Around 40 million US adults have an anxiety disorder. But feelings of anxiety are also on the rise across the whole population. In a 2018 APA poll, 39 percent of Americans reported feeling more anxious than the year before. 

Alongside the gradual legalization of weed in the US, this increase has fueled a growing interest in using marijuana for anxiety. Although the link between weed and anxiety isn't fully known, 47 percent of US adults believe that cannabis relieves anxiety. 

But are they right - is marijuana good for anxiety? With limited but promising research findings, it looks like weed could offer help for many anxiety sufferers. 

Read on to find out more about the link between weed and anxiety. 

Not All Weed Is Created Equal

Before we delve further into using marijuana for anxiety, you need to recognize that not all marijuana is the same. First, cannabis contains two main active ingredients: THC and CBD.

Different Cannabis Compounds: THC and CBD

THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) is the mind-altering cannabis compound. This provides the 'head high' that many of you who enjoy hitting back with a Stoned Genie bong will be familiar with.

THC is still an illegal substance in most US states. But it can be used in treatment for a variety of illnesses, including cancer, chronic pain, and anxiety. 

CBD (Cannabidiol) is the secondary cannabis compound, providing 'non-psychoactive' relief. While CBD doesn't intoxicate you like THC, it can help with everything from epilepsy to anxiety. And, unlike THC, CBD products are legal throughout the whole US. 

Different Cannabis Strains: Sativa and Indica

It's also important to understand the different effects of Sativa, Indica, and hybrid strains of cannabis. One of our top weed starter tips is to select a strain that suits your personality and provides the effects you want. 

Sativa strains have a higher THC to CBD ratio. Sativas often provide a euphoric head high, increased creativity, energy, and focus. In comparison, Indica strains have a higher CBD to THC ratio. Indicas encourage total mind and body relaxation and can induce sleep.

Hybrids fuse both Indica and Sativa strains to produce a more personalized effect. These are great for those who know how specific plants affect their body and mind. 

Lucky for you, more and more states are legalizing marijuana each year. You know what that means?

It means that weed—you know, bud, hash, herb, grass, reefer, chronic—is going to be easier to get!

If you're new to smoking weed, welcome! On behalf of all stoners, occasional tokers, and marijuana aficionados we are happy to have you.

Wondering what the best way to smoke weed is for a beginner? 

We can teach you!

Read through this beginner's guide to smoking weed and learn everything you need to know to get started.

Best Way to Smoke Weed 

First things first. Smoking weed for the first time is easier to control than eating an edible. Even with a measured edible from a reputable source, you need to be very cautious about the dose of THC and CBD.

For beginners, even a starting dose around 10mg (which is standard), could be too much and cause an undesirable effect. Woah, I'm too high man. 

It usually takes people longer to start to feel the effects of edibles as well. Everyone knows someone (or is that someone) who took half a brownie and only waited ten minutes before taking the other half because they didn't feel anything.

So unless you are very anti-inhalation, you should try smoking weed as your first experience.

Here are a few different ways to smoke weed.

Today, marijuana is legal in 11 states; 33 if you count the ones where it's legal for medical use.

Whether you're interested in recreational or medical use, there are several ways to consume marijuana. For most, the easiest is through smoking it.

In order to smoke cannabis, you need the right setup. While you can roll it up into a blunt, you can also smoke it out of a bong.

Are you looking for the best bongs on the market? Then keep reading. We'll show you how to get the most bang for your buck.

Is It Glass?

The best bongs on the market are certainly glass ones. Not only does a nice glass bong look amazing, but the material is also chemically neutral, meaning the bong won't be toxic to use. It won't affect the taste of cannabis either.

That's not to say you shouldn't consider an acrylic bong. Glass is naturally fragile, and there's a reasonable chance that even the toughest of glass bongs will end up broken one day. The main advantage of acrylic is it won't end up ruined if you drop it on the floor.

If you do choose to go with an acrylic bong, make sure you buy something from a reputable manufacturer who can vouch for the material it's made from. The thing with cheaper acrylic bongs is they're typically manufactured overseas, so you never quite know what you're getting. Some types of acrylic could create toxic chemicals when it's heated by the smoke.

Is the Glass Thick?

When buying a glass bong, you should look for something that has thick glass. Thinner glass is much more likely to break in the event of an accident and particularly thin glass might end up cracking all by itself.

Generally speaking, a smaller bong with reasonably thick glass is better than a large bong with thin glass. A sufficiently thick glass bong could be knocked over and still come out unscathed, but the same can't really be said for one made of thinner glass.

You should approach cheap glass bongs from online vendors with caution. Quite often, these come from sellers in China, and they're of inferior quality compared with something you could get in the US.

Generally, the glass used is thin and of poor quality. You might save money in the short term, but with such a cheap bong, it's inevitably going to shatter.