Purposeful Cannabis Consumption - Part 2 of 6
A complex plant that produces a variety of effects
Welcome to Part 2 in this series.
My purpose in this series is to lend a hand in defeating the stigma against cannabis once and for all - using Jointly’s unique data - and supported by outside data sources, logic, and mathematics.
In defeating the stigma, I also aim to replace it with something better - the Theory of Purposeful Cannabis Consumption - that provides a framework for a new mindset about cannabis, supported by data, and grounded in reality.
Here’s out it’s going to go:
Introduction: Setting up the purpose
Plant: Cannabis is a complex plant that produces a variety of effects (this article)
Purposes: People use cannabis for many different productive purposes
People: Cannabis affects each person differently
Conditions: People realize their goals more often when they create the conditions for a good experience
Conclusion: Elevation to the Theory of Purposeful Cannabis Consumption
The 1st Law - Cannabis Is A Complex Plant That Produces a Variety of Effects
Weed is not weed. Marijuana is not marijuana. Cannabis is not one uniform entity. It is a complex plant made of over 400 different phytochemicals (def: bioactive nutrient plant chemicals). Around 60 of these chemicals are cannabinoid compounds, some with opposing effects.
Terpenes and other phenolic compounds also contribute to the plant’s complexity and varying effects. We won’t get into plant biology / chemistry here as others have done so extensively.
The above is well-known in the cannabis industry and among educated consumers. However, because of the stigma and our resulting cultural ignorance, cannabis is misunderstood.
The varying effects of cannabis are easily observable and have been studied to some extent. Below are some. For now, statements like these can be considered hypotheses:
THC stimulates appetite
THC induces feelings of euphoria
THC causes spontaneous laughter
THC enhances creativity
CBD reduces inflammation
CBD induces calm
CBN improves sleep
CBG increases energy levels
CBG reduces stress
Myrcene reduces inflammation
Myrcene reduces pain
Myrcene improves sleep
Pinene boosts energy levels
Pinene improves mental focus
Pinene reduces inflammation
Limonene reduces anxiety
Limonene reduces stress
Linalool reduces stress
Linalool reduces anxiety
Humulene reduces pain
(this is an incomplete list, but enough to show the possibilities)
There is some evidence to suggest that these are true. More study is needed.
Modern cannabis products are made of one or any combination of these cannabinoids and terpenes. Strain classification systems attempt to approximate the effects that a given variety of the cannabis plant will produce.
Cannabis plants are often processed, to reduce them to their component parts - and then the component parts can be further refined and are reassembled into products intended to produce a desired effect.
Where our data comes from
Jointly’s data validate the varying effects from cannabis and their different combinations of cannabinoids and terpenes. On the Jointly platform, consumers of cannabis track their consumption in pursuit of the benefits provided by cannabis. Consumers select their purpose from a list of 12 goals - including stress relief, relaxation, improved sleep, focus, creativity, and the easing of pain. They rate the products they consume for their effectiveness at providing their desired experience.
The impact of product choice
The conclusion from over 500,000 experiences? Product choice impacts the effectiveness of a cannabis experience by 40-57%. The data show clearly that there are products that perform better in statistically significant ways for specific purposes, while those same products perform worse than others for other purposes. The product that helps you sleep better is likely not the one that stimulates your creativity.
Of note, the 40-57% difference is across populations of people and products where we can prove statistically significant differences in product performance. For those that were doing more fun things than paying attention in statistics class - all that means is that we have enough goal-specific ratings from enough people to know that the differences in product performance are because of the product, and we can eliminate the differences caused by dose, time between doses, tolerates, and the other factors that impact the cannabis experience. More on those later.
The variance at an individual level can be even more severe. The right product can help a person unlock a new level of relaxation. The wrong product can induce panic or paranoia.
Product choice matters - because products produce varying effects.
Choosing products
A note of caution to cannabis consumers: Be careful how you choose your products. If you choose your product because of a celebrity endorsement or because you like the packaging or a billboard, beware.
With every reflection made in the Jointly app, we are building a more robust data set to predict which cannabinoid and terpene combinations most effectively provide the desired effects. We’re building tools to match people to products, based on data about which products are most likely to provide them with the kind of experience they’re after.
You can experiment with these tools in our app, and at your local dispensary.
And remember: Experimentation is the key to purposeful consumption. Don’t settle for a local maximum.
We’ll stop there for now. We have the 1st Law of Purposeful Cannabis Consumption:
Cannabis is a complex plant that produces a variety of effects.
Yes, it’s simple and obvious if you already know it to be true. But what percentage of consumers know it to be true? Policymakers? What are the odds that the next person who walks in a dispensary knows this? How many people choose not to consume cannabis because they are unaware? They think it’s just about getting high?