Consumption Methods: Smoking, Vaping, Edibles, and More

One of the first decisions cannabis newcomers face is how to consume it. Unlike most products that come in a single format, cannabis offers numerous consumption methods, each with distinct characteristics, onset times, and duration of effects. Understanding your options helps you choose approaches that align with your preferences and circumstances.

This guide explores the major cannabis consumption methods, helping you understand what distinguishes each one.

Inhalation Methods

Inhalation—breathing cannabis smoke or vapor into your lungs—is the most traditional and common consumption approach.

Smoking

What it is: Combusting cannabis flower and inhaling the resulting smoke. Methods include joints (cannabis rolled in paper), pipes, and bongs (water pipes).

Onset time: Very fast—typically 1-5 minutes. You'll know how it's affecting you quickly.

Duration: Effects generally last 1-3 hours, though this varies based on amount consumed and individual factors.

Considerations: Smoking involves combustion, which creates potentially harmful byproducts. The smell is distinctive and lingers. However, smoking offers precise dosing control since you can take one puff and wait before continuing.

Vaping

What it is: Heating cannabis flower or concentrates to a temperature that releases cannabinoids and terpenes as vapor without combustion. Devices range from portable pens to larger desktop units.

Onset time: Similar to smoking—typically 1-5 minutes.

Duration: Generally 1-3 hours, comparable to smoking.

Considerations: Many people consider vaping less harsh than smoking since it doesn't involve combustion. The smell is typically less intense and dissipates faster. However, recent concerns about certain vaping products (particularly black-market cartridges) have led to recommendations to only use tested, legal products.

Oral Methods

Oral consumption involves ingesting cannabis through the mouth, either swallowing or absorbing through oral tissues.

Edibles

What they are: Cannabis-infused foods and beverages—gummies, chocolates, baked goods, drinks, and more. The cannabis is processed by your digestive system.

Onset time: Slow—typically 30 minutes to 2 hours, sometimes longer. This delayed onset is why many people accidentally overconsume edibles.

Duration: Long—often 4-8 hours, sometimes up to 12 hours. Effects are often described as more intense and "body-focused."

Considerations: Edibles require patience and careful dosing. The standard advice is to start with 2.5-5mg of THC for beginners and wait at least 2 hours before consuming more. Because effects are processed through the liver, they can feel different and more potent than inhaled cannabis.

Tinctures and Oils

What they are: Cannabis extracted into a liquid base (often alcohol or oil) and administered via dropper, usually under the tongue (sublingually).

Onset time: Sublingual administration typically works faster than swallowing—often 15-45 minutes—because cannabinoids absorb directly into the bloodstream through oral tissues.

Duration: Generally 4-6 hours when taken sublingually; longer if swallowed.

Considerations: Tinctures offer precise dosing (droppers are often marked) and discretion (no smell). They bridge the gap between fast-acting inhalation and long-lasting edibles.

Capsules

What they are: Pre-measured doses of cannabis oil or powder in pill form.

Onset time: Similar to edibles—30 minutes to 2 hours.

Duration: Long-lasting like edibles—4-8 hours.

Considerations: Capsules offer consistent, precise dosing and complete discretion. They're a good option for those who want the long duration of edibles without the added calories or sugar.

Topical Methods

Topicals are cannabis products applied directly to the skin.

Lotions, Balms, and Salves

What they are: Cannabis-infused products applied externally to the skin.

Onset time: Varies; typically felt locally within 15-45 minutes.

Duration: Effects are localized and typically last a few hours.

Considerations: Most topicals don't produce psychoactive effects because cannabinoids don't reach the bloodstream in significant amounts. They're used for localized applications and are popular among those who want to explore cannabis without any high.

Transdermal Patches

What they are: Adhesive patches that deliver cannabinoids through the skin and into the bloodstream.

Onset time: Gradual—typically 15-60 minutes.

Duration: Extended—patches often release cannabinoids over 8-12 hours.

Considerations: Unlike regular topicals, transdermal patches can produce systemic (body-wide) effects, including potential psychoactivity from THC. They offer consistent, sustained delivery.

Other Methods

Dabbing

What it is: Vaporizing concentrated cannabis extracts ("dabs") using specialized equipment.

Onset time: Nearly instantaneous.

Considerations: Dabbing produces very intense effects and is not recommended for beginners. Concentrates can contain 50-90% THC, compared to 15-30% in typical flower.

Beverages

What they are: Cannabis-infused drinks, from sodas to teas to alcohol alternatives.

Onset time: Variable—some use nano-emulsified cannabinoids for faster onset (15-30 minutes); others behave like traditional edibles (1-2 hours).

Duration: Varies by formulation.

Considerations: Beverages offer a familiar, social consumption format. Pay attention to whether products use fast-acting or traditional formulations.

Choosing Your Method

The best method depends on your priorities:

For fast onset and easy dosing control: Inhalation methods (smoking or vaping) allow you to feel effects quickly and stop when you've reached your desired level.

For discretion: Tinctures, capsules, and edibles are odorless and inconspicuous.

For longest duration: Edibles and capsules provide extended effects, useful if you don't want to re-dose frequently.

For avoiding psychoactive effects: Topicals (not transdermal) work locally without producing a high.

Key Takeaways

Cannabis can be consumed through inhalation, ingestion, or topical application, each with different onset times, durations, and characteristics. Understanding these differences helps you choose methods that match your preferences for speed, duration, discretion, and intensity. Beginners typically find inhalation methods easier to control, while edibles require extra patience and careful dosing.

This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as medical advice. Individual experiences may vary. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your wellness routine.