What Are The Highest THC Strains?
Cannabis strains with elevated levels of THC equal more pronounced effects, from energy and creativity to relaxation and calmness. Here are some of the highest THC strains you can find today.
While high levels of THC could lead to more profound psychoactive effects, there’s more to it than that. THC, a cannabinoid, works together with other cannabinoids such as CBD, as well as terpenes to induce the desired effects of marijuana. These components all come together in a process known as the Entourage Effect.
The 1970s were a looooong time ago.
We left a lot of things behind in that decade, including cannabis strains with paltry THC levels.
Back then, most strains barely cracked 1% THC—these days, it’s routine to see strains hovering around 30 times that amount.
What happened?
Well, for starters, cannabis legalization spread rapidly. And as legalization propagates, the experimentation that goes into creating new, more potent strains comes out of the shadows and into the mainstream.
One such experimentation, known as strain selection, is most responsible for the increase in potency.
In this cultivation practice, strains with high levels of cannabinoids are favored by growers. These strains are developed and then crossbred with other potent strains, resulting in a class of super-hybrid strains with staggering THC levels.
As for the type of high you get from elevated THC strains, that depends on whether you’re dancing with indica, sativa, or hybrid buds.
In this blog, we’ll unroll some of Lightshade’s highest THC strains. Then, we’ll take you behind the scenes to talk about the mechanics of “getting high”—touching on terpenes, cannabinoids, and the synergistic Entourage Effect.
The Highest THC Strains At Lightshade
Cultivation efforts made in the name of maximum THC have led to some truly mind-blowing and body-comforting strains of cannabis.
Sprouted from the minds of master weed-growers, modern buds are imbued with an abundance of aromas and flavors, with carefully encouraged collections of terpenes and trichomes.
It’s a recipe resulting in a lush bouquet of exquisite effects.
Depending on the strain, high THC buds help you achieve everything from peak energy and euphoria to complete physical serenity and laser-sharp focus.
Weed connoisseurs who count potency as a bud’s highest selling point should consider tapping into these strains at Lightshade.
Mother’s Milk
Hybrid
THC: 24 – 29%
Derived from a cross between a male strain Appalachia and a Nepali OG female, Mother’s Milk nourishes with relaxation, elevated mood, and general physical discomfort relief.
While plenty potent, Mother’s Milk delivers its benefits with a soft touch, achieving a delicate balance thanks to its hybrid status.
This unique characteristic makes it a newbie’s dream bud. The top terpenes in Mother’s Milk, myrcene and limonene, waft forth aromas like mango and citrus slices.
Bubba Fett
Indica
THC: 26.20%
A new crossbreed of ’98 Bubba Kush and Stardawg, Bubba Fett gently entices consumers who are on the hunt for a bounty of calmness and deep contemplation.
A dense bud structure is immediately visually striking, hiding a wealth of tasty trichomes inside. Long-lasting and relaxing, Bubba Fett eases tension and helps the consumer blast off into better sleep.
Terpenes are expressed as clove stems in caryophyllene and citrus in limonene.
Dalae OG
Hybrid
THC: 20 – 26%
Another restful bud that’s often used as a night strain, Dalae OG, is an indica-dominant hybrid that layers the consumer with a warm blanket of cozy sedation.
Tickling the senses with that trademark OG Kush flavor and aroma, this bud balances the scales for anyone in search of the absolute pinnacle of relaxation.
Much like Mother’s Milk, Dalae OG’s comfort is colored by myrcene and limonene terpenes.
Light of Jah
Hybrid
THC: 24 – 26%
Let Jah in with Light of Jah, a sativa-dominant hybrid that brightens the day by singing sweet songs of positive energy.
A cross of Jack Herer and Disputed Northern California, Light of Jah packs a punch, with robust effects that dance through creativity and euphoria.
This astounding strain also relieves physical discomfort. Its top terpenes include the citrusy limonene, as well as the lilac-tinged terpinolene.
Primus OG
Indica
THC: 21-27%
Primus OG is a complex hybrid that brings together the best qualities of three-parent strains.
303 OG gives it a sour yet fruity flavor, while Trainwreck arrives right on time with long-lasting euphoria, and Arcata pivots the high into a creative kick.
It’s the ultimate perfect storm of lush aroma, dynamic flavor, and long-lasting effects.
Highly sought after by consumers in recreational and medicinal circles, Primus OG relaxes the mind and body, managing day-to-day stress, physical discomfort, and bouts of gloom.
Top terpenes include mango-scented myrcene and clove-esque caryophyllene.
Pineapple Express
Sativa
THC: 16.3 – 23.5%
Naysayers might think it sold out after going Hollywood, but Pineapple Express is still a favorite among dedicated sativa consumers.
Initially bred by G13 Labs, Pineapple Express crosses the Trainwreck and Hawaii strains for a sativa-dominant bud that stimulates a cerebral head high for a creative, energetic spark.
Purple and bright reddish-orange hairs offer a striking visual appearance, while the strain delivers on its name with frosted pineapple that’s mixed with slightly sweet and sour flavors.
Top terpenes include caryophyllene with its clove stems and seeds, along with the hop-forward humulene.
More Than THC: The Science of ‘Getting High’
Compounds like THC aren’t solo artists but rather work in concert with other components and processes of cannabis.
THC is just one of possibly hundreds of compounds in cannabis known as cannabinoids.
Also including CBD and CBG, cannabinoids as a whole inspire the broad spectrum of effects jostled loose when we smoke or ingest marijuana.
But cannabinoids don’t only cooperate with other cannabinoids—they also work with terpenes to get you nicely toasted.
What Are Terpenes?
A collection of aromatic molecules found in the same glands that produce cannabinoids, terpenes are responsible for the singular aroma of each cannabis cultivar.
Citrus, pine, skunk, and everything in between, the utterly sublime scents we associate with weed, are all thanks to terpenes.
There are well over 200 terpene varieties found in a cannabis plant at various levels, and each strain claims its distinctive flavor from its unique terpene profile.
As for the process of how cannabinoids and terpenes blend, it comes down to something known as the Entourage Effect.
What Is The Entourage Effect?
To find out how terpenes interact with cannabinoids like THC and CBD, let’s do some science.
THC and CBD are practically identical on a molecular level, both possessing 21 carbon atoms, 30 hydrogen atoms, and 2 oxygen atoms.
When you intake THC, in any of your preferred methods, it binds with your brain’s cannabinoid receptors within your body’s Endocannabinoid System—where your body naturally processes cannabis.
When terpenes get together with cannabinoids in the Endocannabinoid System, it initiates the Entourage Effect, a theory describing how cannabinoids like THC and CBD connect with terpenes to kickstart a colorful array of benefits in the mind and body.
The idea goes that in the Entourage Effect, cannabinoids and terpenes gather and join forces to create a defensive barrier against stressors inside the body, soothing your inner workings and helping you maintain general relaxation, improve your mood, elevate your appetite, support proper immune function, achieve restful sleep, spark your creativity, and more.
Shine On At Lightshade
Peak THC levels alone aren’t enough to set your high in motion, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to start your session with dank buds.
Lightshade’s expert budtenders guide you through the forest of juicy nugs, helping you find the ideal high-THC strain without getting lost in the haze.
Weed Personified: The Best Cannabis Strains for How Others See You
If you were a cannabis strain, what strain would you be?
There’s nothing like spending holidays with the family. Nobody knows you quite as well – but that also means your family is uniquely qualified to push your buttons.
And we bet you know a few tricks to get under their skin too.
So, to help you relieve some of the pre-holiday scaries, we’ve put together a list of the best cannabis strains for our favorite family roles.
Whether you’re the cool, 420-friendly aunt distributing medicated brownies, or the bad boy cousin sneaking a quick vape sesh in the backyard before dinner, we’ve got you covered.
What strains of weed are there?
Let’s cover the wide world of weed strains to get started. There are a lot, so clearly, we’re not going to cover all – or even most of them.
In fact, according to some estimates, there are over 700 known weed strains commercially available in the US today. That’s a whole lot of ganja!
For cannabis newbies, this can lead to many questions about the differences between smoking indica, sativa, or hybrid. For example, what kind of high is indica? Which strain makes you sleepy, indica or sativa?
So, before we get to the meat of our selected subject, let’s take a closer look.
Do different strains of weed have different effects?
The way cultivators breed different weed strains creates unique effects particular to the strain. Effects can range from indica dominant strains that produce a sedating body high to sativa-dominant strains that can help you tackle your holiday shopping list, to hybrid strains that fall somewhere in the middle.
The best weed strain for you depends on a host of factors, including your tolerance and personality. You’ll probably find a way to fit both indica and sativa into your rotation, to experience both effects.
To quote the late, great Juice WRLD, “I found your vibe, and I found my high.” So let’s dig into the best marijuana strains for creativity, relaxation, and more, depending on your family role.
The Best Weed Strain for Your Family Personality Type
The Chilled Out Earth Mama
If there’s a loaf of bread rising in your kitchen right now, or you’re knee-deep in a macrame plant holder project, we bet your family sees you as the chilled-out earth mama type.
Whether you’re the mom to kids named after natural features or folk singers, or you radiate loving maternal energy, Blueberry Headband is for you. It is tension relieving and relaxing, and it pairs perfectly with a Buddha Bowl and the new Lorde LP on vinyl.
The Stressed Out Gen X Dad
Frankly, you don’t know how it happened. One day you were chilling out, blasting Nirvana, and the next thing you know, you were forty, surrounded by screaming kids, scheming relatives, and, to be fair, an awe-inspiring record collection.
Take the edge off with a soothing dose of Bubba Fett, which creates a calming, deeply contemplative effect powerful enough that you won’t scream out loud when someone insists on playing All I Want for Christmas is You for the millionth time. Breathe the Bubba in deep. You’ve got DEVO’s Merry Something all cued up.
The Zen Sister
You drink matcha instead of espresso.
You tell your family you’re on a wellness journey.
You own many pairs of recycled water bottle exercise pants.
You have a favorite YouTube yoga teacher.
And you own a phone with three meditation apps installed!
You’re the zen sister – which means you’re a perfect fit for the Stardawg strain. This indica-dominant hybrid is ideal for leading family stretches, convincing everyone to eat their vegetables, and making it through the holidays with your chill intact.
The Bold Brother
You’re the baby of the family and not afraid to take chances.
Or you’re the oldest, whose every move was applauded by mom and dad.
Either way, you’re the risk-taker of the family, the big dreamer who’s always hopping from one venture to the next.
WOOFing on a Norwegian reindeer farm? Skateboarding in Paris? Wherever you’ve been the past few years, we know your family’s happy to have you home.
Celebrate the return of the prodigal son with the joyful, uplifting White 99 strain, a perfect match for your fearless spirit.
The CrossFit Aunt
You’ve been trying to get the family to participate in Thanksgiving turkey trots, and Festival of Lights fun runs for at least a decade. A morning jog is your favorite medicine. And yeah, maybe you’re still a little pissed that nobody else wanted to make the holiday dinners fully paleo.
You’re the hardworking, butt-kicking CrossFit Aunt, and you need a strain that matches your energy level.
The euphoria-inducing, creatively stimulating Sour Joker strain fits the bill, the perfect head-clearing day strain for your stamina and drive. And cottonmouth isn’t a problem when you tote around that giant all-day water bottle!
The Creative Cousin
You work as an art teacher, graphic designer, writer, or some other creative role in your full-time job.
On the weekends, you paint in your studio, jam out with your band, and go to museums, posting all your adventures on Instagram.
We bet your younger cousins think you’re the ultimate cool grownup – and to be honest, so do we!
Honor your creative self with a toke or two of the Lavender Jones strain, a sativa-dominant hybrid with enlivening, creativity-boosting qualities that make it the ultimate day strain.
An ideal accompaniment to artistically wrapping a mountain of gifts or winning the annual cookie icing contest.
The Fun Uncle
You’re the king of pillow forts and piggyback rides, always ready with a bad joke or a harmless prank.
More than anyone else in the family, you’ve kept your childlike inner joy alive, and they appreciate it, even if you’re less willing than your siblings to talk about real estate and political news with your dad.
Connect with your fun-loving self with the Pineapple Express strain, which creates a creative, happy, and stimulating sense of euphoria guaranteed to bust the grown-up conversation blahs.
Organizing an impromptu post toke caroling party is, of course, optional.
The Cool Aunt
If you can’t think of who the cool aunt is in your family, it’s probably you.
Maybe you’re a blood relative.
Maybe you’re a beloved friend of one of the older members, who swans in every other holiday season with a bag full of gifts from your business travels like some bougie Santa Clause.
You’re sophisticated, fearless, and everyone is just a little bit jealous of your jet-setting lifestyle.
You need a strain that matches your energy like Durban Poison, which is mood-elevating, energizing, and as positive as you. It pairs well with a glass of chilled chardonnay.
The Grumpy Grandpa
Let’s face it; we’ve all ended up like the grumpy grandpa at one point or another. Sometimes the holidays just seem like they’re crashing in on you, with all the plans, family drama, and endless events to attend.
Sometimes grandpa just needs a rest!
The long-lasting Primus OG strain is the perfect cannabis strain when you need to unwind after a hectic day. Its relaxing, sedating effects pair perfectly with a glass of warm eggnog (bourbon optional!) and a classic holiday movie on TV.
Kick back and relax, grandpa. You’ve earned it!
Find a strain that perfectly encapsulates your personality. Click here to place an online order for in-store pickup from Lightshade.
The Best Weed Strains to Help You Celebrate the Holidays
The holiday season has us reaching for potent, high-quality cannabis strains. So if it puts you in the same mood, this blog is for you.
Whether we’re elevating the hall-decking experience or taking the edge off stressful family gatherings, the holiday season puts us in the mood for high-quality cannabis.
You’d be surprised how often folks like you ask for our recommendations for products that take the edge off creepy uncles or make gift shopping less, well, like gift shopping.
So, read on for our top holiday strain picks–and visit your favorite Lightshade location for personalized strain suggestions.
Strains to Get You Through The Holidays
The best strains for the holiday gathering of your dreams.
Energetic Strains
Energizing and activating, these strains are perfect for when you need an extra dose of energy to get you through a busy day. Here are our top five picks for spirit boosting strains:
A stimulating, euphoric daytime strain, Red Headed Stranger’s relatively low THC percentage means it’s an excellent boost for a family gathering or that holiday party you’re dreading but need to attend.
This potent and stimulating daytime strain creates focused energy. Perfect for icing a gigantic stack of cookies or dreaming up a series of perfect gifts on an all-day browsing session IRL or online.
A popular component in many hybrid cookie-themed strains, The White provides an even head and body high that pairs perfectly with its sweet, spicy aroma. Our favorite Christmas strain for wrapping presents.
Euphoric and appetite-stimulating, Durban Poison is the perfect companion for long holiday dinners. Grandma’s famous gelatin molds will suddenly seem a whole lot more appealing!
Although the name might suggest the opposite of ideal holiday behavior, Sour Joker creates a clear-headed full-body buzz. It pairs perfectly with sledding with your little cousins or a day on the Colorado slopes.
Creativity-Inspiring Strains
The best part of the holidays is the sense of wonder they create. Tap into your imagination with our top five picks for creativity-inspiring Christmas weed strains:
Creating instantly uplifting exhilaration, Blue Dream is great for creative play. The sweet blueberry flavor summons up nostalgic memories, perfect for illustrating a memorable holiday card or creating DIY decor.
Perfect for hiking and exploration, Orange Herijuana is the ideal Christmas tree strain for decorating with greenery. Enjoy the sweet, spicy flavor before strolling through a local trail collecting pine cones for a centerpiece or making a DIY wreath.
A joyful strain designed to lift your mood while keeping the nerves calm and the mind steady, Lavender Jones has a spice cabinet complexity that fills it with the holiday spirit. The perfect pairing for decking out a gingerbread house.
With a delightful sweet n sour taste, Pineapple Express creates a jubilant head high. Enjoy the cerebral, energetic, and euphoric experience–which pairs perfectly with caroling or an impromptu snowball fight.
With a tropical aroma reminiscent of an island breeze, White 99 is the strain for when the holiday drama gets to be a little overwhelming. So allow yourself a moment of escape with this relaxing strain, which eases sadness and anxiety while supporting the creative flow.
Calming Strains
Sometimes you just need to take a breath. These calming strains can help you center yourself and find ease amid the holiday madness. Here are our top five favorites:
With a name that makes it the ultimate Christmas OG strain, this euphoria-boosting strain’s notes of lemony pine remind us of strolling through the heights of Rocky Mountain National Park. Perfect for getting away while staying put.
Perfect for sinking relaxedly into a more creative headspace, Mother’s Milk has a lush, fruity, creamy taste that feels like pure indulgence—an excellent strain for snatching a moment of self-care amidst the holiday madness.
Coated with a glittering layer of starlike sparkling crystal trichomes, there’s something about Star Dawd that just feels special. Aromas of sour citrus and earthy pine help create an uplifting, stress-relieving effect, perfect for a holiday game night.
With a light green flower accented with deep red strands that lend White Dawg a fruity, sour flavor, White Dawg just looks like pure holiday spirit in flower form. Enjoy the combined stress-eliminating power of combined CBD and THC.
As a non-psychoactive strain, Lightshade CBD is perfect for those seemingly endless holiday afternoons when you want to unwind while still staying present—guaranteed to help you get genuinely excited about that gift of cozy holiday socks.
Restful Strains
Once the busy day is over, you need kush to unwind with visions of flower dancing in your head. So here are our top restful strains to enjoy at the end of the day:
When your holiday stress is at its apex, creating a relaxing and sedating high, Dalae OG is the strain to turn to. This sweet, tension-relieving strain helps make even the most overwhelming family drama seem like a problem for future you.
Fruity Pebbles is pure nostalgia in flower form. Its aroma–a blend of fruity terpenes with a creamy undertone–is so evocative of the sugary cereals of our childhood you’ll look in the baggie for a prize. Perfect for dreamy trips down memory lane.
We love indulging in a little Skunkberry at the end of a long day for the way it takes you on a cannabis journey. Start with euphoria and creativity, journaling or drawing to ease your transition to sleep. Then sink into dreamland with lush, complete body relaxation.
As sticky, dense, and indulgent as a holiday morning cinnamon roll, Bubba Fett creates a long-lasting, relaxing trip down the lazy river of the mind. It pairs well with falling asleep on the couch to the dulcet tones of the Star Wars Holiday Special.
With a super sweet palette of berry and grape aromas, Grandaddy Purps feels like an indulgent treat at the end of a stressful, overbooked holiday day. So enjoy the dreamy buzz as you sink into a restful sleep.
BONUS: Strains with Holiday Names
While none of them cracked our top five favorites in any categories, there are a few strains whose Christmas-themed names have earned them a place in the 12 strains of Christmas. Here are some of the most festively named strains around:
- Christmas tree strain
- Jesus OG
- Permafrost
- Three kings bud
- Foggy pines strain
- Sweet cookies strain
- Wookie cookie strain
- Jack frost kush
- Silver kush strain
- Snow blaze strain
- Grinch weed strain
- Sugarplum fairy
Are you interested in checking out one of these strains? Then, stop by your local Lightshade to discover the perfect merry Christmas weed of your stoner Christmas dreams.
Old Weed! What’s it Good For? (Absolutely a Few Things!)
Do you have a jar of old weed stashed in a forgotten corner? Don’t toss it yet; your old weed might be helpful.
Old, stale weed is sad. Stashed in a forgotten cabinet or left lingering in a backpack, your top-shelf flower is now nothing more than a dehydrated disgrace.
But don’t despair!
It turns out that you can put your (now) lousy weed to good use. Our expert budtenders know a thing or two about how you can make the most of your old weed. So, keep reading.
Does Weed Go Bad?
Let’s start with the basics. Does weed expire?
The answer to the question, “can weed go bad?” depends on your definition of bad. In general, old weed won’t get you sick the way other “expired” things might, like a moldy cheese rind or a questionable packet of discounted ground beef (yikes).
However, if you live in a particularly damp or humid area (not likely in Colorado), mold loves weed almost as much as we do, so you might want to give your ancient nugs a close inspection before grabbing that torch.
Still, there remains the question, can weed expire?
In short, the answer is no.
If your dusty stash is fuzzy with mold, toss it. But otherwise, you should be good to go, no matter how ancient it may appear.
Does Weed Lose Potency Over Time?
Old cannabis probably won’t hurt you, but will it still get you high? Of course, it will. But it won’t send you into the stratosphere the way it would have when your stash was fluffy and fresh.
It’s hard to say precisely how much potency weed loses over time, but some research suggests that cannabis loses about a quarter of its THC potency every two years.
Does Weed Get Stale?
Now that you’ve determined your stash is less than eight years old and probably still has some THC to offer let’s talk quality.
Can weed go stale? It definitely can.
And while stale weed won’t impact your health, it will taste different (gross) and won’t be as enjoyable to consume.
Here’s how to check if your stash is beyond its prime. Give it the sniff test. If your rediscovered stash smells dry and dusty, you’ve got stale weed on your hands.
And how long does the smell of fresh weed last?
The timeline is accelerated compared to THC, declining after about six months if stored properly (emphasis on “stored properly”).
How Long is Weed Good For?
When you combine the considerations of potency, smell, and quality, how long does weed stay fresh?
Like most cannabis-related things, the answer is hazy. Depending on your desired experience, most experts say you have about a year from purchase before your weed’s quality diminishes significantly. But, of course, fresh is always best.
Does Old Weed Get You High?
We’ve determined cannabis can age, become stale, and grow mold if the conditions are right. But does old weed get you high? Yes, old weed can still produce psychoactivity.
Your aging cannabis still contains THC, the cannabinoid responsible for much of cannabis characteristic effects, but it won’t pack the same punch. Old weed is weak weed.
What Happens if You Smoke Old Weed?
It might not be the tastiest or the most effective, but is it wrong to smoke old weed?
Smoking old weed isn’t bad for you at all, and as we’ve already established, it will probably still get you high. However, it also tastes genuinely awful!
Depending on the age of the weed, it can develop strange off-flavors that make smoking less than ideal.
So if you’re in a pinch or just curious, it won’t hurt you, but it also won’t be a lot of fun.
Instead, transform your old weed with our budtenders’ suggestions.
What Can I Use Old Weed For?
Buying fresh is always better than suffering through an ancient bowl. But you can put that old weed to good use with these creative ideas:
Edibles
Making edibles from old weed is a genius-level move because you can extract the THC from your cannabis without suffering through the stale weed taste.
To make edibles from old weed, quickly bake your stash in the oven for decarboxylation before infusing in butter or coconut oil. Then, use your fat in the baked good of your choice, or slather a little weed butter on a toaster waffle–whatever works!
Concentrate
Dry sifting and infusing oils are the most common ways to create cannabis concentrates, but you can try other methods, too.
You can buy a bubble bag extraction kit to make bubble hash with your aging cannabis, use dry ice to make dry ice hash, or create a tincture by infusing plain alcohol like Everclear or vodka with your old weed.
Vaporize
Last but not least, your go-to vaporizer may work better with old weed because it’s dryer. It will allow you to get dense clouds of vapor without choking on harsh old weed smoke.
However, our warning about taste still applies! Old weed doesn’t taste any better in vaped form than smoked, so you might be better off with another method if you have a sensitive palette.
Dry Sift
You can extract high terpene and cannabinoid concentrations from your aging bud’s trichomes (the crystalline structures coating flower that gives it much of its characteristic effects) through dry sifting.
Here’s the easiest way to get the job done.
Run your aging weed through a grinder and collect the powder (called kief) accumulated at the bottom of the grinder, also called a “keif catcher.” Sprinkle your sifted kief atop a fresh bowl to give it an extra potency boost.
How to Store Weed for Future Consumption
No matter how creative you get with old weed, smart cannabis storage is essential for preventing future waste. But, can you freeze marijuana for longer shelf life? Not if you want to preserve its quality. Your freezer could cause a decline in the quality of your cannabis.
So it’s room temperature or bust, but how long can you store marijuana? And what’s the best weed container?
The best way to store cannabis is inside a glass jar, like the jars with dehumidifying packets you might see in your local dispensary. Under the proper conditions, these jars will keep your cannabis tasty and fresh!
Still, the best solution to old weed is, you guessed it, new weed.
Refresh your stash this week with Lightshade.
What Happens to Your Body When You Consume Cannabis?
Have you ever wondered what your body does after you consume cannabis? It’s fascinating. Here’s what you need to know.
Whether you’re intimately familiar with cannabis or you’re just beginning your journey with this historically misunderstood plant, the interaction between weed and the human body might still be a mystery to you.
It’s understandable. After all, America’s War on Drugs made cannabis a hazy proposition for most folks, and it seriously limited researchers’ ability (and willingness) to study its effects.
Fortunately, there’s enough information out there to at least give us a cursory idea of what happens to our bodies after consuming cannabis. So, let’s take a closer look – starting with some basics.
Why does pot make your eyes red?
Let’s start with one of marijuana’s most visible effects–the classic red-hued eyes.
Why does weed make your eyes red? Contrary to popular belief, eye redness isn’t from smoke. Instead, the interactions between cannabis’ active ingredients, including THC, and your endocannabinoid system (ECS), which has receptors throughout the body, including your eyes, causes “weed eyes.”
THC widens blood vessels, increasing blood flow throughout the body. So, that’s what causes your classic bloodshot eyes.
And if you’re wondering if edibles produce the same effect, the answer is yes.
But what about the other cannabinoids? Does CBD make your eyes red too? Nope! CBD-only products, or even some with a lower THC content, won’t interact with the endocannabinoid system in the same way.
What does weed do to your body?
Let’s take a closer look at the rest of your endocannabinoid system. How does marijuana affect your body overall? Well, as it turns out, there’s a lot that happens when you consume cannabis! Here’s a shortlist of what cannabis does to our bodies:
- Promotes proper immune function
- Supports cartilage and joint function
- It might help relieve occasional constipation
- Promotes restful sleep
- Soothes or calms the skin
- Keeps a typical, healthy attitude during PMS
Because the endocannabinoid system exists throughout the body, the effects of marijuana’s active compounds can vary considerably based on your physiology, tolerance, and what symptoms of pain or dysfunction you experience in ordinary life. So what does weed do to your body in general? It depends!
How does weed impact your mind?
We’ve covered the body, but what does weed do mentally? The effects of weed on the brain are as variable as the effects of cannabis on the body.
So, what does weed do to your brain? Again it depends, but here are some mental health conditions people support with cannabis:
- Increases mental acuity
- Promotes general productivity
- Improves absent-mindedness
- Supports normal mental function
- Promotes emotional well-being
- It can assist in elevating your mood
- Helps alleviate occasional blue feelings everyone gets from time to time
- For a relaxed feeling
- Helps improve your mood
Due to negative stereotypes, people often fear side effects, like feeling out of control mentally or intense paranoia. But, in reality, many people have found that cannabis helps them mentally, providing stability and support.
What are the effects of weed on pain?
People often choose to consume cannabis to treat general pain. Even people who ask, “is weed dangerous,” are now looking at the plant as a pain management alternative.
Because, unlike conventional painkillers, cannabis isn’t physically addictive, so it’s a safer choice than habit-forming prescriptions, and it’s stronger than over-the-counter ibuprofen.
Here are a few common ways people implement cannabis for pain relief:
- Workout recovery
- Occasional headache relief
- Generally soothes
- Reduced soreness from daily activities
- Diminished menstrual pain
So how does this work? Well, again, it comes back to your endocannabinoid system. THC binds with your CB1 and CB2 receptors, the ECS’ primary system for receiving messages. The cannabinoid tells the receptors to reduce pain perception for temporary relief.
What are the effects of weed on anxiety?
Thanks to early 20th-century anti-cannabis propaganda, many people think cannabis causes paranoia. On the contrary, countless people consume cannabis to help them cope with anxious, stressed, or paranoid feelings. Here’s a list of other maladies folks treat with cannabis:
- Relief of occasional anxiety
- Stress and frustration relief
- Providing clarity
- Mood stabilization
If cannabis leaves you feeling anxious or paranoid, it’s a sign you’re consuming too much THC. So, ask your budtender to recommend a less intense strain (or a strain balanced with CBD), and try, try again.
How can weed impact weight loss?
Does smoking weed help you lose weight? Officially, the jury’s out. However, anecdotally, evidence suggests that cannabis might support healthy weight management by bolstering our body’s natural digestive mechanisms like:
- Blood sugar
- Digestion
- Gut discomfort
- Reduced intestinal flora
- Restored intestinal flora
Most people reading this blog are familiar with the classic munchies-prone stoner stereotype. So learning that cannabis might support healthy weight management probably comes as a shock. But for many people, cannabis can help support a more beneficial, more sustainable approach to weight management.
Still, some strains will have you clearing your pantry. But our budtenders are here to help you find the right products. We’ll get you there.
Knowledge is power.
Now you should have a basic understanding of cannabis’ effects on your body. And since knowledge truly is power, your next Colorado dispensary shopping trip will be somewhat different. You’ll have enough information to start an educated conversation with your budtender to find the best products for you.
It’s time to start your cannabis journey. Place an online order with Lightshade today.
How to Make a Cannabis Bowl from a Pumpkin
How to Make a Pumpkin Weed Bowl
Last but not least, the hero of spooky season; the great pumpkin weed bowl. We’ve all been left with a loose pumpkin or two on our hands after Halloween is over, and what better fate for these noble fruits than to be transformed into a delightful (and seasonally appropriate) pipe?
First, carve a shallow cavity at the top of the pumpkin, with a small hole at the bottom to allow air (but not flower) to pass through. Now punch two holes to serve as the stem and carb, making sure to get to the pumpkin’s hollow center. The last step? Don’t do drugs if you’re a character in a horror movie. The stoners always get knocked off first.
Step 1: Cut a lid on the top of your pumpkin like you’re carving a jack-o-lantern and carve a shallow hole.
Step 2: Remove the pumpkin’s guts.
Step 3: Punch a small hole in the pumpkin’s side to use as your bowl.
Step 4: Punch an additional hole in the pumpkin’s side from which you’ll inhale.
Step 5: Place the bowl/stem from another bong in the hole you punched and fill the bowl with freshly ground cannabis.
Step 6: Fill your pumpkin halfway with water.
Step 7: Light, inhale, relax, and repeat.
Need some weed to drop into your new fruit pipe? Hit our site to place an online order from one of our Colorado dispensaries today.
How to Make a Cannabis Bubbler Pipe from a Pineapple
How to Make a Homemade Bubbler Pipe Out of a Pineapple
Maybe there’s a reason SpongeBob was always so cheerful–his pineapple house also makes a fantastic homemade bong.
To recreate the magic of Bikini Bottom, cut off the top of your pineapple and hollow out the center. Next, cut a hole down the side at an angle, filling it with a spare downstem and bowl from another bong before filling the pineapple with water. Inhale, and reflect on how Squidward had it all wrong.
Step 1: Cut the top off your pineapple (but don’t discard it – you’ll need the top later).
Step 2: Hollow out the center of your pineapple.
Step 3: Cut a hole at an angle in the side of your pineapple (a little less than halfway between the pineapple’s top and bottom).
Step 4: Place a spare bowl/stem from another bong in the hole you poked in the pineapple’s side.
Step 5: Fill your pineapple with water.
Step 6: Poke a hole in the pineapple top from which you’ll inhale and place the top back on the pineapple.
Step 7: Load your bowl and smoke.
Need some weed to drop into your new fruit pipe? Hit our site to place an online order from one of our Colorado dispensaries today.
How to Make a Cannabis Pipe from a Banana
How to Make a Pipe Out of a Banana
We’re not trying to make a monkey out of you–bananas make excellent vehicles for smoking cannabis. And no, that’s not because of the weird urban legend that the peels get you high! You’ll need to stick to cannabis for that.
Our banana pipe, step by step, contains two paths; the easy way and the hard way.
The easy way is to simply poke a (clean!) pen through the center of the banana, starting at the end and continuing until you’ve formed a narrow passageway. Then, poke a second hole at the end of that passageway from above, and voila!
If you want to get fancy, you can cut the bottom of the banana off and hollow it out, perching it atop that secondary hole at the end of your passageway to form a more commodious bowl. This shit is, indeed, bananas.
The Easy Way
Step 1: Using a clean pen, poke a hole through the center of the banana to form a narrow passage starting from the top. This is where you’ll inhale.
Step 2: Create a second hole at the end of the first passageway to make your bowl.
The Hard Way
Step 1: Cut the bottom off the banana and use a pen to create a small hole in the cut-off portion – this will be your bowl.
Step 2: Poke a hole in the top of the banana where you cut off the portion you used for the bowl. Use that hole to create a narrow chamber that runs the length of the banana.
Step 3: Poke a hole that’s roughly the same size and shape as the piece you cut off to make your bowl, and join the bowl piece to the banana.
Need some weed to drop into your new fruit pipe? Hit our site to place an online order from one of our Colorado dispensaries today.
How to Make a Cannabis Pipe from a Pear
How to Make a Pear Pipe
A tasty Bosc is our pear of choice when discovering how to make a weed pipe from this inimitable fruit, both for its easily pierced flesh and the slightly floral taste it lends the smoke.
Simply punch a hole at the wide end of the pear to create your bowl. Then, carve out as much room as you need for what you want to smoke before channeling two smaller tunnels into the side of the chamber, where you’ll place your weed and inhale away.
Step 1: Punch a hole at the pear’s wind end to create a bowl.
Step 2: Create a second hole from which you’ll inhale at the top of the pear and dig deep enough to meet the first hole you created for the bowl.
Step 3: Create a third hole to the side of the bowl hole to create the carb (ensure all holes meet in the center for proper airflow).
Need some weed to drop into your new fruit pipe? Hit our site to place an online order from one of our Colorado dispensaries today.
How to Make a Cannabis Pipe From a Peach
How to Make a Peach Pipe
Select a firmer peach if you want to make a homemade smoking pipe, or you might end up with a handful of mush!
To turn a peach into a pipe, create a bowl above the seed by carving a hole into the side of the peach. Then, make a second hole connecting to the stem of your bowl from the side, so the two passages meet. Finish it off with a carb for a peachy keen smoking experience.
Step 1: Select a firm peach.
Step 2: Carve a hole in the peach’s side above the seed to create a bowl.
Step 3: Create a second hole from which you’ll inhale on the opposite side of the hole you created for the bowl – ensure the holes meet in the center.
Step 4: Create a third hole to use as your carb, also ensuring the hole meets the others for proper airflow.
Need some weed to drop into your new fruit pipe? Hit our site to place an online order from one of our Colorado dispensaries today.