Marijuana is now legal recreationally in 11 states and 33 states have opted in for medical use. The rise of legal marijuana has come a long way since California first legalized marijuana for medical purposes in 1996. Products have evolved to where people don’t just “smoke joints” and “eat brownies”. Botanists and chemists have joined the industry to provide a wide array of marijuana strains, ways to consume cannabis, concentrates, edibles and even marijuana that doesn’t get you high, but provides all the medical benefits.

However, with all the new and exciting ways to consume cannabis, we have to be cognizant of consuming cannabis safely. Also, just like other substances, parents and adults need to take the extra effort to ensure that children do not have access to it. Below are some tips about being safe with your cannabis.

Safe Consumption

You can’t die from consuming cannabis, but that doesn’t mean that you do not have to be safe about it. Here are some tips for consuming cannabis safely:

1. Know your limits – Whether you are smoking or eating cannabis, know your limits. Be careful and let your body feel the effects before you consume more. Being too high is never fun for anyone. Edibles are generally where people get in trouble. They take a long time to kick in, usually between 20-60 minutes depending on the brand and your metabolism. If you are new, start with a small dose, like 5 mg or even less. You want to enjoy the euphoria without feeling out of control. Remember, many gummies and chocolate bars may taste good, but the package includes 100 – 200 mg of THC. That is way too much for one person to consume.
2. Stay in a safe environment – Having fun smoking marijuana or eating edibles is so much better when you are in a comfortable environment. This means no operating machinery. Marijuana inhibits your ability to drive a car or operate machinery, so make sure you are not doing that. We love the lake life here at Lake & Leaf, but don’t smoke and drive your boat. You have to be safe when consuming marijuana, just like alcohol.
3. Know your strains – Cannabis ranges from sativa – which is uplifting and energetic, to indica – which is mellow and relaxed. Know what you want your high to feel like before you consume. If you are going to a concert, you probably don’t want to take a lot of indica, you may not have the energy. However, by the same measure, you probably don’t want to spark up a big sativa bowl before binge watching your favorite show. You may not be able to sit down and relax. Planning ahead and being educated by your budtender on the products will help you prepare for your high and give you the best experience.

Keep Marijuana Away from Children

While having great tasting edibles is a goal of many manufacturers, we all must remember that there is THC inside of some of the gummies and chocolate bars. These things will be naturally tempting for children and so steps must be taken to keep them out of children’s hands. Here are some pointers about keeping your cannabis safe from children.

1. Don’t consume cannabis directly in front of your children. This is mainly for smokers but applies to all. If kids think it’s okay and that it’s cool to consume marijuana, then they will go looking for it. Or their friends will go looking for it. If your children don’t know you consume marijuana, that is half the battle. Not to mention secondhand marijuana smoke is not good for children.
2. Lock your cannabis up – There are many lock boxes, small safes or strongboxes that can be found for as cheap as $30. If you put your cannabis inside of the device and hide the device, then it is nearly impossible for children to find and consume your cannabis. Keeping it locked away also tells children that it is important, and they shouldn’t touch it. Children are naturally curious anyways, so make sure the locking mechanism can’t be easily picked and it is well hidden.
3. Discuss Marijuana use with your children – Have the ever-important talk with them. It is just like alcohol; you cannot consume it legally until you are 21. The less stigma that is attached to the product, the less tempted children will be to go searching for it. You also have to let them know of some of the dangers of consuming marijuana, especially at a young age. It is a gateway drug for sure that can lead to much harder and more dangerous drugs down the road. Marijuana is also not a good thing for a developing brain, so teenagers really shouldn’t consume it.
4. Keep away from pets! – Some pets are very curious and like to eat anything that is even semi tasty or downright disgusting. That is why you want to keep marijuana away from your pets. Dogs consuming cannabis have a terrible time controlling bladder function. Keeping these things high and away from pets is the best way to ensure your furry friends to don’t get high.

Following the above tricks will allow you to consume cannabis in a safe and fun environment to maximize your experience. Consuming cannabis can be fun and is much safer for you than alcohol. Just make sure you keep it away from your children and pets by following the pointers above. When you consume marijuana safely, it makes your entire experience much better.

Stop into Lake & Leaf Cannabis Co. and check out are variety of cannabis products from edibles and flower to concentrates and vapes. Our experienced and friendly staff will walk you through all of the different products and what is best for you.