While cannabis may cause forgetfulness from time to time, it’s also capable of producing a lot of memorable moments worthy of writing down. In fact, it’s common for cannabis enthusiasts to engage in keeping a cannabis journal for the purposes of documenting their experiences in a single, thoughtful space. For those thinking about picking up their own cannabis journal, here are some ideas to help you get started.

Cannabis Journal: Covering Your Experiences

When keeping a cannabis journal, many individuals begin with a recounting of their experiences after they’ve had time to process a smoke session. Especially for beginner cannabis consumers, experiences with smoking can be deeply personal, especially with the use of high THC strains with powerful psychoactive properties.

While one may be tempted to start on their journal while experiencing the effects of a particularly good strain, some of the most rewarding journaling endeavors may be produced after a period of reflection on their thoughts and feelings. However, everyone’s journal will inevitably be different, and adhere to their own rhythm of writing and engaging with life.

Strain Diaries

One popular way to approach cannabis journaling is to chronicle their encounters with different strains and compare and contrast their unique effects. A cannabis journal may have entries organized into various sections, such as experiences with indicas, sativas, and hybrids. One may also want to compare and contrast different brands of edibles, kinds of concentrates, or favorite vapes.

Writing down your experiences with the strains you try out over time can have multiple advantages. First, through the process of considering your feelings about different strains, you will more readily know your own preferences when choosing cannabis to purchase in the future. Furthermore, you will be better acquainted with the peculiarities of varying forms of cannabis in general. 

Cannabis-Fueled Reviews

Another avenue to consider with your journaling is “reviewing” or writing about media consumed during your cannabis high. While bingeing shows on Netflix can be enormous fun even without smoking cannabis, sometimes new and intriguing views of the series we love are unlocked after dosing with the right strain. 

Above all else, journaling enables an individual to explore their thoughts on various subjects, and cannabis can assist with producing effusive and interesting paths for our thinking to travel. Different people will have distinct motivations in their journaling, but it is universally helpful in bringing us to deeper understandings of what we choose to write about.

Tips for Keeping a Cannabis Journal

The most important thing to keep in mind with journaling is that everyone has their own pace at which they write. Many jump into the process imagining that they have to make an entry every day in order to journal properly, but setting aside one time a week and scaling up your activity according to your comfort will help you make the habit long-term.

Furthermore, not every “journal” has to be hand-written. The purpose of journaling is to engage with one’s own thoughts, so it can be just as fruitful to type out entries on your laptop rather than actually committing them to paper. Exploring the many unique journaling apps available on phones, tablets and computers may also prove fruitful to your writing endeavors.

Vape cartridges have become some of the most popular items on dispensary shelves. Cartridges packed with concentrated cannabis oils are perfect for quick, convenient, and discreet dosing. But in order to use a vape cartridge, you’re gonna need a vape battery.

510 Thread Batteries 

Vape cartridges are designed to work with 510 thread batteries. They simply screw right on to the top of the battery to get you vaping within seconds. But the massive number of 510 thread batteries on the market today can make finding one for your personal needs a challenge. Before shopping for a new vape battery, take some time to think about what features are important to you and what exactly you are expecting from a vape battery. 

Here are a few things to keep an eye out for when choosing a vape battery from your favorite Ann Arbor dispensary.

Voltage And mAh

One of the first things to look for when shopping for a vape battery is the unit’s voltage and mAh specs. 

Voltage determines the heat produced by the battery and, consequently, how hard a cartridge will hit. Most pens have adjustable variable voltages that can be set with a button or a dial, but it’s always important to check whether a unit uses a fixed voltage or a variable one.

Lower voltages work fine for most vape cartridges, but carts using ceramic elements will usually require a voltage of 3.7v or more in order to heat up. So if you think you’ll be picking up some ceramic cartridges from your favorite Ann Arbor dispensary anytime soon, make sure to choose a higher voltage battery to go along with them.

If your vape’s battery life is important to you, then make sure to look for a battery with a high mAh (milliamp per hour). The higher the mAh rating, the longer the battery life. Most vape batteries range from 200 mAh to 800 mAh, but the higher mAh ratings are usually reserved for wax pens, not 510 batteries. Ask your Ann Arbor dispensary budtender for more info if you’re not sure about the specs of a specific unit!

Buttons And Chargers

You should also pay attention to the buttons on a vape and the mechanism that it uses to fire up. Some 510 thread batteries will require you to hold down a button as you inhale in order to function, while others will simply begin producing vapor when you pull on them – no buttons required. However, be aware that these buttonless batteries only have one voltage option (usually 3.7v).

You should also think about how you wish to charge your pen. All 510 thread batteries come with a USB charger that usually screws right into the battery for easy charging. But some chargers are faster than others, and some batteries feature wireless chargers.

Box Mods

Last but not least, take a moment to consider whether a simple 510 thread battery is right for you in the first place. If you like to vape e-juice as well, a box mod battery could be a good all-in-one vape device for your needs. Box mods will also give you more control over your hits. Just be careful to not use too high of a voltage and burn the oil in your cartridge. 

Box mods are chunkier so they offer less portability and discreetness, but since they are compatible with any 510 attachment, they also offer way more customizability. Not sure which way to go? Ask your local Ann Arbor dispensary budtender if a 510 battery is really right for you.

While cannabis has become easier to access than ever before, there are still many ways in which the general public lacks information about proper practices in using and maintaining cannabis products. One major question many newer cannabis consumers face is the correct method of storing cannabis, as this seemingly simple consideration can have drastic consequences for the quality of your next smoke session. Here’s everything you need to know in order to keep your cannabis buds in the best shape possible.

Storing Cannabis: Temperature

When storing cannabis, consumers don’t tend to pay attention to the conditions in which their flower is kept. However, these conditions can affect the various qualities of your cannabis, such as its potency, scent, and flavor. To this end, the temperature of your cannabis storage is an exceedingly important aspect of preserving your cannabis. 

Typically, room temperature or below is considered the ideal temperature for storing marijuana. When cannabis is kept in a place that is too hot, it has the potential to dry out and lose some of the compounds that contribute to its many effects. Even conditions slightly above room temperature may allow for unwanted mildew to form on your cannabis, so cool storage is highly recommended. 

Storing Cannabis: Light

One unexpectedly vital aspect of cannabis storage is the amount of light that your flower is exposed to. Sunlight, which contains UV rays, can deteriorate the crystalline trichomes that coat cannabis and imbue powerful psychoactive properties in the plant with the chemicals they contain, such as THC. Therefore, it’s a good idea to store cannabis in a dark place where light does not impact its quality. 

There are many acceptable locations for cannabis storage that lend themselves well to minimizing light exposure. Closets, drawers, or cupboards will all assist in keeping cannabis in its top condition for when you’re ready to dig into your stash. Certain containers also have the ability to block out sunlight, making them vital for traveling for other situations where access to dark storage isn’t readily available.

Storing Cannabis: Containers

Beyond a cupboard or a closet, cannabis should be kept in a proper container in order to preserve its efficiency. While plastic bags are historically the go-to option for storing cannabis, investing in a quality jar or “stash box” may be better suited to a long-term storage strategy for frequent or experienced consumers. 

Online, there are a wide variety of specially made containers, some of which offer unique features like grinder attachments. Certain high-end cannabis containers also possess multiple compartments for organizing various products or strains. Taking the time to do research on an ideal stash box can go a long way towards improving one’s general experience with their cannabis purchases.

Storing Cannabis: Aroma

While preserving the potency of your cannabis is the major goal of proper cannabis storage, mitigating the odor of cannabis may also be a consideration to take in mind. Some individuals may enjoy the aroma of cannabis, but many containers will market themselves as “odorless” and specifically seek to address reducing the presence of a strong cannabis scent.

Furthermore, keeping your cannabis in a cupboard with other aromatic items may also assist with lessening the impact of cannabis odor. In this respect, herbs and incense work exceptionally well in helping to mask aromas.

Want to learn more? Check out this video. Once you've got your storage method down, consider writing about your buds in your cannabis journal.