SMOKING: THE CLASSIC APPROACH
How it works: Combusting cannabis flower and inhaling the smoke delivers cannabinoids directly to your lungs, where they rapidly enter your bloodstream.
Onset time: 1-3 minutes
Peak effects: 15-30 minutes
Duration: 1-3 hours
Bioavailability: 10-25%

Best use cases:
•    Immediate symptom relief (pain, nausea, anxiety)
•    Precise dosing control through small, incremental inhalations
•    Social consumption situations
•    When you need effects that won't last too long
 

Considerations: 

Smoking produces the fastest onset but also the shortest duration. It's harsh on the lungs and creates odor, making it less discreet. However, it offers excellent dose control since you can stop as soon as you feel effects.

VAPING: A HEALTHIER APPROACH
How it works: Heating cannabis to a temperature that releases cannabinoids and terpenes without combustion, creating a vapor you inhale. Match it with a bubbler or small waterpipe to cool the vapors before they are inhaled. 
Onset time: 1-5 minutes
Peak effects: 15-30 minutes
Duration: 1-4 hours
Bioavailability: 20-40%

Best use cases:

•    Flavor enthusiasts who want to taste terpene profiles, can change tempurature to emphasize flavor vs. potentcy
•    Discreet use in semi-public setting; 

Considerations: 

• Vaping offers better efficiency and lung health compared to smoking, with less odor and more flavor.
• The learning curve involves finding your ideal temperature and understanding your device. 
• Higher upfront costs to purchase the equipment, but more economical long-term, because it takes only a 1/5th the amount of weed to get you high. 
• I’m not referring to vaping from an All-in-One (AIO) oil vape, because they contain additives. Instead get a weed vaporizer and attach a bubbler to further cool the vapor.
• I recommend using dosing capsules to keep your vaporizer clean and to maintain a standard dose (typically 1 – 1.5 grams). 
• When everything cools off, you can open the dosing capsule and notice that all the materials are still present, but the green cannabis turned brown.  That’s all the same carcinogens contained in cigarettes, without the nicotine. Vaping extracts all of the cannabinoids and terpenes that get you high. 

Bonus: ABVs (All But Vaped)
You can cook the remains from dosing capsule to remove these chemicals and transform it to CBD provides a great deal of relaxation to your body, further reducing inflammation and pain.

EDIBLES: THE LONG GAME
Onset time: 30 minutes to 2 hours
Peak effects: 2-4 hours
Duration: 4-8 hours (sometimes longer)
Bioavailability: 4-20%

Best use cases:
•    All-day symptom management
•    Sleep support (especially indica-dominant edibles)
•    Situations where smoking/vaping isn't practical
•    Consistent, predictable dosing once you find your sweet spot

Considerations: 

• The delayed onset catches many people off-guard, leading to overconsumption. 
• Start with 2.5-5mg THC and wait at least 2 hours before taking more. 
• Effects vary significantly based on your metabolism, what you've eaten, and liver function. 
• Plan accordingly since you're committed to the experience once it begins.

TINCTURES: LIQUID DROPS CONSUMED SUBLINGUALLY OR SWALLOWED

How they work: 

Liquid cannabis extracts taken sublingually (under the tongue) for faster absorption or swallowed for edible-like effects.

Sublingual dosing:
•    Onset time: 15-30 minutes
•    Peak effects: 1-2 hours
•    Duration: 2-4 hours

Swallowed dosing:
•    Onset time: 30-90 minutes
•    Peak effects: 2-4 hours
•    Duration: 4-6 hours

Bioavailability: 

• 20-35% (sublingual)
• 4-20% (swallowed)

Best use cases:
•    Precise dosing with dropper measurement
•    Discreet consumption anywhere
•    Combining with food or beverages
•    Bridging the gap between smoking and edibles in terms of onset/duration

Considerations: 

Tinctures offer the most dosing flexibility and can be used multiple ways. Hold under your tongue for 30-60 seconds for faster onset, or swallow for longer-lasting effects. Some people find the taste unpleasant, but you can mix tinctures into drinks or food.

Topicals: The Localized Solution

• How it works:
• Cannabis-infused creams, balms, and lotions applied directly to skin for localized effects 
• Onset time: 15-30 minutes
• Peak effects: 1-2 hours
• Duration: 2-4 hoursBioavailability: Minimal systemic absorption

Best use cases:
•    Localized pain and inflammation
•    Skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis
•    Muscle soreness and tension
•    When you want therapeutic benefits without mental effects

Considerations: 

• Most topicals won't cause psychoactive effects, making them ideal for situations where you need to remain clear-headed.
• Look for products with both THC and CBD for enhanced anti-inflammatory effects. 
• Effectiveness varies greatly between products and individual skin types.

CHOOSING YOUR METHOD TO MATCH YOUR WELLNESS GOALS

What's your timeline? 

• Need immediate relief? Choose smoking or vaping. 
• Want all-day coverage? Consider edibles or tinctures.
• What's your experience level? Beginners often do best with tinctures or low-dose edibles for predictable, controllable experiences.

What's your environment? 

• Need discretion? Tinctures and edibles are virtually undetectable. 
• Have privacy? Smoking and vaping offer immediate feedback.

What are your goals? 

• Specific pain relief might call for topicals. 
• Sleep support often works best with edibles. 
• Creative sessions might benefit from the clarity of low-temp vaping.

PRO TIPS FOR ANY METHOD

Start low, go slow

• This applies to every consumption method, but especially edibles
• Tinctures where it's harder to "undo" overconsumption.

Keep a consumption journal

• Track method, dose, timing, effects, and duration to find your optimal routine.

CONSIDER COMBINING METHODS

• Many experienced users combine methods, like using a tincture for baseline effects and vaping for breakthrough symptoms
• Factor in tolerance
• Regular users may need higher doses or may find that switching methods occasionally helps maintain effectiveness.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

There's no single "best" consumption method—only what's best for your specific situation, goals, and preferences. 

Many successful cannabis users employ different methods for different scenarios: 

• VAPING for daytime clarity
• EDIBLES for nighttime rest
• TOPICALS  for workout recovery
• TINCTURES for precise daily dosing.

REGARDLESS OF METHOD:

• The key is understanding how each method affects your unique physiology and lifestyle. 
• Start conservatively, be patient with onset times, and don't be afraid to experiment (safely) to find your ideal cannabis routine.
• Remember, what works for your friend might not work for you, and that's perfectly normal.
• Your relationship with cannabis should enhance your life, not complicate it. 

Take time to understand these tools, and you'll be well-equipped to make informed decisions about how you consume cannabis.