Cannabis Connoisseurs' Obsession with Potency?

[petal]

Truthman

really interesting post #85 and nice to have another angle on things .

 

[Truthman]

I stand corrected, thanks for the link

This link says linoleic acid, an unsaturated fatty acid reduced serotonin, prolactin and formyl-Met-Leu-Phe binding. How does reduced affinity from membrane fluidization make them stay in them membrane longer and give a better high? Wouldn't the opposite occur?


Sure it will, THC doesn't stay in fat cells indefinitely, it eventually exits back into the bloodstream as an active compound where it can bind to cb receptors

I agree oxidation occurs but oxidation from free radicals is not the principle means of degradation. THC is mainly metabolized by enzyme hydroxylation, this is apparent from looking at the metabolites.

From your own citation THC reduces these adrenal hormones:"delta 9-THC treatment resulted in a significant decrease in plasma and MBH levels of norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (E)"

THC has both stimulate and depressive effects and I wouldn't classify it as a pure stimulant. Vitamin C sounds interesting so I'll give it a try, any advice when and how much to take? I said the paranoia, anxiety and sweating are dependent on mindset because I know several smokers who overcame this by just learning to relax and letting go. It may be a lack of Vit C but sometimes people are just too stressed and not in the right mindset and this leads to bad expiriences. Truthman, I don't mean to come across as hostle or put anyone down. I like debates and have found your posts to be very informative. You are my cannabis brother and it's all in good fun here.

I gave that link to show that fats do affect receptor sites. Linoleic acid is a polyunsaturated acid and like I said in my other post, it keeps things fluid BUT you only want a little to go along with the other fats because you don't want to have your cell membrane to be too fluid because it won't hold chemicals long enough. They each do different things and have different roles. You can use these roles to enhance the cannabinoids ability to stay within the cell membrane longer and be more effective than normal.

Also, you're right about the thc will exit the cell eventually BUT remember it will be diluted with other lipids as well as slowly released, so I doubt there would be any major effects.

You are right about the hydroxylation of thc, particularly thc-9 into thc-11 but like I said you will have some being degraded by free radicals especially when you take into account most people smoke cannabis and have very little antioxidants in their system. Smoking creates A LOT of free radicals.

The reason why thc reduces plasma levels, I feel is because when thc hits receptor sites, one of it's jobs is to release these adrenal hormones and the cell uses these hormones to create other hormones as well as neurotransmitters and other body chemicals being that adrenal hormones get things going. Sort of like a internal, chemical exercise. So, to me that is why the plasma levels would be low when thc is introduced into the body.

The vitamin C method is to take 250mg-500mg, along with orange juice with pulp, 30 minutes to an hour before you smoke, vaporize or eat cannabis. The reason why is because vitamin c is crucial for the body to make adrenal hormones as well as other body processes.

I understand and I appreciate your questioning. Sorry if I came off hostile. Peace.

 

[Truthman]

Truthman

really interesting post #85 and nice to have another angle on things .

I appreciate you taking notice to my post. Peace.

 

[Sam_Skunkman]

house,

"Sure it will, THC doesn't stay in fat cells indefinitely, it eventually exits back into the bloodstream as an active compound where it can bind to cb receptors"

Unless I am wrong it is not THC that is stored in fat rather it is just the inactive artifact 11-nor hydroxy THC that is stored.


BTW another reason for stimulation with THC is because it stimulates release of glycogen. I am not sure if this has been proven yet. But think about it. This is one of the reasons you get a rush from strong Cannabis, specially in naive users or someone that has not smoked for a few days.

And yes THC is bi-phasic meaning first it stimulates then it depresses.

-SamS

 

[Mr Celsius]

LoL, this thread is still going.

Good information, but amazing

 

[mriko]

mriko,
Have you ever gotten blown up as possible?
Does this mean you are not a connoisseur?
Or maybe it was not your goal and it was an accident?
I think you are a Cannabis Connoisseur, I also think you might like to get as high as you can occasionally, they are not exclusive, both can be.

Greetings Sam !
Well, eheh, I've been quite a numerous time more than totally blown up but often unwillingly I admit. After a whole year of smoking low quality stuff, when I happily smoked a good joint of excellent kashmir twisted gardah last May in Delhi I ended up totally zoned into hyperspace for the first 2-3 days.
I wasn't after going full blown up, but much more after the pleasure to smoke that imported-ganja tasting and ultra positive & uplifting kashmir stuff. That was what I was specifically looking after. THe unique qualities of this stuff.
a week later when reaching Peshawar I scored some mad shebarghan stuff which is definitely among the most potent hash I've ever smoked. one joint for breakfast and your day is "ruined", unable to leave the sofa eheh... Evening times where crazy with everyone rolling joints and getting full blasted. I declined a few joints, so ****ed up I was, because there was no point of getting more stone (except that of wasting some stuff...), it was already too much !
I was happy to score some lighter local garda with a mellow high which allowed me to be functionnal and work all day.

So yes, I mostly focus on the specific particularities of each different stuff and enjoy firstly these, rather than going plainly and simply as stone as possible. Of course, in some special occasions can be great for sure eheh, but there's always a reason for, rather than just going blasted (well drop me in Parvati valley during moosoon season and I'll sepnd all my days drinking on chillum haha!)

Most of my friends in town have very poor knowledge about cannabis. How many time did I hear some of them saying "as long as it blows me away I don't care about what it is!". I always feel sorry when I hear that. Missing so much !

All that to say that I was mostly reacting with the tittle of the thread and first post. In my opinion, if one is "obsessed with potency", one misses too many things to become a connoisseur.

To me a connoisseur only has to have a deep love of Cannabis products, with a quest of understanding the herb. You do not even have to be a smoker, what about sadu's in India that don't even smoke but eat Cannabis every day? If you love Cannabis, love its effects, love its smells, love its tastes, and have a bit of understanding and insights into the herb, you are on the road to being a Cannabis Connoisseur....
I guess I like being inclusive rather then exclusive?

Very well said !

but to me taste and smell are very important

oh yeah! so important ! some friend of mine make very loose & lumpy joints, poor tasting ones and the effect is always light on me. tasty ones are the trick !

Irie !

 

[Sam_Skunkman]

mriko,
I understand how you feel even if I do not agree completly.
The question is do you get higher from big doses or lots of small?
I said fewer, bigger, for sure.
What do you find for yourself? Is small hits or big hits more potent?
Forget efficiency for a moment, just potentcy...
I do understand why you do not smoke if you are already to stoned, but if the problem is the hash will not get you any higher then the problem is with the type of hash not the delivery method. I agree and try very hard not to smoke any hash that has a ceiling, I do not want my hash deciding how much I will smoke, that is a decision I like to make myself.

-SamS

 

[Spaventa]

Potency is nice in a strain, because it means the harvest goes further because I tend to smoke less when its knockout...but realy its not crucial that every strain I have is super potent - if its average/mild potency, all it means is I'll have to smoke more which doesn't worry me..at all.
A good point in case would be my C99 pheno - its no heavy hitter but its one of my favourite smokes, flavour wise and the high, while not devastating is very pleasantly happy, trippy and up, with no tolerence build up even after weeks of smoking 1 or 2 g per day.

In a away, potency can spoil your fun...Like Cheese for instance...If I start smoking that during the day, its wasted so its a no no but my Apollo11 or C99 are mild enough for an all day toker like me

 

[Sam_Skunkman]

"potency can spoil your fun..."

Yes I am sure it does for a few...
Might I suggest you only take a very very small hit of potent Cannabis?
While if the reverse is the problem, the Cannabis is to weak, what do you do?
I think that many more people want Cannabis that is more potent, not less potent.
My problem should be my Cannabis is to potent, LOL

-SamS

 

[GrowMan]

very hard to compare to alcohol since you can continue to drink and it will just keep getting you more and more intoxicated.

Then it will kill you... quite unlike our fine plant...

 

[JimmyEatWorld]

Nice thread !

For me the dilemma is not in high/medium potency. My goal is to achieve maximum potency,combined with taste/smell.
So once again the dilemma, is not in smoking a joint of a weaker high type of herb/resin but the amount of herb/resin you consume.

I want to smoke the least amount that will provide me the maximum effect.I consider smoking dangerous.So smoke the amount you want from the strongest herb/resin to get a high suitable to your needs. Not more of a weaker one.

 

[floppyfundanglr]

for the day i need medium potency to get through the day with inspiration. I wont great taste and smooth smoke because its a more frequently smoked strain. For night i want a knock out 1 bowl crash out. I have restless muscles in my back due to injuries. My neck as well. I cant lay still for the life of myself. A strong indica takes care of that problem. So i would say there is a line between connesuer and medical. Although you always want great taste and smooth smoke. Its just pleasant.

peace

 

[goodmangigabyte]

Does anyone else here feel that being blitzed all the time hinders productivity?

 

[Sam_Skunkman]

I'd answer but it is way to much work.

-SamS

 

[Grat3fulh3ad]

I'd answer but it is way to much work.

-SamS

lmao...

 

[WV Rastafari]

Here in the midwest we don't have the whole cannabis culture of places like California or B. C.

So many people I know who are into Cannabis will smoke anything it doesn't matter the potency. Those who grow are the ones who are always looking for that holy grail of a potent strain. The others who just smoke don't even know the names of strains. Most smokers just want to get wasted, I'm not one of them. There are just as many drinkers who drink to get drunk instead of enjoying it responsibly.

I warned some friends when they tried my weed it is potent. They took one joint to a concert and "only smoked half". They both woke up the next morning and were still feeling high..... oops! I told you so. Oh and I got that shit from a guy (me) who got it from a guy (me) who knows someone who grows it (me) ;-)

 

[Horus]

Well you can't really compare Weed connoisseurs to Wine connoisseurs because of some simple differences in the way the substances are used. Wine isn't grown for potency, it's grown for taste. Wine connoisseurs spit the wine out to avoid intoxication. Most people drink wine for the taste, or for a light social buzz. With weed on the other hand, while the taste, smell, "lung-expanding"ness, etc. are fun things to talk about, the main purpose is *getting baked*. Sure you might not smoke yourself into oblivion every time, but still the overall goal is a level of intoxication.

 

[Dignan]

I see your point, but I don't think many people really got my initial question.

I know wine connoisseurs don't drink to get drunk (generalization here, not universally true).

I know that cannabis connoisseurs do in fact toke to get baked (another generalization, as obviously there are a fair number of us who do not).

My question was why do wine folks NOT drink for inebriation (generally) but cannabis folks do.

I've since answered that question for myself, but just wanted to clarify the original kwerstyun.

Peace-

Dig

 

[Horus]

I blame it on 3 things. one addiction. especially alot of cannaseurs have a bit of a problem and smoke HEAVY weed all day and if it doesn't give them that by the hit relief they get pissed off. you'll notice in kush threads they are all potency nuts. and they are constantly in arguments like crackheads.

two is the twenty dollar a gram mentality. alot of us started growing to stop paying 20 dollars for a gram. it started out a few plants with a low yield and they needed to kick your ass. but as time progresses people tend to have enough weed and look at what else is there. but still hold on to the idea that this much weed is supposed to feel like this.

which brings me to the 3rd reason. laziness. most potheads are lazy. and once you have a smokers stash and you're looking for something else. its alot easier to pick up a seed catalog and get the same reshuffled genes that have a few very basic similiar stones named a few hundred names. and since the stones are so similiar all that really matters is how strong it is. I mean c'mon. afghani, black domina, the purple humboldt that is so popular, g13. the difference in stone is hardly noticable. only the potency and different smells/tastes/looks

Its alot harder and more risky to chase down exotic strains that have unique effects that have long flowering times, low yields, are PITAs etc.

Great post. I had some weed a while ago, I was on no tolerance and we split a 1-gram joint. Goddamn we were so gone, full open-eyed hallucinations (nothing insane but all of the 'dots' in the air were meshing together, turning my friend's face blue), great closed-eye hallucinations (it was the first time my friend's ever seen shit on bud), and so giggly that you can barely say anything without giggling. Sure, a half-joint on no tolerance, it was not the strongest stuff in the world. It didn't taste good, it didn't smell unique whatsoever, but I sure as hell saved the seeds. I'm not really a daily smoker anymore because it ****ed up my grades too bad - yes yes some of you can function perfectly fine completely baked 24/7 . . . not me, I get lost in my own little stoned world and stop thinking about much else, and that goes for indicas and sativas

 

[goodmangigabyte]

I think weed, like any substance, can be abused. Having a drink or two with a meal isn't abuse, but downing a case every night probably would be. Having an evening toke to unwind isn't abuse, but getting fried from morning to night every day probably would be (unless you're medicinal). Having said that, I've gotten blazed for long periods of time before, so I'm just as guilty as anyone here. And I for one will admit that maybe I am addicted to marijuana. Will I stop? Not anytime soon. Do I need to go to rehab for it? No, I'm pretty sure I have the willpower to stop at any time. It's like when Snoop Dogg went cold turkey for almost a year recently: I think he wanted to prove to himself he didn't NEED the stuff, and then when he was satisfied that he could get just as high on life as on the herb, he started toking again.