New to marijuana? Advice and words of caution for first-time users

With recreational, adult-use marijuana expected to go on sale as early as Feb. 6, a new clientele will be visiting Missouri dispensaries, eager to try products that were formerly only legal for medical marijuana patients.

Perhaps you've been around marijuana before — a family member has a medical card or friends buy from dealers —and now you're interested in trying products yourself. Walking into a dispensary, learning what products are best for you and enjoying your experience using marijuana may feel daunting, initially.

Fortunately, budtenders at area dispensaries are eager to help direct new users in the right direction. Ashley Virden, an assistant store manager for the The Farmer's Wife chain of dispensaries in southern Missouri, is one of them.

More:Marijuana terms to know, now that Missouri has legalized weed

When a customer new to marijuana visits The Farmer's Wife, Virden asks a series of questions to pinpoint what products would be best, including their goals with using marijuana, consumption preferences (flower, edible or concentrate), dietary restrictions (is using edibles) and previous knowledge.

First, familiarize yourself with the law

Under Amendment 3, which legalizes recreational marijuana in Missouri, adults 21 and up may possess up to three ounces of dried, unprocessed marijuana or its equivalent in concentrate or edibles. Three ounces of dried, unprocessed marijuana flower is equivalent to 24 grams of marijuana concentrate (often referred to as butane hash oil, budder, crumble and shatter), according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

When visiting a dispensary, a customer must have a valid photo ID to purchase recreational marijuana products.

Users also should be mindful that driving while intoxicated — whether from marijuana, alcohol or another drug — is illegal and can have fatal consequences, for you and others. If you wouldn't engage in an activity after drinking, don't do it after consuming marijuana.

Assess your goals

Now that marijuana is recreationally legal, folks may use weed for purposes other than medical reasons. Just because you're not registered for a medical marijuana card, doesn't mean you can't use products for this purpose though.

When used medicinally, marijuana may be used to treat symptoms related to Alzheimer's, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), HIV/AIDS, Crohn's, epilepsy and seizures, glaucoma, muscle spasms, chronic pain, severe nausea or vomiting caused by cancer treatment, according to the Mayo Clinic.

More:With recreational weed legal, officials expect medical marijuana licenses to dwindle

If you are looking to use marijuana recreationally, however, you should familiarize yourself with two popular strains: Sativa and Indica.

While there are more than 700 strains of marijuana, many fall into the Sativa and Indica "categories." Sativa is considered a daytime, energizing strain, often used to combat depression, headaches, nausea and loss of appetite. Indica is often used before sleep as a sedative, as it contains a higher percentage of CBD than THC. This produces a flat, relaxing high.

Today, most strains are hybrids, a combination of Sativa and Indica. When talking with a budtender, they may use terms like "Sativa-dominant" and "Indica-dominant," to describe these strains.

When purchasing from a dispensary, medical and recreational products are the same. The only difference is whether you show a medical marijuana card or valid photo ID at the register.

'Start low, go slow'

"A scenario that we definitely want to avoid is someone coming in, 'Oh, I want to try cannabis. I think it's going to be able to help me with such and such,' and then they consume too much and they have a bad experience," said David Brodsky, director of retail at The Farmer's Wife. "'Start low, go slow' is a mantra definitely for edibles but also for new consumers."

Marijuana products, including flower, contain different levels of THC potency, which is indicated by a THC percentage. THC percentages describe the amount of THC per product volume. While THC percentages vary from different products, the average percentage in flower is 20%, with 10% being on the low end, according to Bloom, a Los Angeles-based marijuana business. Starting with a lower THC percentage when using any marijuana product as a new user is a good idea.

Edibles (marijuana-infused products), are labeled with a THC percentage and dosage amount in milligrams. The dosage amount indicates how much THC a product contains.

For those interested in edibles (marijuana-infused products), Virden recommended new users start with 2.5 mg doses, waiting an hour and then taking more if needed.

More:Does Amendment 3 allow Missourians to make or sell marijuana edibles?

Popular edibles include gummies, soft drinks, chocolate bars, cookies and tinctures (concentrated herbal extracts). Commonly, one marijuana-infused gummy contains 10 mg, so one gummy could be split into four or five pieces for first-time users.

When discussing edibles, Virden said she also inquires about a customer's dietary restrictions. For example, if a customer has a sugar-free diet, she would recommend tincture or tablet edibles, rather than more sugary snacks.

More:Downtown Springfield's The Coffee Ethic brews a cup of Joe with a side of Mary Jane

Create a comfortable space and keep track of time

When using marijuana for the first time, consider planning the day around the experience.

Some edibles last up to 12 hours or more, Cody Shackleton, marketing manager at The Farmer's Wife, said. If you are unfamiliar with marijuana or are trying a new product, make sure you have enough time to enjoy it comfortably. While planning out the day, consider where you want to be and who you want to be around, too, if you want to be around anyone.

Due to the longevity of some products, Shackleton encouraged new users to track the time. This gives users a good idea of where they are in their "high timeline." This timeline looks different for marijuana consumption.

When smoking or vaping, the high will peak around 10 minutes after consumption, lasting 1-3 hours, according to Heathline. When consuming edibles, the peak high starts around two hours in. When dabbing (smoking THC concentrate), the effects typically last between 1-3 hours.

Partnering with Dr. Lisa Roark, founder and CEO of The Dispensary in Cassville, The Farmer's Wife offers free patient journals for all customers. The take-home workbook allows users to track strain types, usage amounts and other notes about their experience. Journals are available at The Farmer's Wife in Springfield, located at 2935 E. Chestnut Expressway.

'Hydrate like an athlete'

Hydration while using any marijuana product is important but especially when smoking. Cottonmouth is a common symptom of smoking weed, so don't be concerned if you become extremely thirsty after hitting a joint, blunt or bong. When THC binds to the salivary gland receptors, the parasympathetic nervous system, which prompts the creation of saliva, is obstructed. This doesn't stop the production of saliva altogether but it does restrict it.

To prepare, online marijuana resources like Leafly, encourage new users to "hydrate like an athlete."

If you're not enjoying the high, there are a few things you can try.

If a user begins to have negative psychoactive side effects, Brodsky recommended drinking water, eating a meal, taking some CBD to counteract the THC in their system and to ultimately remain calm.

If you are willing to experiment, Healthline also recommends eating black pepper, pine nuts or lemon peel. Black pepper contains caryophyllene, which increases the sedative effects of THC. Pinene, a compound in pine nuts, also has a calming effect and shows to improve clarity. Lemon peels, too, contain a calming compound, which could counteract THC's psychoactive effects. These efforts may not work for everyone.

Be open to experimentation

Ultimately, when trying marijuana for the first time, Shackleton, said folks should be open to experimentation. The first product you try may not be the perfect fit for you initially.

"I think that kind of applies to a lot of things, not just cannabis," Virden added. "When you go to a coffee shop or even if you get a cocktail ... you don't particularly know what you're going to like the best. Rely on your resources of good budtenders making recommendations."

How much can you expect to pay at a dispensary?

The News-Leader used Leafly to compare products prices between Flora Farms, Old Route 66 Wellness, The Farmer's Wife, Hippos, Greenlight and Good Day Farm (medical marijuana dispensaries in Springfield).

On average, a 25 mg pack of gummies costs around $12, a 50 mg pack of gummies costs between $10-30 and a 100 mg pack of gummies costs between $20-30. Dosage amounts represent the entire package, not each individual gummy. For example, if you purchase a 100 mg pack of gummies, it is likely to contain 10 gummies that contain 10 mg of THC each.

When it comes to flower, the smallest amounts you can buy from a dispensary are one gram and one-eighth of an ounce (3.5 grams). On average, one gram of flower with a THC potency around 20% costs between $12-20 and one-eighth of an ounce with a THC potency around 20% costs between $20-45.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Tips for first-time users as recreational marijuana goes on sale in MO