With
the legalization of cannabis, it is important to know the types available on
the market and how they are different from each other.
Legal
marijuana is usually sorted as ‘medical’ or ‘recreational’. We can deduce from
these labels that these are categories according to purpose or usage, but did
you know that they have other differences as well?
Here
are some ways that set medical and recreational marijuana apart from each
other.
Cannabinoids
A
cannabis plant has two main active ingredients, THC and CBD[SW1] ,
that are classed as cannabinoids.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (TCH) is the psychoactive compound that causes the high
when consuming cannabis. Cannabidiol (CBD), on the other hand, alleviates
anxiety and promotes relaxation without making you “high”.
For
recreational cannabis, the THC content is usually higher, which means that this
variety could induce more "high" compared to medical ones. Meanwhile,
medical cannabis contains more CBD than recreational and consumption of this
variety would not make you feel the high associated with its recreational
counterpart. Also, since CBD is lower for recreational ones, this variety may
have less therapeutic effects than medical weed.
Recommendation
Pot
can be bought legally in dispensaries. But to purchase medical marijuana, you might
need a medical recommendation, and a qualifying condition is needed to acquire
this recommendation. The recommendation must be regularly renewed too, so the
patient can purchase the dosage required for the treatment. On the other hand,
anyone can buy recreational marijuana. You would only have to go to a
recreational dispensary and buy the weed you need without being asked for a
medical card or recommendation.
Age
restrictions
States
that have legalized medical and recreational marijuana have set age
restrictions to purchase the drug. However, the age restrictions are different
for each variety.
If
you are buying recreational marijuana in a state where it is legal, you would
need to prove that you are more than 21 years of age. To obtain recreational
weed from a dispensary, all you need to do is go there, prove that you are over
21 using your driver’s license and buy the pot you need. In some states where
cannabis is legal, you may even be allowed to possess and grow your own, as
long as you are older than 21.
The
age restriction for medical marijuana is different in that it is usually lower.
People who are at least 18 years of age may purchase medical marijuana for themselves.
Under certain circumstances, even those who are under 18 may apply and be
granted a medical marijuana card so they can buy weed for themselves. This may
vary depending on the state though.
Where
you buy your pot also matters. If it is legal in your state, it could be much
safer to buy recreational cannabis from a dispensary instead of a dealer. You
can never be sure about the components if you are buying unregulated weed and
it could also be harmful for you. Meanwhile, medical marijuana cannot be purchased
from the street and can only be obtained from a medical pot dispensary.
Meta
Title: What Makes Medical Marijuana
Different from Recreational Marijuana
Meta
Description: You might already know
that medical and recreational marijuana differ by their usage, but did you know
they also have other differences?
