Cannabis Health and Safety

Safe techniques for proper use of cannabis and paraphernalia

Responsible use of cannabis is of the utmost concern for us at Zen Leaf. Additional educational materials regarding the safe, responsible and ethical usage of cannabis can be found in stores.

CONSUMER PRECAUTIONS

Treat your cannabis the same way you treat your medications. The cannabis may have different effects on others so do not share your cannabis with family members, friends or children.
Don’t overuse your cannabis. Follow discretion and listen to the advice you received at the retailer facility. Remember that “less is more” when using cannabis.
Keep cannabis away from children and pets. Edibles may look appealing to children and animals so make sure to avoid any accidental ingestion by keeping your cannabis in a safe and secure location.
Do not drive or operate heavy machinery under the influence of cannabis. If you are using the non-psychoactive form of cannabis (CBD-rich products), try it first at home before you drive or operate heavy machinery to make sure that you do not have noticeable impairment.
Its recommended that you do not use alcohol at the same time that you consume cannabis products. The combination of cannabis with alcohol may lead to dizziness, increased risk of injury, poor judgment, and excessive impairment.

DOSING GUIDELINES

First decide how you want to take your cannabis. Options include ingestion and inhalation, each of which has its own advantages.
Decide if you want THC-rich cannabis, CBD rich cannabis or a combination of the two types of cannabinoids. If you are not sure you can ask your Cannabis Retailer store staff. When cannabis contains both, the products are labeled with a ratio of THC to CBD indicating either, “High THC, Low CBD,” “Moderate THC, Moderate CBD,” or “Low THC, High CBD.”
Start with a low dose especially if you are new or inexperienced with using cannabis. After taking a small amount, wait about one hour for the effects. Take another small dose if you did not get the desired effect. This is called “titrating up” the dose and this method will help you find the dose that will work for you without any risk of taking too much.
Take note of any side effects so that you can discuss these with the Retailer staff. You may be able to alleviate side effects by adjusting the dose, ratio or method of use.

DRUG INTERACTIONS

Be sure to discuss all of your medications with your healthcare provider before using cannabis. There is no “one size fits all” with cannabis! You may need to try different products to find what is effective for you. Most consumers who are unfamiliar with cannabis often start with products that have higher amounts of CBD (high CBD: THC ratios, for example between 25:1 or 15:1) and depending on results, may then try products that contain increased amounts of THC (for example products between 8:1 or 1:1).

Substance Abuse & Addiction

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF DRUG ABUSE AND ADDICTION

Although different drugs have different physical effects, the symptoms of addiction are similar. If you recognize the signs & symptoms of substance abuse, consider talking to someone about your drug use.

Some examples of signs of symptoms of substance abuse are:

Neglecting responsibilities at school, work, or home because of drug use.
Using drugs under dangerous conditions or taking risks while high.
Built up a drug tolerance.
Take drugs to avoid or relieve withdrawal symptoms. Symptoms may include: nausea, sweating, shakiness, and extreme anxiety.
Causing problems in relationships.
Abandoning enjoyed activities.
Continuing to use drugs, despite knowing it’s hurting you.
Losing control over drug use, may want to stop using, but feel powerless.

GETTING HELP FOR DRUG ABUSE OR ADDICTION

Addiction is a complex problem that affects every aspect of your life. Overcoming addiction requires reaching out for support and making changes to the way you live, deal with problems, and relate to others. Recovery is within your reach but don’t try to go alone; it’s very easy to get discouraged and rationalize “just one more”. Whether you choose to go to rehab, rely on self-help programs, get therapy, or take a self-directed treatment approach, support is essential.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

HelpGuide is a nonprofit mental health and wellness website. Their mission is to provide empowering, evidence-based information that you can use to help yourself and loved ones.

Please visit helpguide.org for more helpful resources or call 1-800-563-4086 for Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.

Warning: Frequent and prolonged use of cannabis can contribute to mental health problems over time, including anxiety, depression, stunted brain development and impaired memory. Consumption while pregnant or breastfeeding may be harmful. Cannabis has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming and addictive. Consuming more than the recommended amount may result in adverse affects requiring medical attention.

Under Federal Law cannabis remains a schedule 1 substance. Do not use cannabis if you are under twenty-one years of age. Keep cannabis out of the reach of children.

Infused Products Dosing Guide

Are you new to cannabis edibles? Here are a few important things to remember.

ONSET & DURATION:

	Approx. Onset Time	Approx. Duration Time
Inhalation	0-15 MIN	2-4 HOURS
Ingestion	1-3 HOURS	4-8+ HOURS
Sublingual	30-60 MINS	4-8+ HOURS
Topical	15-20 MINS	UP TO 12 HOURS

INGESTION VS INHALATION TOLERANCE

If you’re new to cannabis edibles it’s important to understand that ingesting cannabis will have different effects than inhaling because of how it metabolizes in the body. As such, the onset and duration of ingestion is notably longer and stronger than inhalation. Even you’ve used cannabis for many years via inhalation, you're still considered a new user when it comes to infused products.

START LOW & GO SLOW

The first time you ingest cannabis, it should begin with a low dose until you aware of how it will affect you. Besides the onset and duration difference between ingestion and inhalation, the way cannabis edibles affect people depends on their metabolism, body weight, experience, and tolerance. Due to strength of edibles. It is important to start with a low dose a wait a full 1-3 hours for the onset effects.

BE PATIENT

Every person is different so some may feel the effects in a half hour while others can take up to three hours. Trust the dosage your Zen Leaf team member recommended and wait a full two hours before you consider ingesting more edibles

MICRO-DOSING

This method of taking low dose edibles, allows for the user to receive the benefits from cannabinoids with very little or no euphoric effects from psychoactive components.

CONSISTENCY AND REGULAR DOSING

Zen Leaf encourages adult users to be consistent with their doses so we can work together to find a regimen that works for you. It's important that you understand the products you are taking, so always ask a team member any questions you may have!

Warning: Frequent and prolonged use of cannabis can contribute to mental health problems over time, Including anxiety, depression, stunted brain development and impaired memory. Consumption while pregnant or breastfeeding may be harmful. Cannabis has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming and addictive. Consuming more than the recommended amount may result in adverse effects requiring medical attention.