Read time: 4:44 mins
Are you looking for discreet ways to consume cannabis during the holidays? Whether you’re looking to use cannabis discreetly to help you reduce anxiety, relieve stress, fall asleep after a big meal or simply enjoy your time off from work, you’re in luck. Gone are the days when you could tell if someone was using cannabis from a mile away. As more cannabis products hit the market every year, there are more discreet ways to consume cannabis these days than ever before.
While often the most wonderful time of the year, the holidays can often be a stressful time. According to a survey by the American Psychological Association, 38 percent of people said their stress level increases during the holidays. Another survey, by the investment firm Principal Financial Group, revealed that 53 percent of people feel financially stressed by holiday spending, even though more than half of the 1,000 respondents had created spending budgets.
Toss in a global pandemic and this might be the most stressful holiday season ever, making it an even better time to turn to your cannabis during your holiday get together. While we at Three Wells aren’t shy about our love of cannabis and its health and wellness benefits, we realize not everyone in your friend circle or family may be as open or receptive to cannabis use like we are. So, here are four ways you can enjoy cannabis this holiday season without anyone even knowing it:
Edibles
Edibles are one of the most common ways of cannabis consumption, and they offer a very discreet delivery method – no smoke, no vapor and no devices necessary. With edibles like gummies, drops, chocolate confections and mints, it’s as easy as popping one in your mouth and enjoying. It can’t get more discreet than that!
Other than being highly discreet, another reason why edibles are growing in popularity is that more and more mature adults are wary of smoking cannabis due to health issues or even the stigma that smoking may represent. When ingesting an edible you get the benefits of the cannabis without irritating your lungs or throat like you do with smoking.
With edibles, the most important rule is to go low and slow. Begin with a small portion and wait for a minimum of 20 minutes before eating any more. Many people take a microdosing approach, and there’s nothing wrong with cutting a 10 mg edible in half or even in quarters and seeing how it affects you one piece at a time over the course of a few hours.
Ingesting an edible generally produces a longer lasting effect so you need to plan accordingly. In fact, there are cannabis gummies that take time to set in and last 4-6 hours, and a fast-acting variety now that take about 20 minutes to set in and last for 2 hours.
And with cannabis-infused products like olive oil, balsamic vinaigrette, coconut oil, and honey, you can even cook with cannabis. If you cook something with cannabis, just be sure to keep it away from kids for their safety.
Vaping
If you’re trying to consume cannabis discreetly, smoking is definitely not the way to go. The smoke and distinct smell you’d puff out into the air is certainly going to blow your cover. However, if smoking is your preferred method, you could try the next best thing – vaping – a great option for discreet cannabis consumption without all the smoke and smell.
Vaping isn’t quite as low-key as edibles, as they produce clouds of aromatic vapor, but it dissipates quickly and doesn’t cling to your breath or clothing. And vape pens? Many, by nature of their name, are sleek, slender and not obvious to the non-cannabis user eye. Disposable vapes are also available and especially discreet – often the size of cigarettes.
If you choose to vape, ask your spouse or a cannabis-friendly friend to be a “look out” so your children or grandchildren don’t inadvertently see you taking a puff from your vape pen.
Tinctures
Another discreet cannabis delivery method is a tincture, where extracts of cannabis are infused into organic solvents (alcohol or glycerin) and retain all the cannabinoids. The tincture is taken in measured doses under the tongue (sublingually) using a dropper bottle or a mouth spray (via an atomizer bottle). A tincture can also be mixed in a beverage and swallowed.
When used under the tongue it is absorbed mostly through the mouth, rather than digestion like edibles, so a sublingual tincture is a more rapid and precise approach.
CBD Capsules, Tabs, Beverages
If you’re looking to avoid any of the effects of THC or if you live in a state where adult cannabis use is not yet legal, CBD could be a good, quite discreet option. In human studies of the brain, it was found that CBD may increase blood flow to the areas of the brain that are known to control anxiety. CBD was compared to a placebo and two anti-anxiety medicines for treatment of social anxiety. CBD was found to be as effective as the two known anti-anxiety medicines and was significantly more effective than the placebo.
These days, you can consume CBD in capsules, tabs, and even beverages like coffee. One of the best attributes of cannabis capsules is precise dosing. They also provide peace of mind for those who are more comfortable with a pill rather than other ways to consume, with smoking in particular. In addition, pure cannabis capsules do not contain sugar or other ingredients found in chocolate edibles, gummies, and possibly in beverages.
It’s easier than ever to consume cannabis discreetly, and if you need to keep your cannabis use on the down low this holiday season, Three Wells is here for you to learn everything you need to know about all the options you have.
