Micro-dosing your way to productivity

More people than ever are working from home and having to juggle those demands with family and care responsibilities, or loneliness and isolation if they live alone.  Many have been laid off work, allowing for lethargy and boredom to creep in as people become de-motivated and disconnected from the world as they knew it. We are all looking for ways to stimulate ourselves and find coping mechanisms to deal with the anxiety, depression or stress that these uncertain times has created. Ask most cannabis users if their consumption has changed during lockdown and the majority (who are being honest) will admit that it has increased as they attempt to keep spinning all the plates that every day life throws at them. So where does the happy medium lie? Well, the answer may be in “micro-dosing”. With the current world health crisis not going away any time soon, never has there been a better time to explore the potential for new ways to use cannabis to deal with these new challenges that have changed life as we knew it! Micro-dosing is essentially what it says. It’s taking “micro” “doses” of cannabis to give you the effects that you want but without the full psychoactive impact that can completely overwhelm you and your ability to get on with the rest of your day. Many people find that they experience better results from micro-dosing compared to when they take larger doses. Blasting your body with a high dose of cannabis does not always give you the effect that you are looking for and in some cases it can worsen the exact symptoms that you are trying to relieve. This is because of the “dose-effect curve”. With most medicines the larger the dose, the stronger the medicinal effects but this is not always the case with cannabis. Many experts agree that the best way to take advantage of the plant’s full range of therapeutic powers and not just the psychoactive ones is by using a low regular dosage. THC has so much more to it than just getting you “high”. It is a powerful pain reliever, has inflammatory properties and is a great aid for overcoming insomnia and inducing a relaxed state of mind. It will only provide relief up to a point though. Once you have passed that point or “optimum dosage” the THC stops encouraging relaxation and relief of mental and physical ailments and instead will start triggering debilitating conditions. Anxiety being a perfect example of this. Medically, there is some proof in this idea. One study from 2012 showed that cancer patients who were treated with cannabis medication varying in strength from high to medium to low, saw the most reduction in pain from taking the lowest dosage.t Another study from 2014 which focused on treating PTSD sufferers revealed a low dose of “Nabilone” (a synthetic cannabinoid medicine) was very successful in eliminating symptoms. This was as well as also helping to reduce levels of insomnia, nightmares and physical pain. In every day life and away from the research papers you will find many people who agree that micro-dosing whilst undertaking work tasks and the demands of everyday life, makes them feel more energised, creative, focused and confident in themselves and the work that they are doing. This is in direct contrast to how some would feel if they lay on the couch, smoked a whole joint of their best stuff and then tried to get up and do a days work. If you are thinking of trying micro-dosing then a good place to start is with  1-2.5mg of THC per dose. You should maintain this for at least 2 days and then if necessary increase your dosage by 1mg at a time until you achieve your desired state. If you’re a regular or heavy cannabis user with a high tolerance then it is advisable to abstain completely for at least 2 days before you begin micro-dosing as otherwise you may struggle to feel the effects at all. Method of ingestion is an important factor to consider when micro-dosing. If you are lucky enough to live somewhere where cannabis and all its derived products are legal then you will have a world of choice to select from. Edibles, oils, tinctures, candies and gummies are just a small selection of the range available, some of which are even conveniently packaged in micro-dosed portions of around 1-2mg. When buying bigger products that are not solely specified for micro-dosing such as oils or a chocolate however you should look for ones that have a lower THC content (anything with under 10mg THC per serving is considered “low dose”). For example, a bar of infused chocolate with a total content of 5mg THC will be easier for you to micro-dose with than a bar that has say 20 mgs. Another tip is to look for a product with a higher ratio of CBD alongside a lower ratio of THC too. This ensures that you benefit from the well documented “entourage effect” where you are taking in a fuller spectrum of cannabinoids for enhanced effects. CBD also boasts many of its own special attributes that you can take advantage of, such as its power to ease anxiety and the fact that it can help to dampen down the psychoactive effects of THC, which is part of the aim with micro-dosing. If smoking or vaping is your thing then there are products available such as calibrated vape pens that cleverly deliver a measured hit each time you inhale and vibrate to tell you when you have taken the micro dosed amount. If you are still in the majority however and live somewhere where cannabis and its products are illegal then it can be more tricky to micro-dose as accurately, but it is still possible. The key is to know what you are using in the first place, so don’t just go buying something off a stranger who has no idea what the THC % of your Flower or product is. Ideally grow your own or plants or buy flower from someone who you trust and can tell you exactly what it is and how strong it is. Ideally something with a low THC content and a higher than normal CBD level in order to encourage the positive effects of your micro-dosing. Making edibles can be easy and effective as long as you follow the correct method and there are loads of recipes and tools out there to help you do so. Once you have your finished edible or oil it is just a matter of then portioning it out accurately to allow for micro-dosing. You can do this by measuring, weighing or by using special moulds to make items such as individual gummies, candies or chocolates. There are many conversion charts and calculators online that will help you work out how many mg of active cannabinoid each dose should/can contain. This is as long as you know what you were working with to start with! Home made Oils can be easier to micro dose than edibles as you can just use a dropper to ensure that you are taking even doses each time. Over all however, due to the stability and make up of the other ingredients you are using and the decarboxylation process, you will still find that dosages in home made edibles and oils will often vary in potency. Smoking and vaping the old fashioned way is not the most accurate method to micro-dose as it is difficult to know how much cannabinoid you are getting in each hit and to make that consistent. It is a very convenient way to do it though and if you are not too concerned about getting a completely exact dose each time then it is a good place to start. Try a lower strength flower or vape oil and just limit yourself to one/two puffs every so often. It will take a bit of experimentation to find the right level but once you do, this can be an easy way to feel the benefits of micro-dosing. One of the great things about using cannabis as a medicine is the personalisation it allows you, not only via the ingestion method you choose but also in the dose. The ultimate goal of micro-dosing is to find the lowest most effective dose for each individual. A dose that delivers what you need when you need it but without overpowering you or your abilities to get on with the day. With the “new normal” that we are all facing in 2020 and beyond, micro-dosing could indeed be the key to making you happier and more productive at home and at work!