Say More Than Just "High"

When it comes to helping people who are not cannabis consumers understand the cannabis experience, how can those who are consumers provide insight?

Share, but share like a writer. Use your words.

Apprehension, uncertainty, fear, curiosity – this exists for many who don’t consume cannabis. Merely sharing "feeling high" or “feeling stoned” doesn't help non-consumers understand what it's like to feel elevated and doesn’t address all those feelings and reactions that stem from not knowing. 

Use storytelling and language to help. 

So.

Imagine THE perfect beach day. 

1. Sunny blue skies with fluffy white clouds. The perfect not-too-hot and not-too-cool day with a light breeze.  Cold, satisfying drinks and delicious snacks.  Plenty of open space and calm vibes everywhere.  No devices or nagging thoughts of to-do lists on a perfect July day, where wishes of pausing time punctuate the day like the occasional runaway incoming tide. 

That's a pretty fantastic scene.  THE perfect beach day.

Now imagine another beach day.

2. Lovely summer weather and a great beach read, with occasional overcast skies and cranky toddler cries from the next umbrella over, in between moments of gazing out at the beautifully endless horizon. It's still a pretty darn excellent day, but just wasn't that perfect July afternoon described earlier.  

Think of another day lounging in the sand.

3. Conjure a warm and picturesque day, with your cousin, Lou, in the chair next to you.  It's a gorgeous day, but Lou is navigating a divorce, so a few moments of the day felt heavy and distracting when talking about attorney fees and hurt feelings. The beach day was wonderful and welcome, but Lou's personal strife occasionally tainted the vibe (but he needed to vent and he was there for you after that last break-up...). When you and Lou strolled the shoreline looking for sea glass, your heart was definitely full and content.

And envision another day at the beach, but a different season.

4. Finally, imagine a day at the beach on a clear winter afternoon.  Sunny skies and crisp salty air whip around as you sit bundled up, your beach chair nestled in the sand. The day is lovely and restorative, even though it's quite different from that quintessential perfect July day.  You went there for a reset and found comfort in the tension between the chill in the air and the sunshine on your face.

All 4 of the days described were pleasant and satisfying beach days, but there was only one that hit just right.  The one described first was downright perfect, but that doesn't mean that you'd skip the others as there's joy and relaxation in the days that feature a touch of overcast skies, a touch of overcast Lou, or a touch of winter wind.   Different sensations, different thoughts, and different-but-still-awesome feelings and reactions were present for each, as all four circumstances were designed to enhance wellness and promote self-care in a place of contentment.

That’s what it’s like to consume different strains, right?

When trying to find a way to describe consumption to a friend, use comparisons to help convey your message.  Find creative ways to help someone start to understand the information.  The beach descriptions here could be used to help someone understand the distinctions of different plants, modes, and mindsets. 

Every strain affects each person differently and produces different outcomes.  The uniqueness of experiences increase exponentially when other factors - the body, mind, and environment brought to the consumption experience - are at play. That's why helping the cannacurious or cannaconfused can be tough - it's all so individualistic. That's how a writerly approach, using storytelling and effective language, can help someone understand something unfamiliar or challenging to describe.  

If you help a friend understand the high feeling of consumption by using familiar comparisons and examples, you can help to alleviate any apprehension, uncertainty, or fear and address curiosity with actual insight.  Plus, you’re indicating to your friend that you’re interested in creating meaningful exchange. 

Once some common language is established, you can broaden the usage and the non-consumer can widen their understanding.  For example, your conversation could evolve into a scenario involving a beach day interrupted by a pop-up storm, which could lead to an explanation for navigating a bout of anxiety after consuming or you could mention why some prefer beach day at a favorite spot, which could result in an explanation about testing out different strains to find what's ideal.

Cannabis is complex. Sharing honest and accurate information is important, but so is thinking about how the information is shared.  It’s not just about the message you want to share, it’s about what whoever receives the message needs to hear. 

Contact Elucidation Strategies for more information about cannabis education and planning services.