Education · New York edition
Cannabis, in plain English
Everything a curious adult needs to walk into a shop, read a label and follow the law, with jargon explained the first time and never a promise about what anything does.
Start here
Four reads, 11 minutes, and you’re ready for a first visit.- 1The lawIs Cannabis Legal in My State? A State-by-State Guide to Marijuana Laws
A plain-English guide to cannabis legal by state: what adults 21+ should know, how to think about it, and where to go for the next level of detail.
2 min - 2The visitFirst Time at a Dispensary: What to Expect and How to Prepare
A plain-English guide to first time dispensary what to expect: what adults 21+ should know, how to think about it, and where to go for the next level of detail.
2 min - 3The formatsCannabis Consumption Methods Compared: Smoking, Vaping, Edibles, and More
A plain-English guide to cannabis consumption methods: what adults 21+ should know, how to think about it, and where to go for the next level of detail.
4 min - 4The labelHow to Read a Cannabis Product Label: Lab Results, Potency, and More
A plain-English guide to how to read cannabis label: what adults 21+ should know, how to think about it, and where to go for the next level of detail.
3 min
Consumption & Dosing
21 guides- The Cannabis Beverage Boom: Why THC Drinks Are Disrupting the Alcohol Market
- Cannabis as an Alcohol Alternative: A Growing Lifestyle Shift
- How Long Does a Cannabis High Last? Factors That Affect Duration
- What to Do If You've Had Too Much Cannabis (Greening Out)
- Microdosing Cannabis: What It Is and Why People Do It
- Start Low and Go Slow: The Golden Rule of Cannabis Dosing
- Cannabis Dosing Guide: How Much Should You Take?
- THC Beverages: The Rise of Cannabis-Infused Drinks
- Vaping Cannabis: Pros, Cons, and How to Get Started
- Edibles 101: How They Work, Dosing Tips, and What to Expect
- Cannabis Consumption Methods Compared: Smoking, Vaping, Edibles, and More
- Cooking with Cannabis: Beginner Recipes and Dosing Tips for Edibles at Home
- Cannabis Consumption Lounges: What They Are and Where to Find Them
- Cannabis-Friendly Tourism: Top Destinations and What to Know
- Cannabis Etiquette: The Unwritten Rules of Social Consumption
- How to Read a Cannabis Product Label: Lab Results, Potency, and More
- Live Resin vs. Live Rosin vs. Distillate: What's the Difference?
- Cannabis Capsules and Softgels: A Discreet, Dose-Controlled Option
- Pre-Rolls Explained: Why They're the Fastest-Growing Cannabis Category
- Cannabis Concentrates and Extracts: A Beginner's Overview
- Cannabis Tinctures Explained: How to Use Them and Find the Right Dose
Glossary, the short version
All 30 terms- OCM
- OCM is the New York Office of Cannabis Management — the state regulator that licenses every legal adult-use dispensary in New York. Every licensed shop displays an OCM QR code at the entrance; scan it via cannabis.ny.gov to verify the shop's license is current. We only link to OCM-licensed retailers.
- Terpene
- Terpenes are the aromatic compounds responsible for cannabis's scent and flavor — and a piece, but not the whole, of how a strain reads in session. Cannabis carries dozens of terpenes; in our library we surface the seven that show up most frequently as dominant or secondary.
- Flower
- Flower is the dried, cured cannabis bud — the format most people picture when they hear 'cannabis.' Onset via smoking or vaporizing is fast (5-15 minutes) compared to edibles. THC and terpene content are reported as a percentage of dry weight on the label.