General Tips

These tips explore general education and harm reduction tips that can be applied across different cannabis consumption methods.

Understanding what influences your experience can help support awareness, as well as intentional and informed choices.

Whether you're trying a new product or consumption method, it's always worth starting low and going slow.

Start with a smaller amount and give yourself a lot of time to notice how you feel before deciding whether you need to take any more.

Remember: You can always have more, but you can't have less.

After consuming cannabis for a while your tolerance can increase. This is a normal response to regular consumption.

Some people find taking a short tolerance break helpful. Others prefer to gradually reduce how much or how often they consume instead of stopping completely.

The goal is to find an approach that works for you that supports a better relationship with cannabis.

If you're exploring ways to cut back, our resource the Cutback Pack includes practical tools to help get you started.

In unregulated markets, it's often difficult to know how cannabis was grown, stored or handled. Contaminations such as pesticides, plant growth regulators (PGRs) or mould may not always be visible.

Where possible, ask questions about the growth and choose sources you trust.

A common myth is that holding smoke in for longer gets you higher. It doesn’t. THC enters your system within seconds, so holding it in only adds unnecessary harms to your lungs.

Where you choose to consume can shape your experience just as much as what you're consuming.

Feeling safe, comfortable and around people you trust can help reduce the chance of unpleasant experiences. It's also important to note that unfamiliar environments, stressful situations or consuming when you're already feeling overwhelmed may increase the likelihood of anxiety or discomfort.

Taking a moment to consider your surroundings and check in with yourself before consuming can make a meaningful difference.

Looking after yourself, eating well and staying active genuinely makes a difference to how cannabis affects you and how you feel day to day.

Looking after your overall wellbeing can influence both how cannabis affects you and how you feel day to day.

Getting enough sleep, eating regular meals, staying hydrated and being physically active all play a role.

When your basic needs are looked after, it's often easier to recognise how cannabis is affecting you, make intentional choices and notice when something doesn't feel quite right.

Cannabis doesn't exist in isolation. Your health, lifestyle and habits are all part of the bigger picture.

How you store your cannabis can affect its quality and longevity.

Store cannabis in a cool, dark and dry place away from direct sunlight, heat and excess moisture. An airtight glass container can help preserve cannabinoids and terpenes while helping protect the quality of your cannabis over time.

If there are children or pets in your home, keep cannabis products securely stored and out of reach. Edibles can be easily mistaken for regular food, so keeping them stored properly and in their original packaging can help prevent accidental consumption.

Cannabis contains over 100 naturally occurring cannabinoids with THC and CBD being the two most well known.

THC is primarily responsible for the psychoactive effects of cannabis, while CBD is non-psychoactive and is being researched for a range of potential therapeutic benefits.

Most cannabis genetics today have been bred to contain high levels of THC and relatively little CBD. If you ever experience THC making you feel anxious or uncomfortable, some people find that products containing more CBD, or using CBD alongside THC may help.

Some common minor cannabinoids include CBG, CBN, CBC and THCV.

Even though high quality research is still limited, early evidence and anecdotal reports suggest that some minor cannabinoids may influence sleep, focus, inflammation and anxiety. More research is needed before drawing firm conclusions.

Some people report noticeable differences when using products containing minor cannabinoids, while others notice very little change. As with many aspects of cannabis, individual experiences can vary.

As research continues to grow, our understanding of how minor cannabinoids interact with each other will continue to evolve.

Terpenes are naturally occurring compounds that contribute to the aroma and flavour of cannabis. They may also play a role in shaping the overall experience, although research into their effects is still emerging.

Just like many aspects of cannabis, individual experiences can vary.

The Entourage Effect is the idea that cannabinoids and terpenes work together to influence the overall experience.

Although a popular concept the evidence is still limited, and the extent to which these compounds interact is still being investigated.

Not all cannabis feels the same.

THC, CBD, terpenes and minor cannabinoids can all influence the effects you feel and your individual experience. How you respond may also depend on things like your mood, environment, sleep, stress levels and many more factors.

Finding what works for you often involves a bit of experimentation. Keeping note of what you consume and how it affects you can make it easier to know what works for you.

Chewing or smelling black pepper is a long standing trick for taking the edge off if things start to feel like too much. The theory is that a compound in pepper interacts with cannabinoid receptors, though that mechanism is debated, and we haven’t found human research testing it yet.

Plenty of people swear by it.