Cannabis wonderland

In the brave new world of medical cannabis, the sheer variety of options on the dispensary shelf is staggering. While the traditional method of smoking flowers still dominates the market, the medicine can also be eaten, chewed, drunk, sprayed under the tongue or applied to the skin.

“There are different options for different levels of medicating,” says Brian Pritchard of Alpine Alternative. “If you’re just truly looking for something for ankle pain, and the lotion works for you, then that may be all you need.”

Edibles have become popular with older patients and people sensitive to smoke, and it’s a lot easier to manage dosages with food than with flowers.

At the same time, gummy candies like the ones made by Sacramento-based Medizen attract the millennials. Right now, most of the edible products on the market are sweet, but that is changing.

“Gummies aren’t going to be around forever,” says Angela Kadara of Medizen. “There are a lot of people who would like to medicate with edibles, but they don’t want a brownie or cookie, so they don’t try it. We see ourselves moving back into a more savory market.”

Indeed, popcorn, pizza, pretzels and peanuts now come infused with cannabis, finally uniting marijuana and “the munchies.”