The first couple of times you visit your local cannabis dispensary can be a little overwhelming, especially if you're not too experienced with cannabis. One of the reasons patients sometimes feel overwhelmed is the abundance of numbers they don't quite understand. These numbers are important and can tell you a lot about the cannabis you're thinking about buying, so it's helpful to learn their meanings. Without further ado, here are some of the numbers you'll often see at a dispensary.
1/8, 1/4, and 1/2
Dispensaries use fractions when selling their products. You'll see prices listed for 1/8 of a certain cannabis strain or 1/2 of another. This isn't very meaningful if you don't know the unit being used. The unit is ounces. For reasons associated with tradition, cannabis is generally sold by the gram and by the ounce. You can usually buy a single gram, or you can buy a 1/8, 1/4, or 1/2 of an ounce. You can buy a full ounce, too, of course, but buying 1 gram or 1/8 at a time is a good plan if you want to try various strains and see what you like.
14%, 18%, 23%, etc.
Sometimes, you may just see a percent listed next to the name of a strain. For example, a label may read "Northern Lights: 22%." If the label does not mention what the percent is of, you can assume it is THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis. Different strains have different percentages of THC. The more THC a strain contains, the less of it you'll need to use to feel its effects. Dispensaries often list the percentage of CBD (cannabidiol), too, but this number is usually labeled, whereas the percentage of THC is not always listed.
60% Indica, 40% Sativa
If you read strain descriptions, you may find that some of them include numbers along the lines of "80% indica, 20% sativa." This is just referring to the genetics of the plant that was used. There are two primary types of cannabis: cannabis indica and cannabis sativa. Hybrids contain a certain percentage of each. Sativa strains tend to be more energizing, while indicas are relaxing. So, it's helpful to know what these numbers mean and select the cannabis with your desired effects.
Understanding these three types of numbers will really simplify your cannabis shopping experience. For more information on cannabis, contact a cannabis dispensary in your area.
