Journaling Your Cannabis Experience

There is a wide range of types and ways to use cannabis — each with different potential effects on your health and wellness. Most medical marijuana patients eventually find a few products that work really well for them. But not everyone finds their ideal cannabis product right away, so it's important to remember which products consistently work (or don't) for you. 

How Do I Discover the Right Cannabis Product for Me?

Cannabis journaling can help you achieve the most positive, personalized cannabis experience. Journaling helps you to remember the products you've tried, what strains they were, and how they made you feel.

By journaling, you can reflect on your starting point and how you felt with each experience. These are important keys to mapping out a plan for you to live your best life! Following these basic steps can lead you to successful cannabis journaling: 

Step 1: Record Your Baseline 

Be mindful of your physical symptoms before using any cannabis. Get detailed about your level of pain, your mood, and your anxiety. Try to be as specific as possible and ask yourself: what am I trying to achieve with cannabis? Pain relief? Anxiety relief? Mood change? Am I able to do my normal daily activities easier?

The main objectives are to be in tune with your body before medical marijuana use and to write it all down so you can look back and see your progress. 

Step 2: Medicate & Wait

Now that you have recorded your baseline, you can proceed with consuming cannabis products you wish to try. 3rd Street Dispensary will always recommend that you go low and slow — meaning that you start with a low dose and wait to see how you respond before increasing intake. 

Be sure to journal each experience by recording the product type, dose taken, strain information, method of consumption (for example, was it an eaten, smoked, topical, or vaped?), and how it made you feel. When you're finished medicating yourself and recording the product details, set yourself a timer or just be mindful of the time. Quick-acting methods like vaping or smoking can show effects usually within 20-30 minutes, but edibles may take 60-90 minutes to take effect, so be patient with observing the outcome. 

Step 3: Record the Effects 

Cannabis consumption produces a wide range of effects that vary with each individual. To help you find your ideal dosage with medical marijuana, during this time, record any positive and negative effects you feel for the most accurate reflection of the experience. Was this a pleasant experience, or were you uncomfortable in any way? Again, be as specific as you can. Take notice if any of your symptoms have changed. Write that down. Be aware of your timing, and write that down too. 

Step 4: Make a Cannabis Plan 

Journaling allows you to create a personalized treatment plan. After trying different medical marijuana products and methods of consumption based on suggestions from your physician and local budtenders, you should have some journal entries that can show you exactly what works best for you. 

3rd Street Dispensary has created a journal template that you can use with each cannabis experience. You can access the printable PDF here.

---

Just remember that it may take time to find the right strain of flower, edible, topical, or oils. But by being aware of your initial symptoms, knowing what you are trying to achieve with each use, and recording what cannabis products are helping you achieve your goals, you can make informed decisions each time you're in the dispensary.

At 3rd Street Dispensary, we are here to assist you with finding what works best for your unique needs. Our ultimate goal with each patient is to help you Live Life Good. You'll be able to visit our shop in Downtown Lee's Summit in the near future. Follow us on social media to stay up-to-date on our progress!