-aging\">cannabis and aging<\/a>, and I learned a lot. Research conducted on rats supports a link between <a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s00213-006-0676-9?utm_medium=affiliate&amp;utm_source=commission_junction&amp;utm_campaign=3_nsn6445_brand_PID6166617&amp;utm_content=de_textlink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">age and THC sensitivity<\/a>. And anecdotally, it seems some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/health\/how-to-use-medical-marijuana-for-anxiety\">humans can become more sensitive to THC as they age<\/a>. <em>I\u2019m definitely one of those humans.<\/em> <\/p>\n<p>I started to notice a shift in how I experienced THC back in 2019 when I was going through a particularly stressful time. Suddenly, THC-dominant cannabis products started exacerbating my stress and anxiety instead of soothing it. I was unexpectedly hospitalized that summer as well, and I haven\u2019t felt safe enough in my own body to get super high since then.<\/p>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/strains-products\/10-best-cbd-cannabis-strains-according-to-leafly-users\" class=\"wp-block-leafly-blocks-leafly-single-inline-block leafly-inline-related-story\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"border border-deep-green-alt border-l-0 border-r-0 my-xl p-md font-bold\">\n<p>Related<\/p>\n<p>10 CBD-dominant weed strains that our users love<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a> <\/p>\n<h2>There\u2019s more than one way to identify as a cannabis enthusiast<\/h2>\n<p>Loving THC-dominant weed \u2014 and getting high daily \u2014 was a huge part of my identity for years, and there\u2019s nothing wrong with that. However, because my cannabis routine has mostly featured <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/cannabis-101\/what-is-cbd\">hemp-sourced CBD<\/a> products since I moved back to Missouri in 2019, my definition of a cannabis enthusiast has changed. In my book, if you love hemp, you love cannabis.<\/p>\n<h2>What to look for in CBD products<\/h2>\n<p>Great CBD helps me feel less anxious and more focused. It helps me sleep. It takes the edge off when I\u2019m hurting. But there\u2019s a lot of unimpressive CBD products out there. <\/p>\n<p>In the past couple of years, both research and personal experience have taught me how to avoid being underwhelmed. These are the phrases I look for when determining the quality of a CBD product: \u201cfull-spectrum\u201d or \u201cbroad-spectrum,\u201d \u201cthird-party lab tested,\u201d and \u201csourced from organically grown US hemp.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"has-dark-green-color has-text-color has-small-font-size\"><em>If you\u2019re subject to drug testing, consider <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/strains-products\/different-types-cbd-canada\">broad-spectrum CBD<\/a>, since it contains 0% THC. I recommend Spero CBD. The company recently gifted me its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sperocbd.com\/product\/peppermint-tincture\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">peppermint-flavored CBD oil<\/a>, and it\u2019s great.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>Cannabis isn\u2019t a mental health cure-all<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img width=\"1024\" height=\"728\" alt=\"A high angle shot of a marijuana blunt and pieces of dry cannabis with blurred flowers in vases\" class=\"wp-image-182204 has-ll lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/10-things-ive-learned-during-my-10-year-relationship-with-weed-3.jpg,compress&amp;w=550 550w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/10-things-ive-learned-during-my-10-year-relationship-with-weed-3.jpg,compress&amp;w=740 740w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/10-things-ive-learned-during-my-10-year-relationship-with-weed-3.jpg,compress&amp;w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/10-things-ive-learned-during-my-10-year-relationship-with-weed-3.jpg,compress&amp;w=1480 1480w\"><\/figure>\n<p>Cannabis has been hugely helpful in my mental health journey. I\u2019ve written about that a lot because it\u2019s undeniable. But that doesn\u2019t mean cannabis is a mental health cure-all for me. <\/p>\n<p>It won\u2019t undo the traumas I\u2019ve experienced, and it won\u2019t change the fact that I\u2019m an out and proud bisexual woman from a conservative Christian family living in the rural Bible Belt. In addition to my cannabis routine, I feel like my mental health would benefit greatly from therapy. Anti-anxiety medication or an antidepressant might also be helpful. <\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, I can\u2019t afford any of those things right now, but I\u2019m hopeful that will change someday.<\/p>\n<h2>I still have a lot to learn and experience<\/h2>\n<p>I\u2019ve learned so much about cannabis in the last decade, and I\u2019ve experienced the plant in many forms \u2014 I\u2019ve smoked, vaped, drank, ate, and dabbed it. <\/p>\n<p>I once attended a cannabis masquerade, I\u2019ve spoken with several cannabis-educated consumers and doctors, and I\u2019ve written about weed extensively. Still, I know I have a lot more to learn and experience. <\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve yet to try <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/strains-products\/how-to-find-and-buy-quality-delta-8-thc-products\">Delta-8<\/a>, and I\u2019d love to legally <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/learn\/growing\">grow my own stash<\/a> someday. With legalization spreading in North America, it\u2019s likely the plant will become easier to study in the near future. I can only imagine what I\u2019ll learn about cannabis in the next ten years.<\/p>\n<p>One thing\u2019s for sure: my relationship with cannabis is continuously evolving, and I\u2019m continuously grateful for it. Here\u2019s to many more cannaversaries!<\/p>\n<div id=\"author-box\" class=\"p-lg my-xxl bg-white rounded border border-light-grey elevation-low\">\n<div class=\"mb-lg\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/10-things-ive-learned-during-my-10-year-relationship-with-weed.jpg\" alt=\"Elizabeth Enochs's Bio Image\" class=\"lazyload inline-block mr-md rounded-full border border-light-grey\"> <\/p>\n<p>Elizabeth Enochs<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"text-sm\">Liz Enochs is a writer and journalist from a small town in Missouri that you&#8217;ve probably never heard of. In addition to Leafly, her work has been published by Bustle, Narratively, USA Today, HelloGiggles, POPSUGAR, and many others. More often than not, you&#8217;ll find her in the woods.<\/p>\n<p> <a class=\"text-sm font-bold underline text-green\" href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/author\/elizabeth-enochs\">View Elizabeth Enochs&#8217;s articles<\/a> <\/div>\n<div class=\"leafly-sailthru-signup p-lg my-xl bg-white rounded elevation-low border border-light-grey\">\n<p class=\"text-xs pt-lg\">By submitting this form, you will be subscribed to news and promotional emails from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\">Leafly<\/a> and you agree to Leafly&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/company\/tos\">Terms of Service<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/company\/privacy-policy\">Privacy Policy<\/a>. You can unsubscribe from Leafly email messages anytime.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!-- Chartbeat --> <!-- End Chartbeat -->  <!--\nPerformance optimized by W3 Total Cache. Learn more: https:\/\/www.boldgrid.com\/w3-total-cache\/ Served from: _ @ 2021-10-20 13:25:09 by W3 Total Cache\n--><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>10 things I\u2019ve learned during my 10-year relationship with weed &#8211; Leafly Leafly Leafly \u00ae Loading\u2026 Where are you from? noyes Remember me for 30 days. I confirm that this is not a shared device. Darn! You&#8217;re not old enough to use Leafly. Redirecting you to By accessing this site, you accept the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This autumn, I\u2019m celebrating my 10-year cannaversary with sweet Mary Jane. I smoked weed for the first time a decade ago, when I was a 21-year-old college student. My then-boyfriend and I hotboxed my pickup truck one evening, and I proceeded&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1883,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1882","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-marijuana_information"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/10-things-ive-learned-during-my-10-year-relationship-with-weed.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1882","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1882"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1882\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1883"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1882"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1882"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1882"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}