As I said, I want to avoid breathing anything into my lungs. That includes vaping.
And 70%-80% sounds too strong.
Something like a hard candy that would dissolve in my mouth might work. I can experiment with different things.
Colorado resident here, where recreational is legal. I’m a bit of a control freak, so I don’t partake (since a few experiments back in college proved that it made me uncomfortably drowsy and ‘heavy’), nor does my wife who finds a single glass of a $10/bottle wine is more than enough for her. 
But . . . that will likely change in another 10ish years, as arthritis doesn’t run in my family, it gallops! My FiL, who retired years ago and has since done a lot of work as a blacksmith (because why not?) has a large variety of aches and pains, as does my MiL (2 hip replacements) and they swear by CBD oil. They use a relatively high potency (1000MG Full spectrum), where they use a eyedroppers worth under the tongue, and let it absorb, generally in the late evening.
You can’t order online across state, but you might want something similar depending upon your needs.
While the OP doesn’t want one, gun permits are issued at the state (or, depending upon the state, possibly lower - county?) level. One of the questions in our state is “*Are you an individual who is a habitual drunkard, or who is addicted to or an unlawful user of marijuana or a stimulant, depressant, or narcotic drug?”
Given it is legal for card holders, which the OP has. I would think he could truthfully answer that question NO. when it comes to marijuana component of that question if he wanted one; especially as some of the other questions reference specific state statues, not federal ones.
If I ever did want a permit, I would specifically ask if it was a problem. It seems like a gray area and not something I’d want to play semantic games with.
This.
A bit like wine.
No-one can tell you how it’s going to affect you. Start slow !
I’ve had my Pennsylvania MMJ card for three years now and am very happy with the program. Consider checking out r/PaMedicalMarijuana for advice on which dispensary to use, which strains to consider, and just general chitchat.
Pennsylvania’s program doesn’t currently allow gummies, but capsules are available. Many people purchase RSO (Rick Simpson Oil) and use that for making edibles, or just consume a drop placed onto a cookie.
IIRC you are in eastern Pennsylvania. I’m in western Pennsylvania so my suggestions on which dispensary to visit would be of no help.
Fair enough. But, for what it’s worth, the effect of “70-80%” means that you only need 1 (or 2) hits to get your high (rather than, for example, an entire joint, which are now called “pre rolled”). A cartridge would probably last you a month.
(Me? It doesn’t last nearly that long).
Pennsylvania’s MMJ Program does not allow combustion of flower. You can be flower, but it is supposed to be Vaped. So, “pre-rolls” are not available.
I smoke flower at home and use my vape cartridges when out and about. A 500 mg cartridge, which sells for around $50 on average, lasts me a week
Not to take it too far off topic but a medical marijuana license is issued by the state (thru a doctor by presription) and comes up in a background check when you apply for concealed carry permit. Since the OP has no intent on owning a firearm this is a non-issue for him.
Here in Michigan we have legal weed but an employer can still discharge an employee or deny employment for marijuana usage since it is still a federal crime.
Even from a legal state to another legal state? I’m in New Jersey. There’s a particular place in California that I’d like to buy from, and I’ve been hoping that I’ll be able to, once NJ gets all its regulations figured out.
Well, you can technically, but they leave all responsibility in your hands, and as IANAL, I hesitate to say what you should or should not do. From their website.
I am not a Colorado resident. Can you ship to me in another state?
Yes, but it is each customers responsibility to make sure they are complying with their own state laws. To find out more about laws in your state visit www.norml.org.
Former budtender checking in …
No, cannabis cannot cross state lines.
Here in Michigan, for example, all legally sold weed in any form has to have been grown within the state of Michigan.
Leads to, ah, interesting supply/demand issues.
Damn, dude. No gummies, no flower. What even is the point?
Ask three different weed smokers the same question, and you’ll get five different answers.
So much of people’s responses to cannabis varies so widely (due to individual body chemistry, pre-set expectations, etc.) plus that whole “Schedule 1” crap means it hasn’t been properly studied in controlled settings.
Therefore, much of “knowledge” about anything weed related amounts to common lore passed orally from person to person. There’s unfortunately a lot of B.S. and hyped-up nonsense mixed in with the good stuff. (There’s an analogy to stems’n’seeds in there somewhere.)
O.P. just let the budtender know what issue(s) you’re having and what you’re looking for: anxiety? insomnia? pain? Some stuff is geared to help certain things more than others.
… and yes, “Look, lady, I just wanna get high as a kite” is a perfectly cromulent request, too.
The R.S.O. mentioned above is a great all-purpose medicinal aid, as a starting point. Usual dosage is about the size of a grain of rice, or even a droplet half that size - that stuff is potent so start small.
Anything you ingest (as opposed to smoke/vape) takes a while to kick in, so don’t make the rookie mistake of taking a dose, and then, half an hour later, going, “Eh, must not be that strong. I’ll have some more!”
Two hours later, you’re gonna wonder how gravity got turned up to eleven.
I spent 13 years of my yoot getting high nearly every day and then virtually nothing since (I’m 68). I’m really curious how my receptors would welcome the effects now and if it makes sense to approach my orthopedist about getting a card (Maryland) for my clearly onsetting arthritis.
Oh, we have flower, but we’re not supposed to burn it, just vape. And we have RSO that you can use to make gummies.
I’m high now on Pennsylvania grown Lime Sorbet.
Just for comparison, I’m in California where we have both MMJ* and recreational. The dispensary near my house is in a former grocery store, and they grow their own there. Not sure they even have anything low as 15% THC. Most of it is 25% or more.
For the OP, as mentioned before, pick a dispensary, go in and chat up a budtender/pharmacist about your desires. No pharmacists here in CA - just a bunch of ridiculously cheerful and friendly people who know their stuff. But pharmacists appear to be required in Pennsylvania.
You didn’t say why you’re looking to try MMJ, but the usual 'flavor" for pain is indica, but you don’t want drowsy, so you may end up trying sativa or a hybrid. There are countless varieties, so finding the right one for you may take some experimentation. My local shop’s website lists 792 products, so it might take a while.
When you eat an edible, it’s absorbed in the small intestine then metabolized by the liver, so an altered bowel (I’m also a member of that club) shouldn’t have an effect. Edibles “kick in” anywhere from 45 minutes to two hours after eating, and that’s just too fast for any of it to be in the large intestine.
Microdosing with tinctures may be better for you - a couple drops under the tongue however often through the day - as edibles have a fairly long time before effect, and an even longer “tail” - an indica gummy 90 minutes before bed will be effective for probably 6-8 hours.
- The California Medical Marijuana card has pretty much lost its purpose, but if I wanted my doctor to fill out a form then take that and $100 to a government office, I can get a card that’s good for one year. Not sure what benefit there is to it.
Ah, yes a pharmacist would be a good first choice to talk to about a medical use cannabis card, since presumably it’s for a medical use and that is what pharmacists are the first line experts in: medical use of drugs. That pharmacist would want to know what other drugs you might be taking and any potential adverse interactions, as well as being able to advise about formulations and dosages for best results.
I’m no expert on California’s cannabis laws/programs, but in my experience, states with both medical and recreational use usually charge recreational users excise, sales and/or “sin” taxes (often at both the state and the municipal levels) which (again, in my experience) can range as high as 20-25% of the pre-tax cost, while exempting medical users from these taxes. So while there’s no need for a medical card in order to avoid legal troubles in a dual-use state (like there would be in a medical-only state like PA), a medical card usually saves the patient a whole bunch of cash. (Which is a good thing, because medical users, almost by definition, have a bunch of medical expenses to worry about already.)
To the OP’s situation in Pennsylvania, I found this helpful summary on a website run by a dispensary company with locations in six states, including PA:
Medical Marijuana Products Available In Pennsylvania
The medical marijuana program in Pennsylvania restricts the cannabis products that are allowed for treatment. Approved products include:
- Medical marijuana gels
- Medical marijuana pills
- Medical marijuana oils
- Medical marijuana tinctures
- Medical marijuana creams
- Medical marijuana ointments
- Medical marijuana liquids
- Medical marijuana dried leaf for administration through vaporization
Edibles are prohibited, but some of the cannabis products that are legal to purchase can be added to foods. Smoking is also prohibited, though vaping is allowed.
Gels, creams and ointments are for topical application, while pills (obvsly), tinctures and liquids are for oral ingestion, which seems to be what’s indicated for OP.
One thing to discuss with the dispensary pharmacist is the THC/CBD ratio found in various products. Depending upon the underlying condition for which cannabis has been prescribed, you might want lots of one or the other, or a more balanced cannabinoid profile. Your pharmacist should be of great help to you in this, but poking around a bit online to get a sense of what sorts of cannabis products/strains yield which medical benefits before that consultation surely couldn’t hurt.
Hoping this all goes swell for you!
However there is the yearly expense of being “recertified” by your doctor. My doctor has offered phone recertification (due to COVID-19) for which she charged $150 IIRC. I called at my appointment time and she asked if the program was still a positive thing in my life. I told her it absolutely was.
There’s also $50 paid to the state for your card.
If you are economically challenged, there are workarounds.
Yes, but you, my esteemed friend, are what we call a stoner.
(Whereas I am a chimney, and have been known to go through a few each week).
Fair enough. I was in a dispensary just yesterday (what my wife calls a “pottery”). The best flower hits 30% THC. Whereas cartridges are pushing 80%.
I saw a meme the other day that described cartridges as the “frozen dinner” of weed. And I have spoken to many people who explain that they like the experience of smoking flower out of a pipe; it can certainly have a robust flavor that is enjoyable.
But I find cartridges to be cleaner (no ash), they also have good flavors, and they are concentrated, so they are potent. Plus, they don’t have the very pungent smell associated with burning flower, so they are more discreet. To me, it’s a significantly better option.