Cannabis—also known as marijuana, pot, herb, bud, weed, grass, chronic, dank, dope, ganga, kush and, of course, MJ – comes from the hemp plant cannabis sativa or cannabis indica.

There are four main types of cannabis products

Flower – A mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the hemp plant. Flower is typically smoked.

Concentrate – A potent extract of cannabinoids from the cannabis plant. You can consume concentrates orally, through vaporizing, or dabbing (shatter, wax, budder).

Edibles – A cannabis-infused food product, such as a cookie, cracker, mint, chocolate, or drink. Be aware: Edibles have a delayed effect, sometimes lasting several hours, which may cause users to consume too much because they believe the drug is not working. This can cause a user to overdose or have a negative experience.

Topical – A cannabis-infused lotion, balm, or oil absorbs through the skin. Topical cannabis products are not psychoactive and will not get a user high.

What are the main chemicals in cannabis?

Cannabis has more than 400 chemicals. The two most prominently discussed, studied and understood chemicals are THC and CBD.

THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) – is the main active chemical in cannabis and is what causes a person to feel high.

CBD (cannabidiol) – is the non-psychoactive chemical in cannabis. Overall, we’ll need more research to fully understand all the impacts of CBD.