Even without a worldwide pandemic to worry about, spring can be a challenging time for our immune system. With seasonal allergies, colds, and the good old-fashioned flu running around, our lungs can feel a bit stressed and put-upon. For those of us who depend on medical cannabis, it presents a special problem: How do we access the healing power of cannabis without vaping it?
Fortunately for us, there’s a new crop of cannabis consumption methods that have upended our notions of how to use it (and, perhaps, even what cannabis is!). Let’s walk through a few of these lung-friendly cannabis consumption methods and learn how they might help you stay healthy in this special season.
Lung-Friendly Cannabis Consumption: Oral Solutions and Soft Gels
While it may seem strange to consume cannabis medicine in a liquid form, in some parts of the world, there’s a long and rich tradition of drinking cannabis. In India, for example, cannabis is made into a sort of smoothie called bhang. By comparison, today’s cannabis solutions contain a suspension of highly refined cannabis extracts in a neutral oil called MCT formulated for easy absorption.Â
In addition to sparing the lungs, these solutions offer far more precise dosing than smoking or even vaping cannabis. Whether it’s dispensed by dropper from a bulk liquid—or easier still, taken in precisely measured, portable, and discreet soft gels—it’s a huge advantage to be able to take a consistent and repeatable dose of cannabis medicine.
The bulk oils and soft gels we stock are part of Vireo Health’s Spectrum™ line of cannabis medicines. Sorted into five easy-to-understand color-coded packages, each one offers a specific ratio of the cannabinoids THC to CBD, depending upon your symptoms and conditions.
Lung-Friendly Cannabis Consumption: Tablets
There’s yet another option for those wanting to avoid inhaled cannabis consumption methods: Tablets.Â
In addition to offering extremely precise dosing—each tablet delivers a precise dose of cannabinoids—cannabis tablets offer several other advantages. For one thing, the tablet is a familiar and easy-to-use format for nearly all patients and healthcare professionals. Even if protecting your lungs isn’t the primary concern, tablets present an intuitive and discreet option for those who might be uncomfortable with the notion of cannabis medicine.
What’s more, from the standpoint of bioavailability and pharmacokinetics—the study of how medicines move through and are metabolized by the body—tablets are a uniquely effective and dependable delivery system. Like the bulk oils and soft gels we referenced earlier, the tablets are part of the company’s Spectrum™ line of cannabis medicines. Formulated and sorted into five easy-to-understand color-coded packages, each one offers a specific ratio of THC to CBD to deliver consistent, uniquely tailored results.
How to Get the Best Benefits
The cannabis researchers at Vireo Health have spent a great deal of time studying the critical science of cannabis dosing. As we’ve shared before, the effectiveness of any cannabis medicine is especially dependent upon dosage. Although it might seem counterintuitive, many patients experience better results by taking lower doses of cannabis rather than higher one!
Regardless of dosage, it’s important to know how these new cannabis consumption methods actually interface with the body. That said, these times are influenced by factors such as the patient’s age, cannabis experience, diet, and other medications.Â
In addition, consuming fatty foods or beverages around the same time as the oral solution can affect the bioavailability. That’s one reason we always recommend you wait at least 3 hours before taking another dose.
If you have any questions about these lung-friendly cannabis consumption methods—or any other topics in the world of cannabis—drop us a line. We’d love to help!
