{"id":496,"date":"2021-08-16T20:08:26","date_gmt":"2021-08-16T20:08:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/wp-home\/?p=175383"},"modified":"2021-08-16T20:08:26","modified_gmt":"2021-08-16T20:08:26","slug":"why-i-turned-to-cannabis-capsules-during-covid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/?p=496","title":{"rendered":"Why I turned to cannabis capsules during Covid"},"content":{"rendered":"
Why I turned to cannabis capsules during Covid | Leafly<\/title> <!-- Quotes = strings--><!-- No quotes = boolean-->\t <!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v15.9.2 - 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><label for=\"select-province\">Which part of Canada?<\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"age-gate__age hidden\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"error error--underage hidden\">Darn! You’re not old enough to use Leafly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"error error--unavailable hidden\">Sorry, Leafly isn’t available in your location yet.<\/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.ca\/info\/terms-of-use\">Terms of Use<\/a><br \/>\nand <a class=\"py-xl\" data-testid=\"pp-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.ca\/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>Has the pandemic changed the way you get high? It did for me.<\/p>\n<p>As the respiratory virus ravaged the planet this past year, my <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.ca\/news\/health\/edibles-may-be-better-than-smoking-cannabis-during-pandemic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">usual joint-smoking routine<\/a> transformed from being a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.ca\/news\/lifestyle\/how-to-share-weed-during-pandemic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">social time shared with friends<\/a> to a strictly solo affair. <\/p>\n<p>In lockdown, a sesh became decidedly less joyous and more reflective for me\u2014an opportunity to dig into some feelings and think about health and mortality. <\/p>\n<p>As Covid cases skyrocketed last winter, so did my anxiety, and I stopped smoking. Thankfully, I live in Canada where there are a variety of different formats on the legal market. Instead of smoking, I started buying capsules, which were already my favourite type of edible. It turns out I wasn\u2019t the only one.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" alt class=\"wp-image-175486 has-ll lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/why-i-turned-to-cannabis-capsules-during-covid.jpg,compress&w=550 550w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/why-i-turned-to-cannabis-capsules-during-covid.jpg,compress&w=740 740w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/why-i-turned-to-cannabis-capsules-during-covid.jpg,compress&w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/why-i-turned-to-cannabis-capsules-during-covid.jpg,compress&w=1480 1480w\"><figcaption>According to OCS sales data, cannabis capsules and softgels accounted for $14,013,000 in sales. (Adobe Stock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>June 2021 sales data from the <a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2636\/1928\/files\/OCS-InsightsReport_____2020-21.pdf?v=1625075546\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ontario Cannabis Store<\/a> reveals that cannabis capsules are now more popular, dollar-for-dollar, than chocolate or gummies. Despite all the hype surrounding infused drinks (which are genuinely innovative), capsules actually outsell cannabis bevvies.<\/p>\n<p>While capsules may sound boring as hell to all of the chocolate and gummy-lovers out there, the humble format is clearly gaining popularity. I\u2019m here to make the case for the humble softgel\u2014and find out why others are increasingly gravitating toward them.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-why-consumers-want-cannabis-capsules\">Why consumers want cannabis capsules<\/h2>\n<p>First, the price. I love edibles, but spending $30 on the three or so chocolates I\u2019d require to feel any effects just doesn\u2019t make sense. Not to mention the calories and sugar usually involved in confectionaries or drinks. <\/p>\n<p>Consumers often complain about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thegrowthop.com\/edibles\/whats-the-most-cost-effective-way-to-get-high\/wcm\/64efda6f-8485-4f14-b7ce-d37a1844ca98\/amp\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the low-dose 10 mg limits<\/a> on each package of edibles, but we sometimes neglect to celebrate the wins. Softgels and oils are capped at 1000 mg of THC per package. That\u2019s 100 times more THC in a single jar. <\/p>\n<p>Second, even though I\u2019m frugal, I have limits when it comes to convenience. I refuse to mess around with the even-cheaper oil products, which come with a dropper you use to measure and tuck a dose under the tongue or down the hatch. <\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t want to measure anything. But even more than that, I don\u2019t want oil getting on my clothes or the bag I\u2019m carrying it in. <\/p>\n<p>Lastly, I also don\u2019t want to invite questions about what I\u2019m doing. Softgels are gorgeously discreet. They could be vitamins or headache pills, and people are less likely to wonder what you\u2019re taking. <\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-cannabis-capsules-are-discreet-with-reliable-outcomes\">Cannabis capsules are discreet with reliable outcomes<\/h2>\n<p>Max Benitah, the co-owner and president of Toronto\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/cannshop.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cann Shop<\/a>, says capsule shoppers tend to want to know exactly what to expect. \u201cIn a lot of cases those are people who want predictability more than anything else,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n<p>\u201c[Consumers] want to know exactly what they\u2019re getting, the format they\u2019re getting it in, how it\u2019s going to impact them, how long it\u2019s going to take\u2026 they want to know all the details of that type of thing. So it\u2019s really not the guy who\u2019s coming in saying, \u2018What\u2019s your highest THC [product]?\u2019 It\u2019s a different kind of consumer.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-xxl wp-block-leafly-blocks-leafly-related-articles\">\n<p><h2>Related articles<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Capsule consumers also skew older, he says, and generally have little interest in smoking. They tend to look for CBD\/THC blended capsules that are more geared to wellness, sleep, or inflammation, rather than getting very high. (It\u2019s worth noting that customers may look for products to address those health concerns, but budtenders in licensed stores are legally prohibited from speaking about health or wellness claims.) <\/p>\n<p>So far, Benitah says, most of his customers aren\u2019t finding much differentiation between products beyond cannabinoid content. Most use what\u2019s called MCT oil as the carrier oil for the cannabinoids within the caps. <\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-softgels-can-have-different-carrier-oils-and-potencies\">Softgels can have different carrier oils and potencies<\/h2>\n<p>Brad Canario, senior director of marketing at capsule manufacturer Auxly, tells Leafly that not all softgels are created equally.<\/p>\n<p>In the case of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.ca\/search\/shop?shopCategory=brand&shopName=Dosecann\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dosecann<\/a>, a brand under the Auxly umbrella, their capsules don\u2019t contain MCT oil. Instead, they use Ahiflower seed oil, which the maker says is non-GMO, sustainably sourced, vegan, and has Omega 3 and 6 oils. <\/p>\n<p>The caps are also unique, Canario says. The Licaps\u00ae Capsugel capsules are designed to deliver precise, standardized dosing, a longer shelf life, and rapid digestion, he says.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img alt class=\"wp-image-175399 has-ll lazyload\" width=\"512\" height=\"512\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/why-i-turned-to-cannabis-capsules-during-covid-1.jpg,compress&w=550 550w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/why-i-turned-to-cannabis-capsules-during-covid-1.jpg,compress&w=740 740w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/why-i-turned-to-cannabis-capsules-during-covid-1.jpg,compress&w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/why-i-turned-to-cannabis-capsules-during-covid-1.jpg,compress&w=1480 1480w\"><figcaption>Dosecann capsules are a little different, using Ahiflower instead of MCT oil. (Dosecann)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Canario also confirms why I think softgels are superior: price and potency.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur research tells us that after price, potency is the top purchase driver for capsules,\u201d he says, \u201cespecially when it comes to CBD capsules.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>\u201cDosecann currently offers 25mg CBD capsules that are some of the most potent on the market.\u201d He also says a 50 mg CBD cap is coming to the market soon.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-start-low-go-slow\">Start low, go slow<\/h2>\n<p>While I still enjoy getting high, I have to admit that my weed evolution through the pandemic has been driven by wellness. I\u2019m joining the ranks of mature, more health-conscious cannabis consumers. <\/p>\n<p>For those curious about how to dose, Auxly\u2019s chief science officer Dr. Bob Chapman advises consumers to follow capsule consumption with a snack.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTaking capsules with food has shown to increase the absorption of cannabinoids and is good practice but not always required,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n<p>And finally, he says to remember that timing matters, too. You likely won\u2019t feel the full effects for one to two hours after ingestion, and those effects can last between four to 12 hours. <\/p>\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’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: _ @ 2021-08-16 13:08:58 by W3 Total Cache\n--><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why I turned to cannabis capsules during Covid | Leafly Leafly Leafly \u00ae Loading\u2026 Where are you from? Which part of Canada? Darn! You’re not old enough to use Leafly. Sorry, Leafly isn’t available in your location yet. Redirecting you to By accessing this site, you accept the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Has the pandemic changed the way you get high? It did for me. As the respiratory virus ravaged the planet this past year, my usual joint-smoking routine transformed from being a social time shared with friends to a strictly solo affair. In lockdown, a sesh became… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"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-496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-marijuana_information"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/496","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=496"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/496\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=496"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=496"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=496"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}