‍When the topic of cannabis comes up, the debate about recreational weed vs medical marijuana is often unavoidable. There are benefits to both types of cannabis, but there are also some distinct differences between the two. If you’re interested in using cannabis to treat a condition or illness, you may be wondering if there is a difference between a recreational weed and medical marijuana. Both can have positive effects on your health, but they offer different benefits. Here’s everything you need to know about recreational weed vs medical marijuana.

What is Medical Marijuana?

Medical marijuana, also known as medicinal cannabis, is a type of cannabis that is used as a therapeutic treatment. There are many different uses for medical marijuana, including treating pain, nausea, and seizures. Medical marijuana can be used to treat symptoms caused by a variety of different medical conditions. These conditions include but are not limited to certain types of cancer, seizures, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), glaucoma, anxiety, depression, and more. Medical marijuana is typically administered as an oral spray, edible, tincture, or topical cream.

What is Recreational Weed?

Recreational weed, also known as pot, Mary Jane, and weed, refers to the marijuana plant. There are hundreds of active compounds that come from the cannabis plant, but THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the most common and well known. THC is the compound responsible for the feelings of euphoria and “high” associated with marijuana. This compound is also used in medical marijuana and synthetic forms of THC are also available as prescription medications. The best way to think about the recreational vs medical marijuana distinction is that medical cannabis is used to help treat symptoms or health conditions. Recreational cannabis, on the other hand, is used for pleasure and for getting high.

How Are They Different?

In terms of effects, recreational weed and medical marijuana both have positive health benefits. However, recreational weed can also help with treating certain medical conditions. The positive effects of medicinal marijuana include the potential to reduce anxiety, chronic pain, the potential to help with PTSD symptoms, and seizure disorders. Recreational marijuana has additional potential positive effects, such as potential to help treat depression, potential to help reduce insomnia, and potential to help with pain. Recreational weed can also help with nausea, but only at low doses. Cannabis use can be helpful with nausea because it stimulates cannabinoid receptors that can control vomiting and nausea. 

Rec vs Med – Which Is Better?

Both recreational weed and medical marijuana have potential benefits. However, since medical cannabis is for medical purposes you’ll need a card. Recreational weed, on the other hand can be picked up at your local dispensary. Another difference worth noting is that recreational weed is much cheaper than medical marijuana. Medical marijuana can cost upwards of $300 per month, while recreational weed can be purchased for around $60 per month.

Should You Use Rec or Med Weed?

As mentioned above, recreational weed has additional potential benefits over medical marijuana. However, recreational weed is also more likely to produce adverse effects, such as paranoia and anxiety, than medical marijuana. It’s important to remember that recreational weed and medical marijuana are both cannabis. There is a common misconception that medical marijuana is a different type of cannabis than recreational weed. While there are some distinct differences between the two, they are essentially the same plant. Of course, always talk to your doctor about medical marijuana.

Final words: Which Type of Weed Should You Try First?

If you’re interested in smoking cannabis of either recreational weed or medical marijuana, you should do some research on what products might be best for you. This includes determining if one product might be better for you than another based on your individual needs and preferences.

Contact Acreage Pharms today for all your cannabis needs. Get started today!