Trips to the dispensary can be daunting and delightful. For n00bs, to be sure, but even for seasoned pros, the variety can be confusing. There's so much to choose from and new products surfacing every week. This is awesome. And navigating this process should be a joy. Complexity eats into some of that joy.
If you go to a candy store not knowing a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup from an Almond Joy, you'll be disappointed if you buy the latter and hate cocoanut. A liquor store has more choices and more dangerous possible outcomes: Even regular drinkers have different experiences consuming beer vs wine vs whiskey.
Cannabis is less dangerous than booze, but most of us know even less about it. Some know we prefer sativa to indica. Some of us have preferred strains we know by name. Even among these people, why we like what we do isn't clear. And with access spreading for more medical patients and recreational enthusiasts -- fantastic! -- there are more chances for more people to be confused.
There are dozens of attributes -- effects ("I want to be relaxed but not sleepy"), formats ("I prefer vape pens to bong hits"), and flavor ("Mango and citrus are good; Earthy and Skunky, not so much").
Pharmacology informs how attributes like cannabinoids (THC, CBD, e.g), terpenes (like Limonene, Myrcene), and entourage effects of them in combination give products their effect and flavor. It's not quantum mechanics, but it is science, and knowing some can help people make informed decisions when Choosing Their Adventure.
How do you navigate the dispensary experience? And what do you recommend to friends newer to the process?
