Ten Essential Terms About Smoking Weed Every Newbie Stoner Needs to Know

The world’s relationship with marijuana is a tricky one.

We’ve both loved and hated the burning bush at times. In the 1930s, for instance, Americans feared “Reefer Madness,” a supposed condition characterized by “dangerous hallucinations” and “acts of shocking violence.”

The good news is, we’ve come a long way. Gone are the days when we feared marijuana. Instead of cowering at the mention of the plant’s name, many of us now blaze up when we have some downtime.

Despite this new love of weed, however, several people are still somewhat confused about the complexities of smoking weed.

And, yes, smoking weed can be weirdly complex. From the different terminology to the different strains, the act isn’t as simple as puffing and passing.

Fortunately for you, we’ve taken the time to dissect this seemingly simple pastime. We’ve collected 10 key terms that every new smoker needs to know.

1. Cannabis

Let’s start with the basics. But, before we go any further, we know what you’re thinking right now. “Who doesn’t know what cannabis is,” right?

To be the fair, your question is legitimate. And we have a legitimate answer to it: No, not everyone knows exactly what cannabis is.

What, then, is cannabis?

The term “cannabis” refers to the plant from which we derive our favorite strains. This plant has psychoactive properties, something that many stoners can attest to.

We can break cannabis down into two subcategories: marijuana and hemp. Each of these has its own unique cannabinoid profile (more on this later). Many of us are familiar with marijuana — but not so much with hemp.

So what makes hemp different from weed? Hemp contains low levels of THC and a decent amount of CBD. It has many industrial uses and is legal in several developed countries.

Anyone who wants to learn more about cannabis can check out this list of nine weird things you didn’t know about weed.

2. Cannabinoid

Alright. We’ll now transition to something a bit more interesting. And given our above spiel about marijuana and hemp, this is the perfect time to discuss cannabinoids.

This word may sound fancy and technical, but it has a simple meaning. In simple terms, a cannabinoid is a secondary compound found in cannabis.

So you can think of cannabis as an office and a cannabinoid as one of its workers. In keeping with the analogy, you can think of each worker as essential to the office’s success.

Still not understanding? Then let’s take a look at a couple of cannabinoids. The most noteworthy cannabinoids are:

• CBD
• THC

Each of these cannabinoids is responsible for the effects marijuana has on the human body. Some of those effects are medicinal while others are psychoactive.

But don’t go thinking that these are the only important cannabinoids. Scientists have discovered more than 100 cannabinoids and might discover more in the future.

3. CBD

So we’ve established that CBD is a cannabinoid. That, however, is not all there is to know about CBD.

First and foremost, CBD stands for cannabidiol. With a name like that, it’s easy to see why everyone refers to it as CBD.

In any case, this cannabinoid is known for its many medicinal properties. According to some research, CBD can:

• Alleviate pain
• Increase the death of cancerous cells
• Fight anxiety

And that’s just a short list of the medicinal benefits some people attribute to CBD. It has several other uses, some of which we’re just beginning to understand.

Oh, and here’s one more fun fact about CBD: It doesn’t get you high.

That’s right. Marijuana may contain some CBD, but it’s not responsible for those highs some pot users seek. As you’ll find out in the next section, another cannabinoid has everything to do with those highs.

4. THC

There are many ways to get high, some of them weirder than others. Nutmeg. Catnip. Sleep Deprivation. All weird methods of getting high we’ve discussed before around these parts.

But here’s a pretty normal way of getting high: THC.

As we said before, THC is a cannabinoid, meaning that it’s one of the compounds found in cannabis. And it just happens to be the compound that’s responsible for that euphoric feeling you get when you smoke weed.

What, however, is THC?

THC stands for tetrahydrocannabinol. That’s a mouthful, so don’t stress yourself out too much about memorizing it.

All jokes aside, THC is the most prevalent cannabinoid present in cannabis, and there’s a reason for that. For decades, people have bred cannabis to contain high levels of THC. This obsession with THC is the result of stoners seeking superior highs.

Which we don’t hold against them.

There is also research that suggests that THC, like CBD, aids in relieving pain and fighting anxiety. All in all, CBD and THC make for the quite the super duo.

5. Indica

As a new smoker, you might occasionally hear people use the term “indica” when referring to their pot. Well, don’t panic. It’s not some super technical term.

In fact, indica is just a species of cannabis. This particular species has attributes which make it stand out from others.

Those attributes begin on the physical level. The plant itself is short in stature, and its leaves are broad. Not only that, but it grows best in cooler climates.

You begin to see even more of indica’s unique properties after ingesting it. The general consensus among pot smokers is that indica works like a sedative. That is to say, it promotes relaxation.

If you’re new to marijuana, maybe you think these effects are typical of all weed. But they’re not. The different strands and species of cannabis each have different effects on the body.

6. Sativa

If you’ve never heard of indica, perhaps you’ve heard of sativa. Like indica, it’s a species of cannabis. The similarities, however, end there.

Remember when we said that the indica plant was short and had broad leaves? Well, sativa is indica’s polar opposite. Sativa plants are tall, contain narrow leaves, and grow best in warmer climates.

And its effects on the human body further distinguish it from indica. Sativa usually invigorates those who ingest it. As a result, many people recommend sativa if you’re planning on doing physical activity or creative brainstorming afterward.

Of course, there’s one caveat.

Not all indica and sativa strains follow these “rules.” There are indica and sativa strains which do the exact opposite. The moral of the story is that you should never assume anything about a strain.

7. Rosin

Rosin isn’t as widely known as indica or sativa. So we know that many of you are thinking, “What is rosin?”

Rosin is a type of marijuana extract. It resembles sap and can be made or purchased from a vendor.

The substance is extremely concentrated. In other words, it’s easy to achieve a high using rosin. As a result, stoners typically use small doses of rosin when they’re seeking a high.

There’s a lot more we can say about rosin, but we’d like to point you to a more comprehensive source. That said, check out this post to find out more about rosin and how it’s made.

8. Cannabis Concentrates

There’s a formal term for substances such as rosin: cannabis concentrates. People refer to them as such because manufacturers extract compounds from cannabis plants, a process which leaves behind products that are full of cannabinoids.

THC is just one of the cannabinoids you’ll find in huge quantities in many cannabis concentrates. In fact, come cannabis concentrates boast THC levels of upward of 80 percent. Just imagine the high such products would give you.

Of course, THC isn’t the only cannabinoid the extraction process leaves behind. Many cannabis concentrates are rich in CBD–and poor in THC.

But beware: The term “cannabis concentrate” has become less specific. Some people also use the term to refer to cannabis oil and the wax some stoners vaporize.

9. Hash

Hash, also known as hashish, derives from the dried resin you find on top of cannabis plants — female plants to be exact. Another term for this dried resin is “kief,” a term you might encounter in the stoner community.

You’ll most often see hash sold in the form of blocks or cakes. Many people who smoke weed add this hash to their pipes or vaporize it.

10. Edibles

As you may know, smoking weed can give you a serious case of the munchies. And here’s a great way to preemptively satisfy your food cravings: Edibles.

There’s not much to comprehend about cannabis edibles. If you can imagine your favorite snack jam-packed with cannabis, you have a good idea of what an edible is. It’s just an efficient way of getting your high and your pie all at once.

There is, however, one thing to note here.

Edibles provide a different kind of high. Let’s just say that we don’t recommend eating an entire batch of pot brownies in one sitting. The same thing goes for those future drinks that will be packed with the power of cannabis…

Smoking Weed May Sound More Complex Than You Bargained For

Who would’ve thought that smoking weed could get so technical? Hopefully, all this jargon hasn’t spoiled your high.

But who knows? Maybe this list has given you some ideas on how to get a better high. And if that’s your aim, we salute you.

Speaking of getting a better high, why not get high on weirdness? There’s plenty of weirdness to go around here, so don’t be shy about browsing our blog.

Weirdomatic is the place where all weird things come to life through the amazing world of photographs – a corner of our wild imagination or the whimsical face of the reality?