​We use our weekly discussions as a means to understand our community which we call Bento Family and answers questions they may have. In a previous post, we mentioned experimenting with cannabis to understand what works best for you. We know that’s easier said than done. The lack of knowledge of this industry doesn’t help. That’s where we come in, trying our best to provide the most relevant information to you. A common question we hear is “what’s the difference between smoking flower and eating an edible?” There are many horror stories of someone eating an edible, having a bad experience, and never trying cannabis again. We don’t want that to happen to you, so this week’s discussion will clarify the differences between edibles and smoking. 

Effects can be felt faster from smoking than edibles. This is because smoking allows Delta-9-THC to travel through our bloodstream, thanks to the alveoli in our lungs, and binds to endocannabinoid receptors throughout our body, including our brain. Effects can be felt instantly or in a few minutes. When consuming edibles, it typically kicks in around 30-60 minutes. The edible needs time to metabolized through the stomach then liver.
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Although, edibles provide more potent effects. When consumed, Delta-9-THC converts to 11-hydroxy-THC or 11-OH-THC. A 1973 study showed 11-OH-THC may be more potent than Delta-9-THC. 11-OH-THC is water soluble, while Delta-9-THC is oil soluble. This means edibles are more effective in crossing the blood-brain barrier. As a result, the effects from smoking moderately can last anywhere from 30 minutes to four hours while edibles can last four to 6 hours.   

​Smoking is good for those who want to feel the effects immediately. Despite the fact smoking could irritate and inflame the respiratory tract. Edibles are great for those who don’t want to smoke, smell like cannabis, want a longer/stronger high, or prefer inconspicuous consumption methods. It is important to note some edibles have a stronger cannabis taste than others. If not careful, edibles come with the highest chance of over doing it. Understanding the perfect number of milligrams for you is important. So is taking into consideration your metabolism, how sensitive you are to THC, and what you ate that day. Start with 2.5mg or 5mg and if nothing is felt within an hour take another. Impatience leads to undesired results. 

Experimenting to understand what works best for you is encouraged. Additionally, we want to make sure you experiment in a safe manner. If you like the information we discussed and want us to compare other methods, please email us at peter@bentodelivery.com or comment below. Likewise, if there is something you want to learn more about, or if you have any feedback feel free to comment or email us along with any other questions you may have. After all, our discussions are focused on helping you. 

​Items on our menu have been showing up with the word smalls in the headline. But what exactly does that mean? Many from the Bento Family have raised this question along with, “is there’s anything wrong with them?” This week’s discussion will answer those questions and quite possibly leave you with a different perspective on cannabis bud structure.  

​If you’ve ever seen a picture of a cannabis plant its either short and bushy or tall and narrow. Just like any other plant, cannabis plants require sunlight to grow. The plant grows towards the direction of the sun, leaving colas (tight group of buds) near the top of the plant to absorb the most sunlight possible. Colas near the bottom of the plant don’t receive as much sunlight. As a result, they don’t turn into large, Christmas tree type nugs. You may not want to post a picture of it, but you will definitely feel the effects. 

​Smalls provide nearly the same level of cannabinoids (THC, CBD, etc.) and terpenes (taste, smell) as the Instagram worthy nugs. Farms and growers alike typically sell them for lower prices because of the lack of bag appeal with roughly the same aroma and trichrome production. In a previous discussion, we described trichomes as white crystals where cannabinoids and terpenes are produced/stored. Cannabis plants from a high-quality farm usually produce high quality effects. Smalls could give you the ability to buy high quality flower for lower prices. Additionally, there may be less stem weight associated with small nugs. Theoretically, smalls provide more flower so long as its properly trimmed.   

​Did our discussion change your perspective on packages labeled smalls? Is what we discussed aligned with your experience? Let us know by emailing us at peter@bentodelivery.com or by commenting below along with any other thoughts you may have including feedback on our delivery service and future topics. The conversations we have with you make our weekly discussions worth it!

​State legalization has brought up debates as to whether cannabis use is healthy. We started Bento Delivery during the prop 215 days. Helping medical patients live a better life was and still is a core value of ours. I say was because we’ve expanded to include the recreational market. This allows us to positively impact more peoples’ lives and create a meaningful community within the Bay Area. Since the legal cannabis industry is relatively new, education is more important than ever to understand what works best for you. Our Bento Family is diverse and spans across many communities. To address issues most relevant to you, emailing us at peter@bentodelivery.com is extremely helpful for us to know what type of information is best to discuss. Many Bento Family members raised concerns about psychosis. This week’s discussion will focus on what psychosis is, how cannabis use is linked to psychotic episodes, and how to reduce your chances of experiencing psychosis. 

Psychosis is a mental health issue that affects the mind. A psychotic episode can alter one’s reality by perceiving things that aren’t there. The best way to describe it is the feeling of paranoia after smoking a strong sativa. Although a psychotic episode would last longer and be accompanied by other symptoms. Symptoms can include jumbled or nonsensical speech, depression, anxiety, sleep problems, social withdrawal, lack of motivation, and an overall difficulty to function normally. 

​According to a study conducted by The British Journal of Psychiatry, psychosis could be brought on by daily, habitual use of high delta-9 THC products. Delta-9 THC is the main active cannabinoid in cannabis, which produces the psychoactive effects. Consuming large levels of highly potent cannabis over a sustained period of time may increase your chances of experiencing a psychotic episode. Chances could be higher if there is a family history of psychosis. Likewise if one consumed before their prefrontal cortex was fully developed. 

Simply put, the opposite of what the journal wrote. Using lower delta-9 THC products in an infrequent manner. For many suffering from one or several illnesses that cannabis use helps, a tolerance break isn’t possible, research shows CBD has antipsychotic properties.

Most studies presented during this article point to high THC products. Based on my anecdotal research, sativa strains bring out/heighten expressions of paranoia or other symptoms one may be experiencing; especially the high THC strains. I personally enjoy indica dominate hybrids because they bring me long-lasting effects without paranoia entering the fold. Although, I understand everyone and their endocannabinoid system is different. That is why we favor experimentation to understand what works best for you.  
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Our menu offers several CBD only, moderate delta-9 THC, and ratio’d CBD to THC products. We take the health of our community seriously and strive to provide a quality experience each and every time. Please let us know if this information was helpful by emailing us at peter@bentodelivery.com or by commenting below. If you have any other thoughts, such as what works best for you, we’d love to hear from you and further the conversation.