There are more types of cannabis products available today than ever before. If you’ve ever walked into a cannabis dispensary, looked around and thought, “OK… what exactly am I supposed to buy?” you are definitely not alone.
Cannabis products come in a lot of different forms now. Flower, pre-rolls, vapes, edibles, concentrates, beverages. And if you’re newer to cannabis, figuring out the difference between them can feel like learning a whole new language.
The good news is that it really doesn’t need to be that complicated.
At SPARK Minnesota, we spend a lot of time helping people sort through the options and understand what makes each product type different. So if you’re trying to decide between cannabis flower, pre-rolls, vapes or edibles, here’s a simple breakdown.
Cannabis Flower
Flower is the traditional form of cannabis most people picture first.
It’s the dried flower from the cannabis plant, usually sold by weight and available in a variety of strains, potencies, aromas and terpene profiles.
Flower is typically ground before use and then smoked using a pipe, bong or rolled into a joint.
One reason people like flower is that it gives them a little more control over the experience. You can choose the strain, decide how much to use and get a better sense of the aroma and characteristics of the cannabis itself.
Flower can also vary quite a bit from one strain to another, even when the THC percentages are similar.
That’s one reason we tell customers not to shop by THC percentage alone.
Cannabis flower sold in Minnesota typically lists THC potency as a percentage of the product’s weight.
Pre-Rolls
Pre-rolls are basically the convenience version of cannabis flower.
Instead of buying flower, grinding it and rolling it yourself, the work has already been done for you.
Pre-rolls can come as single joints or in multi-packs, and they can be made with different strains and flower blends.
For someone newer to cannabis, pre-rolls can be a pretty approachable option because there’s very little setup involved.
No grinder.
No rolling papers.
No trying to figure out why your homemade joint looks like a sad little burrito.
You light it and go.
Because pre-rolls are still inhaled cannabis, effects generally begin much faster than they do with edibles. Minnesota health guidance says smoked or vaped cannabis products usually begin taking effect within minutes.
Cannabis Vapes
Cannabis vapes are another inhaled option, but instead of burning flower, they heat cannabis oil or extract into vapor.
Vapes are popular because they are compact, convenient and easy to use.
Depending on the product, you may see disposable vape pens or cartridges that attach to a reusable battery.
You’ll also see some terminology that can get confusing pretty quickly.
Distillate.
Live resin.
Live rosin.
Full-spectrum.
Those terms refer to different extraction methods and product styles, and they can affect things like flavor, aroma and the overall product experience.
You don’t need to know all of that before you shop.
If you’re curious about a vape product, ask a budtender what type of extract it contains and what makes that specific product different.
One important thing to know: like flower and pre-rolls, vapes are inhaled products, so the onset is generally quicker than with edible cannabis.
Minnesota’s Guide to Safer Cannabis Use estimates that inhaled cannabis may begin taking effect within about 1 to 10 minutes, although timing can vary from person to person.
Cannabis Edibles
Edibles are cannabis products you eat or drink.
That can include gummies, chocolates, beverages and other infused products.
They’re popular for a pretty obvious reason: there’s no smoking or vaping involved.
But edibles also work differently than inhaled cannabis, and that’s extremely important to understand.
Edibles take longer to produce noticeable effects.
According to the Minnesota Department of Health, cannabis edibles and drinks can take up to two hours to fully kick in, and the effects can last for several hours.
That means patience matters.
A lot.
One of the easiest mistakes someone can make with cannabis edibles is deciding after 20 or 30 minutes that nothing is happening and taking more.
Then the first serving kicks in.
Then the second serving kicks in.
And suddenly your evening has become much more interesting than you planned.
Minnesota’s current safer-use guidance recommends starting with a low dose and allowing plenty of time before consuming more.
Always read the product label carefully and pay attention to both the amount of THC per serving and the amount of THC in the entire package.
Which Types of Cannabis Products Are Right for You?
With so many types of cannabis products available, there really isn’t one options that’s best for everyone.
That’s probably the biggest thing we want people to understand.
The “best” cannabis product depends on the person, the situation and what kind of experience they’re looking for.
Some people like flower because they enjoy the traditional experience and want to explore different strains.
Some like pre-rolls because they’re simple and convenient.
Some prefer vapes because they’re compact and easy to use.
Others prefer edibles because they don’t want to inhale anything.
None of those choices is automatically better than the others.
They’re just different.
How Fast Do Different Cannabis Products Work?
This is one of the biggest practical differences between cannabis product types.
Inhaled cannabis, including flower, pre-rolls and vapes, generally begins producing effects much faster.
Minnesota’s Guide to Safer Cannabis Use estimates that inhaled cannabis may begin taking effect within 1 to 10 minutes, with effects often lasting a few hours.
Edibles and beverages can take much longer, sometimes 30 minutes to two hours, and their effects can last considerably longer.
Those are general estimates, not guarantees.
Cannabis affects everyone differently.
Your experience can vary depending on the product, potency, amount consumed, your individual tolerance and a number of other factors.
THC Percentage Isn’t the Whole Story
We touched on this in our first-time dispensary guide, but it’s worth repeating.
A higher THC number does not automatically mean a better product.
With flower and vapes, potency is generally expressed as a percentage.
With edibles, THC is typically listed in milligrams per serving and per package.
Those numbers matter, but they’re only part of the picture.
With flower, things like strain genetics, terpene profile, aroma, freshness and individual preference can all matter too.
With vapes, the type of extract can matter.
With edibles, serving size and timing matter a lot.
The biggest number on the package shouldn’t automatically make the decision for you.
Ask Questions
This is really the main takeaway.
You don’t need to become a cannabis expert before shopping at a Minnesota cannabis dispensary.
If you’re trying to decide between flower, pre-rolls, vapes or edibles, tell your budtender what you know and what you don’t.
Understanding the different types of cannabis products gets much easier once someone walks you through the basics.
Maybe you’ve used edibles before but have never tried flower.
Maybe you’ve smoked flower for years and are curious about vapes.
Maybe you’re completely new and don’t know where to start.
All of those are normal conversations.
At SPARK Minnesota, we’d much rather have you ask questions than feel like you’re supposed to already know everything.
A Few Basic Cannabis Safety Reminders
No matter which product format you choose, there are a few things worth remembering.
Cannabis is for adults age 21 and older in Minnesota.
According to the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management, you should not drive or operate heavy machinery after using cannabis.
Keep cannabis products safely stored away from children and pets. The Minnesota Department of Health recommends keeping cannabis in its original child-resistant packaging and storing it securely.
And especially with edibles, give the product time to work before consuming more.
Simple stuff, but important stuff.
Still Not Sure? Come Talk to Us.
If you’re looking for a cannabis dispensary in Milaca, Minnesota, and you’re not sure where to start, stop by SPARK.
You can browse our current menu online before your visit, or you can come in and let one of our budtenders walk you through the options.
Flower, pre-rolls, vapes, edibles or something else entirely, we’ll help explain what you’re looking at so you can make your own decision.
No pressure.
No cannabis vocabulary test.
And definitely no judgment if you still have no idea what myrcene is.
We can cover that in another blog.
