Joint Opinions
A Love Letter to Cannabis
This Valentine’s Day, one writer reflects on the versatility of cannabis and reveals a quick trick for explaining the magic of this plant to those who are apprehensive about it.
Whenever someone comes to me with an ailment they have not been able to cure or treat with traditional medicine, I’m quick to recommend some form of cannabis to help them with their issues. It’s a treatment I am always passionate to talk about and love being able to blow minds with suggestions that can fit into any lifestyle. For people who already have a working knowledge of strains and the range of cannabis-infused products, finding out that a topical can help treat your sore feet at the end of a long shift or that there are gummy bears that can ease the agony of insomnia may not be that revolutionary — but for others, it can be a game-changer.
My absolute favorite thing about cannabis is its versatility. I often explain to people that it’s like taking an aspirin. One person might use it for their headache, another might need it for their sprained ankle and yet another person might use it to ease their menstrual cramps, but they can all count on it to get the job done according to their body’s specific needs. I see their eyes light up with an understanding that didn’t occur to them before and an openness to learn more about how they can utilize it in a way that makes the most sense for them.
With cannabis, there are teas, coffees, juices, kombucha and wine. There’s jam, honey, hot sauce, olive oil and coconut oil. You can snack on popcorn, nuts, pretzels and granola or indulge in cookies, mini cakes, chocolates, caramels and gumdrops. You can try lotions, creams, salves or massage oils. You can vape, dab, use a pipe or bong, roll a joint, smoke a blunt. You can even use a transdermal patch or slip a dissolvable strip under your tongue. And that’s really just the tip of the iceberg. Plus, to top it off, if you don’t want to experience any psychotropic effects (aka get high), you have the option to use CBD versions of all of these products.
I cannot tell you how many friends I’ve had that suffer from symptoms that are only minimally reduced by the medications they are prescribed to handle the problem, but experience such relief when they try a cannabis product. However skeptical or hesitant they are, these feelings disappear when the singeing burn of fibromyalgia is taken away with a few hits from a CBD vape pen or they can rest peacefully after a single dose of tincture whisks away their excruciating back pain.
I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to learn and share about cannabis in a way that can empower other people to see beyond some of the negative narratives and limiting perspectives of what cannabis can do for their lives. Once people understand that a beautiful plant can create flowers that can be transformed into something you can smoke, eat, drink, bathe in, rub on your skin and more, the doors of acceptance open up and allow them to see how useful it can be for them.
TELL US, is cannabis your Valentine today?