Valentine’s Day is a yearly celebration of love that is not limited to celebrating a romantic kind of love. On Valentine’s Day, we celebrate all the things we love – including friends, family, and loved ones. And, if you are like us, cannabis might also be on that list.
Valentines Cannabis Gifts & Date Ideas
So, regardless of if you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day with your significant other, with friends, or solo, we’re going to share some ideas of how to infuse some cannabis love into your Valentine’s Day celebration.
Making THC Infused Edibles
Our first suggestion is something that can be enjoyed with friends, your significant other, or on your own. The first step is to decide what kind of edible you would like to make.
Don’t worry, you don’t need special cooking skills. Making your own edibles can be as simple as making your own cannabutter or cannabis-infused oil.
Since butter and oil are used as ingredients in so many different recipes, the possibilities are endless. So have fun and be creative in deciding what tasty treat you want to enjoy.
If you need some help making your own cannabutter, make sure to check out our Easy-to- Follow Cannabutter Recipe. If you don’t feel like making your own, or don’t have the time, you can stop by a Bloom dispensary to pick up some THC-infused butter or oil.
Once you have your butter or oil, making a cannabis infused Valentine’s Day treat is as easy as replacing the butter in your recipe with your infused butter or oil. If you’d like some inspiration, you can look at some of our cannabis infused recipes for Thanksgiving – including an easy-to-follow mashed potato recipe.
If you do decide to enjoy edibles on Valentine’s Day there are a few things you should keep in mind.
Three Things You Need to Know About Edibles
When consumed responsibly, edibles can provide a more complete cannabis experience and can help you enjoy the effects of your cannabis longer. But, there are a couple of things you need to know to avoid overdoing it.
1. The first is how long it takes for the effects to kick in.
Depending on a number of factors including the type of edible, its potency, your metabolism, and your tolerance–it can take anywhere from twenty minutes to two hours to feel the effects.
2. The second thing you should know is that the effects of an edible can be stronger than when you smoke or vape your cannabis flower.
Although the process of THC entering your system takes longer than smoking or vaping, once the THC enters your bloodstream and makes its way to your liver, it is converted into 11-hydroxy-THC which is considered to be stronger than THC.
This is one of the reasons why consuming edibles can provide a more enhanced cannabis experience.
So, if you are new to edibles, it is a good idea to wait 2-3 hours to allow the full effects of your original dose to kick in, before even thinking about consuming any more.
3. Finally, the third thing you need to know is the right dosage.
Keep in mind that the right dosage will vary from person to person. If you are new to edibles, then you should consider starting with 2.5mg – 5.0 mg for your first time and build from there.
If you are more experienced with consuming edibles then you may be able to start with a dose of 10 to 15mg. Anything over 20mg can produce intense effects, and is only advisable if you are experienced with edibles and know you can handle that much.
Read more about:
Different Types of Marijuana Edibles
Now that we’ve clarified that, let’s move on to talk about a refreshing way to add a relaxing vibe to your Valentine’s Day.
Enjoying a Cannabis Mocktail
One common way to celebrate Valentine’s Day is to enjoy a glass of champagne or glass of wine with dinner. But since Valentine’s Day falls on a weeknight this year, you may want to avoid the alcohol and enjoy a refreshing THC-infused mocktail.
All you’ll need is your favorite weed tincture and a few simple ingredients. From there you’re only limited by your imagination. Possibilities include a Piña colada, Shirley Temple, Strawberry Daiquiri, or Moscow Mule weed tincture cocktail.
If you are looking for inspiration, make sure to check out our past post that features easy-to-follow THC-infused mocktail recipes.
Enjoy Some Chocolate with Your THC Edibles
You may have heard that chocolate edibles tend to have stronger effects than other edibles like gummies – and that might be true for most.
That’s because cannabinoids are lipophilic – meaning they dissolve in fats, oils, or lipids. Without fats, they won’t fully dissolve, and you won’t be able to enjoy the full effects of your edibles.
This is one reason why enjoying chocolate edibles that include dairy fats from nuts and milk can enhance your high. Another reason that enjoying chocolate and cannabis could give an enhanced high, is due to an endocannabinoid known as Anandamide.
Learn more about:
Foods that Can Enhance Your High
Anandamide – The “Bliss Molecule”
Since Anandamide is an endocannabinoid, that means it is naturally produced within our bodies. It was first isolated in 1992 and was named after the Sanskrit word, ananda, which means bliss or joy. Anandamide has been referred to as the Bliss Molecule due to its calming and mood enhancing effects.
One example of the mood enhancing effects of anandamide is the euphoric feeling that athletes can sometimes experience during or immediately after a run, which is known as “runners high.”1
Double Your Pleasure
The anandamide found in chocolate binds to the same cannabinoid receptors in our bodies that THC binds to. So, when you consume chocolate and cannabis together, that extra boost of anandamide can enhance your high as well as any pain-relieving effects of your weed.2
Learn about how consuming CBD Oil with THC can help you maximize the mood enhancing effects of anandamide.
Speaking of maximizing pleasurable effects, let’s talk about how some people believe that cannabis can actually be used as an aphrodisiac.
Using Cannabis as an Aphrodisiac
So, if you are celebrating Valentine’s Day with a significant other, some treats that might come to mind may include things like strawberries, chocolates, and perhaps oysters. These types of foods are believed to have an aphrodisiac effect.
Well, you may be interested to hear that studies suggest that marijuana could also be used as an aphrodisiac.
According to a study published on November 21, 2016, approximately half of users who enjoyed cannabis before intimacy, reported feeling aphrodisiac effects. 70% of those studied, reported feeling enhanced pleasure and satisfaction.
The researchers who conducted the study did not find major differences in the experiences between men and women – meaning weed could be a pleasure booster for both sexes.3
A Point of Diminishing Returns
If you’re lucky enough to be celebrating Valentine’s Day with a special someone, go ahead and enjoy a little bit of marijuana together. But be careful not to over do it.
The President and CEO of the Human Vaccine Project, Wayne Koff, found that a single joint can provide an effective dose to enhance sex drive, but getting too high could negatively affect it.4
Start slow and allow the effects of your weed to kick in before deciding if you need more.
Which Strains Are Best?
As far as which type of strain may be best – that will be different for all. But generally, it’s believed strains that provide a full bodied relaxing effect can be better than those that provide a more mentally energizing high.
Simply stated, indicas and hybrids could be better than sativas for most. But, keep in mind that a lot more goes into determining the potential effects of cannabis than if it’s an Indica or Sativa.
Although it was previously thought the general effects of cannabis could be determined by identifying if it was an Indica, Sativa, or Hybrid strain, today we know that a lot more goes into determining how it will impact each individual.
The types of terpenes found in each strain, along with the way those terpenes interact with your endocannabinoid system, could be just as important in determining the potential effects of your cannabis.
Learn more about:
Foods that Can Enhance Your High
Valentine’s Day and Cannabis, Not Just for Couples
Although many of the things we’ve discussed so far can be enjoyed with a special someone, it does not mean that single people are out of luck on this day that we celebrate love.
Valentine’s Day can be a great day to let your friends and family know how much they mean to you. It can also be a great day to enjoy some alone time to relax, unwind, and spoil yourself.
Celebrating Valentine’s Day on Your Own
If you are enjoying Valentine’s Day on your own, why not take the money you would otherwise spend on your Valentine and spend it on treating yourself to some pampering, cannabis style.
Perhaps there’s a tincture you’ve been wanting to try. Or, maybe treat yourself to a massage with CBD lotion. Many massage therapists now offer CBD as an enhancement to their traditional massages.
The bottom line is that Valentine’s Day is all about showing love to those you care about and showing a little love to yourself.
So, if you don’t have a spouse or significant other, kick back and enjoy the day treating yourself kindly and doing things that make you happy. Which brings us to our next recommendation.
Get Outside and Take a Hike
When we partake indoors, we are usually in a familiar setting – like our living room – where our mind has already processed much of the stimuli in that room. But when we venture outdoors, there are so many things around that can stimulate our mind and senses.
From sunlight and the sounds of birds to the smell of flowers – there are so many things for our brains to process when we venture outdoors.
The UV rays associated with sunshine can help to release endorphins. A study conducted in 2014 found that when we are exposed to sunshine, the sun’s UV rays can increase endorphin levels in our bodies by 30 to 50%.5
So, when you combine sunshine with cannabis’ own feel-good cannabinoids, like anandamide, it’s possible that the mix of these feel good chemicals could result in an elevated state of bliss and euphoria.
This is why taking a walk or hike in nature with that special someone, with a friend, or even on your own can be a great way to celebrate your love for nature and cannabis on Valentine’s Day.
If you decide to take our advice, make sure to bring some water and snacks along with you in case you get the munchies.
Learn more about:
How the Sun Affects Your High
Don’t feel like getting outside? Perhaps a relaxing movie night might do the trick.
Valentine’s Day Movie Suggestions
As we mentioned earlier, there are so many different ways to infuse some cannabis love into your Valentine’s Day celebration.
If you don’t feel like taking a walk outside, or if the weather doesn’t allow it, how about enjoying your favorite strain of cannabis along with a movie?
If you’re watching with a date, perhaps you can enjoy a romantic stoner movie. A couple popular cannabis comedies that are infused with a bit of romance include Half Baked and Pineapple Express.
If you’re watching solo, or with friends, and want to forgo the romance, perhaps old-school cannabis comedy classics like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Dazed and Confused, or Cheech and Chong’s Up in Smoke could fit the bill.
If you prefer a somewhat more recent movie perhaps Friday or Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle could do the trick.
The idea is to take a moment to unwind and enjoy the company of your favorite people and strains of cannabis. The nice thing about staying in and watching a movie is that you have so many options available as to how you will enjoy your cannabis and the snacks you’ll have available.
Cannabis Related Gifts
Finally, if you have a friend or special someone in your life who enjoys cannabis, perhaps you can give them some cannabis related gifts to show them you care. The gift doesn’t have to be expensive.
It can be as simple as a new rolling tray, a grinder, or vape pen battery. If you are feeling generous, maybe a portable vaporizer. And if money is no object, perhaps you can splurge on an ergonomic and elegant glass vaporizer. If your significant other has a medical card in Ohio or Maryland, or you happen to live in Missouri where it’s recreational – check out our Shop at Bloom Section!
If you live in a state where the recreational-use of cannabis has been legalized, then you could give your loved one a box of assorted buds (as long as they are 21 years of age or older).
You could buy a heart-shaped box of chocolates, remove the chocolates and replace them with THC-Infused chocolate edibles or buds of your partner’s favorite strain. Store the chocolates on the side, and enjoy them during your session for an enhanced experience.
As you can see there are so many creative ways that you can infuse your Valentine’s Day with love, cannabis, and good times. Just make sure to follow the rules and regulations in the jurisdiction where you live. Keep in mind that smoking cannabis in public remains illegal in many places that have legalized the recreational and medical use of cannabis. So, be respectful and make sure to stay on the right side of the law.
Keeping Your MMJ Card On You Can Help to Avoid Misunderstandings
If you are a Medical Marijuana Patient in a state where only the medical-use of cannabis has been legalized, make sure to keep your card current and on you at all times. That way, if you happen to be stopped and questioned by the police, you can avoid any misunderstandings and problems.
If you’ve let your card expire – or don’t have a medical marijuana card, but feel like you may qualify – you can use the form on this page (scroll up on your desktop or scroll down on mobile) to find out if you qualify or to renew your card today.
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