Cannabis For Dummies^®

Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2019937503

ISBN 978-1-119-55066-2 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-55059-4 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-119-55064-8 (ebk)

Introduction

Welcome to Cannabis For Dummies, your definitive guide to all things cannabis. Cannabis has a long history. Human use dates back to the third millennium BCE according to the earliest written records. In the U.S., its popularity rose among subcultures and countercultures in the 1950s and 60s. However, cannabis didn’t break through the subculture barriers to enter the mainstream until relatively recently. Now, with several countries and many states in the U.S. legalizing it for medical or adult recreational use (or both), cannabis has exploded onto the national and international stage. Interest and excitement are growing fast, whether you’re a consumer, entrepreneur, investor, or someone who’s just curious about it.

Depending on your experience with cannabis, you may know a lot, a little, or virtually nothing about it or about certain facets of it. For example, you may know all about buying it and consuming it but very little about growing, harvesting, and curing it. You may know something about concentrates and extracts but nothing about the business side of cannabis. Likewise, you may have used cannabis recreationally but have little or no idea of its potential health benefits.

Regardless of your interest in cannabis and your motivation for finding out more about it, you’ve come to the right place.

About This Book

In Cannabis For Dummies we cover the science behind the effects cannabis has on people; the rules and regulations governing its purchase, possession, and use; how to buy and consume it; how to grow it and make your own concentrates and marijuana infused products (MIPs); how to reap its potential health benefits for you and your pets; the basics of starting and running a cannabis business; how to invest in it; and how to find work in the industry.

To make the content more accessible, we divided it into six parts:

Part 1, “Getting Started with Cannabis” brings you up to speed on the basics. We take you on a tour of the entire book, covering each key topic in a nutshell. Then, we give you a primer on cannabis rules and regulations to keep you out of legal trouble and explain the politics and culture surrounding cannabis.
Part 2, “Buying, Storing, and Using Cannabis,” guides you through the process of choosing and visiting a cannabis dispensary, provides instructions on various methods for consuming cannabis, and provides insight on how to use cannabis safely and responsibly.
Part 3, “Reaping the Potential Benefits of Medical Marijuana,” explains the potential health benefits of cannabis and provides guidance on how to use cannabis for potential symptom relief connected to a wide range of medical conditions. You also find out about the potential benefits of cannabis products for pets along with guidance for how to use these products more safely.
Part 4, “Grasping the Basics of Cannabis Cultivation, Post-Harvest, and Production,” is for the do-it-yourselfers among the audience. Here, we lead you through the process of growing cannabis indoors or outdoors; how to harvest, dry, and cure it properly; and how to make your own cannabis concentrates and marijuana infused products (MIPs).
Part 5, “Getting Down to Business,” offers insight into starting your own cannabis business, finding work in the industry, and investing in cannabis — the various ways to earn a buck from a potentially lucrative industry.
Part 6, “The Part of Tens,” features ten tips for growing more and better weed, ten tips for enhancing your cannabis experience, and ten tips for ensuring that you get what you paid for when buying cannabis.

As an added bonus, the appendix provides a number of recipes for cooking up your very own cannabis edibles, including Infused Lavender Lemonade, Michelle’s Medicated Blueberry Pie, No-Guilt Nosh, and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies.

In short, this book serves as your A–Z guide to all things cannabis.

Foolish Assumptions

All assumptions are foolish, and we’re reluctant to make them, but to keep this book focused on the right audience and ensure that it fulfills our purpose in writing it, we had to make the following foolish assumptions about you:

You’re old enough to buy, possess, and consume cannabis wherever you happen to live. If you’re not of legal age, don’t read this book.
You’re committed to complying with the cannabis rules and regulations in whatever jurisdictions you live. We don’t condone breaking any laws, which is why we have an entire chapter on rules and regulations and plenty of warnings sprinkled throughout the book.
If you consume cannabis, we assume that you’re committed to doing so safely and responsibly, which includes not driving high, preventing children and pets from accessing your cannabis, and consuming in moderation.
You’re eager to find out more about cannabis. While you may know a great deal already, our hope is that you will learn something new, especially if you’re returning to cannabis after a long absence.

Other than those four foolish assumptions, we can honestly say that we can’t assume much more about you. The vast number of people who have experience with cannabis or are curious about it represent a diverse demographic. You may be 21 or 90 years old or somewhere in between, a white collar or blue collar worker, a housewife or house husband, a doctor, a lawyer, rich or poor. Regardless of the demographic, we applaud you for being open-minded and willing to explore what we feel is a fascinating world.

Icons Used in This Book

Throughout this book, icons in the margins highlight certain types of valuable information that call out for your attention. Here are the icons you’ll encounter and a brief description of each.

We want you to remember everything you read in this book, but if you can’t quite do that, then remember the important points flagged with this icon.

Tips provide insider insight. When you’re looking for a better, faster way to do something, check out these tips.

“Whoa!” Before you take another step, read this warning. We provide this cautionary content to help you avoid the common pitfalls that are otherwise likely to trip you up.

Beyond the Book

In addition to the abundance of information and guidance related to cannabis that we provide in this book, you get access to even more help and information online at Dummies.com. Check out this book’s online Cheat Sheet for handy info regarding different strains of cannabis, cannabinoids, and terpenes; tips for growing more and better cannabis plants, and pros and cons of starting your own cannabis business. Just go to www.dummies.com and search for “Cannabis For Dummies Cheat Sheet.”

Where to Go from Here

You’re certainly welcome to read this book from cover to cover, but we wrote it in a way that facilitates skipping around. For a quick tutorial on cannabis that touches on all the key topics, turn to Chapter 1. For a brief tour of cannabis anatomy and its unique chemical properties, check out Chapter 2. Chapter 3 is a must-read; we included it to help you avoid getting into legal trouble.

If you’re looking to buy cannabis and consume it medically, recreationally, or both, turn to the chapters in Part 2. We want to be sure you’re buying the products that are most likely to deliver the experience you desire without getting ripped off, and we want you to know about the various ways of consuming cannabis, so you can make well-informed choices.

Those who are looking to reap the medical benefits of marijuana or use it for their pets should turn to the chapters in Part 3. If you want to grow your own cannabis and use it to make concentrates and other products, turn to Part 4. And if you want to find gainful employment or explore other ways to make money in the cannabis industry, turn to the chapters in Part 5.

Consider Part 6 and the appendix bonus items — tips and recipes for getting the most out of your cannabis experience!

Cannabis For Dummies®

To view this book's Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and search for “Cannabis For Dummies Cheat Sheet” in the Search box.