How much cannabis do you use?
Some take mad pride in how much they consume, from "one-hit-and-quit-it" lightweights, to "Even-Wu-Tang-said 'enough'" World Heavyweight canna-champions. The amount consumed for some is irrelevant, for others a source of pride, or a topic poised to start arguments within partnerships ("Do you really need to smoke another joint?" If your Mom is coming over again, yes, at least one.").
Add the amount smoked, vaped or scarfed, the product(s) being used, and endless flower strains, concentrates in myriad forms, or a literal dizzying array of edibles.
By the end of a session, you may not recall how much was consumed, or of which products, much less a clear assessment if the effects were the same as intended. Legalized medical and adult-use programs have developed more educated cannabis patients and consumers, familiar with THC and CBD content, strains and the value of terpenes to the overall experience.
While there remains a category of "Bro, I just wanna be high," most cannabis users (Cannatarians?) have varying yet specific goals: cleaning the house, managing pain/anxiety/depression, sleep, or the aforementioned "just wanna be high."
Sites such as Leafly and Weedmaps, driven by cannabis user reviews and well written in-house produced content, also offer users platforms to find a nearby dispensary to put that newly acquired knowledge to use. A useful concept, but limited for developing a "conscious cannabis consumption" user experience, with a clear set of intended outcomes.
It's true: cannabis and a razor sharp recall aren't always found together in the same room, or even zip code. Your newly discovered favorite strain easily becomes "It was green, with red hairs, or maybe purple, and it smelled like...weed" post session.
For those carefully jotting down info in your moleskine notebook during each session, Jah speed, but for the rest of us seeking a more digital and curated form of info gathering, check out a new app called Jointly.
Self-described as helping cannabis users "discover purposeful cannabis consumption," the free app encourages you to, "enjoy your ideal cannabis experience every time, by tracking the 15 factors that can impact your results."
(An operating-room degree of sterilized and clean smoking or vaping gear is the unlisted 16th factor. Use 99% rubbing alcohol and some Q Tips, Bobby Bongwater.)
Start with creating a profile, adding a picture of yourself doing a dab because that's never been done, and start a confidential "user report." Unlike TPS reports, these won't drive you to burn the whole place down.
These reports start by asking you to consider and choose your preferred outcomes from cannabis, selecting up to three choices from a menu of 12, including "Replace Drinking," "Manage Pain," "Escape," "Enhance Intimacy," "Enjoy Social Situations," "Focus and Create" and "Reduce Stress."
The next menu asks you to select from nine consumption methods, including vaping, edibles, concentrates and so on, followed by a menu of 12 cannabinoids, both major and minor.
The reports allow the user a detailed record of how well the cannabis did, or did not, provide the desired effects. Those aforementioned 15 factors include "How Much Did You Take," "How Long Did You Wait Between Doses," "How Hydrated" (or full) you are, "Consumption Of Companion Foods," "Environment/Physical Surroundings," and even "The People You Are With" (don't get me started.)
Jointly did not come to play, but like all of us, they do need to get paid, preferably in full. That comes through the app insistently asking you to turn on your GPS, allowing it to provide a specific list of preferred strains, products and cannabinoids that are available at dispensaries in proximity to you.
Detailing a record of what you bought, how you consumed it, and how it felt is not everyone's idea of a good time, but does provide a valuable record of use, and those 15 factors. The more reports completed unlocks increasingly personalized insights for the user, helping "optimize your cannabis wellness results," and informing which products to recommend for your next report.
Jointly is a great option for those seeking a more clinical and holistic approach to cannabis as a tool for well-being.
