West Virginia’s medical marijuana program allows patients approved for a medical marijuana certification to legally purchase cannabis from dispensaries.
Cannabis flower, concentrates, and edibles are among some of the most commonly used cannabis products, and they each have their pros and cons.
While some patients may prefer cannabis flower, others will prefer edibles or concentrates. All three have unique properties that make them desirable for patients with lower or higher tolerances.
In this article, we’ll rank these cannabis products by potency, and give you some insight into how they’re used by medical marijuana patients.
What Is Potency in Cannabis & Why Does It Matter?
Potency & Tolerance Go Hand in Hand
Potency is an important part of how cannabis works for you as a medicine.
The more potent a product is, the more potent its effects will be perceived.
Cannabis products with a higher THC level will produce more intense effects than products with a lower THC level.
Tolerance is your body’s familiarity and experience with THC, i.e., how used to THC your body is.
When your body is more used to THC, higher amounts of THC are required to feel the same effects. The lower your tolerance is, the less THC is required to produce effects.
Different Products Have Different Potencies
Cannabis flower, edibles, and concentrates all have different levels of potency.
Naturally, the amount you consume and how tolerant you are to THC will play a significant role in how potent each product is, though the total amount of THC will often produce the heaviest effects.
Cannabis flower, concentrates, and edibles all compose three entirely unique products that have their own associated tolerances.
Someone who smokes a lot of cannabis flower may only need one small edible to get very high, or someone who takes a lot of edibles may only need a small amount of concentrate to get extremely stoned.
Cannabis Flower, Concentrates, & Edibles Ranked by Potency
#3 Cannabis Flower: Least Potent - Best for Low Tolerance & New Patients
Cannabis flower is likely the most common type of cannabis product available today, and it’s for good reason.
Cannabis flower can be smoked, baked, vaporized, and even baked into edibles or pressed into hash.
In reality, all products start their journey from cannabis flower, though the processing that happens to the plant after it’s harvested makes a big difference in potency. Cannabis flower typically ranges from 12% THC to 35%+ THC, and it ranks the lowest in potency out of the three types we’re looking at.
While consuming too much cannabis flower with high amounts of THC (25%+) can produce an extremely intense high, it’s not quite as strong as taking too many edibles or too many dabs.
#2 Edibles: Strong Alternative to Cannabis Flower - Good for Patients With a Medium Tolerance
Edibles often get a bad rep for producing really intense and overwhelming experiences when patients take too many, but this is completely avoidable by taking the right dose with cannabis edibles.
When you take too many edibles, THC can turn into a much stronger psychoactive experience. THC converts into a new metabolite called 11-hydroxy-THC when it’s processed by the liver.
This compound can produce a strong psychedelic-like experience when taken in large doses, and some patients with low tolerances may find this unpleasant.
Low-dose edibles tend to produce a less intense experience, though often still a little heavier than a comparative dose of cannabis flower.
#1 Concentrates: The Strongest Cannabis Product Made for Patients With a High Tolerance
Concentrates are designed to extract or isolate the highest amount of THC possible, while offering patients with a high tolerance relief that may be unachievable if you’ve been a heavy cannabis user for a long time.
Concentrates are different from cannabis flower and edibles in that the amount of THC you’re taking in very quickly takes effect in full force immediately. That can be overwhelming even for patients that have been consuming cannabis for a while.
Many patients find concentrates to be the perfect way to get effectively high when they find cannabis flower consumption becomes excessive or unaffordable.
Using cannabis over time will increase your tolerance and decrease potency, and this is where concentrates step in.
Offering THC percentages as high as 99%, concentrates deliver a powerful experience whether you have a high tolerance or not. If you happen to find yourself taking a dab with little to no tolerance, be prepared for a pretty intense ride.
Get Your Medical Marijuana Certification in West Virginia
West Virginia’s medical marijuana program is in full swing, and all that’s required to start legally purchasing cannabis is a medical marijuana certification! Patients diagnosed with a qualifying condition can visit with one of our physicians who can help with all the steps required in getting a medical marijuana certification in West Virginia.
You can receive your medical marijuana certification from the comfort and safety of your own home today!
Take the steps to schedule your medical marijuana evaluation appointment today and get access to legal marijuana products available at dispensaries.
Being a West Virginia medical marijuana patient allows you the freedom to take your medication the right way for you. We’re dedicated to helping patients every step of the way! Feel free to give us a call at 877-303-8424 and we can answer your questions about getting a medical marijuana card in West Virginia.
Doctors Who Care.
Relief You Can Trust.
West Virginia Marijuana Card’s mission is to help everyone achieve
wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to medical marijuana.
Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce the stigma for
our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
If you have any questions, call us at 877-303-8424, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
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