Now that Thanksgiving has passed, and Black Friday is thankfully a memory, it’s now time to prepare for the mad rush of the winter holidays. Purchasing last minute gifts, deciding who will host this year’s festivities, and who is bringing which dish to the event are all typical of the season. As more and more states are making cannabis consumption legal, I’ve had more family members interested in cannabis in one form or another.
Maybe the family banter at the Thanksgiving table wound its way to cannabis due to a sick family member, or maybe inquisitive minds won out. Whatever reason, you are now the person who has been tasked with (re)introducing Grandma – who hasn’t seen a joint since Woodstock – to cannabis. Great! As the family’s resident stoner, this should be a layup. But, how do you get Meemaw stoned without ruining the holiday spirit?!? Remember, things have changed significantly over the past 10 years, let alone since the 60’s. Between strain potency and the multiple ways to consume, we are in a whole new cannabis world. We’ve been there and want to be a resource for helping you in your task.
To Start Things Off
So, Grandma wants to try cannabis during your next Holiday get together, and you’re asking yourself where to start. First things first, this is not the time to see how close to Saturn’s rings Grandma can get. Like we have stated in other posts, strains are quite a bit stronger than the past and edibles can have well over 100mg of THC, which is a lot even for seasoned users. This brings us to part one…what is she comfortable with?
Has she ever tried cannabis? Is she currently a smoker (non-cannabis) and prefers to try flower? Did she quit cigarettes years ago and afraid of triggering the old cravings? Would she rather eat a gummy? Does she have sensitivities to other medications? Does she easily get light-headed? What type of a high does she want to experience? These are all questions you can ask. Remember, we want her to be as comfortable as possible to avoid a bad experience.
A Chemical Like Any Other
So, you’ve had the initial conversation about their preferred method of consumption, what now?
As we get older, in general, we tend to require medications to treat anything from high blood pressure and allergies to Arthritis. Just like any other medicine, or even food, cannabis is a chemical like any other that our bodies can break down and as such can cause adverse reactions with other chemicals you may imbibe. Why am I bringing this up? Well, it may be a good idea to have her talk with her primary care provider to make sure any current medications, or conditions (schizophrenia) won’t have any adverse reactions.
We Got the Okay…Now What?
You’ve got the okay from her doctor, and she has expressed an interest in…let’s say edibles, what now? It’s time to acquire said edibles, but why not make a day out of it and take Grandma on a lunch and dispensary date? Find a date and time that works for her and take her to her favorite lunch spot, followed by a chat with your local budtender. They will be able to walk her through the different options when it comes to edibles. Would she rather a gummy, chocolate, cookie or maybe a tincture to add to coffee and dessert at Christmas? Would something full spectrum (THC+CBD) be a better option? Does she have aches and pains? Would she like a little help sleeping? All these questions can be covered by your budtender, as well as what an appropriate dosage may be.
The Main Event
The edibles have been purchased and it’s now the day of your holiday family event, when should you and Grandma consume your products? Well, that’s completely up to the two of you, but may we suggest towards the end of the event, maybe towards the end of dinner or dessert. This way if she does experience anxiety or seems sensitive to the THC she can always go to sleep and not have to ride it out for hours on end.
Be sure to start small. Remember, similar to cooking you can always add more if needed, but you can’t take out the salt once it has been baked in. We’d even recommend starting with a half dose and waiting an hour and make adjustments from there.
Cruising Altitude
The edibles have been consumed and the effects are kicking in, what now? Now you enjoy your time and help answer any questions Grandma might have. Just make sure she is comfortable and having a good time. You don’t need to helicopter parent her, but do make sure that are able to keep an eye on her. Is she experiencing anxiety? Does she need anything to eat or drink? Is she tired and need to lay down? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then adjust accordingly, otherwise enjoy your time and cherish the memory.
Crash Landings
Any good Amsterdam budtender has dealt with someone who has taken too much cannabis. Even though it is not possible to overdose in the classic sense (i.e. ingesting too much of a drug as to cause health risk or even death), it is still possible to consume too much cannabis for you. As the pilot of this excursion, you should be prepared for this possibility before beginning.
- Fruit juice – the sweeter the better – is your friend.
- OJ is good, Pineapple is better, think sweet & tropical.
- Sugar water can work in a pinch.
- Change the scenery.
- Get up, go for a walk, get some fresh air.
What Not to Do
Don’t let anyone who has consumed cannabis drive. Don’t intentionally give someone cannabis who is unaware of what they are consuming. Don’t intentionally make someone uncomfortably high. Don’t be an a**hole, is essentially what we are saying.
In Closing
We’ve covered a lot of ground, and to some we might have gone a bit overboard, but remember that cannabis while fun, can and does affect each person differently and should be treated as such. With that being said, we at Pot Advisor would like to wish you and your family the happiest of holidays. Enjoy your time with your Grandma!
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