Cannabis use is evolving in two directions, microdose and maxidose. OK, I made up the word maxidose, but “microdose” is on everyone’s lips these days. I’ll cover the maxidosing phenomenon another time.

It seems as if every week I find myself listening to someone extol the virtues of a little bit of a good thing. Especially us older folks, sitting here at the end of our 40s, slowly realizing that if we want to keep dosing, it’s got to be micro.

The popular CBD:THC 1:1 formulations are often low dosage. One of my personal favorites, the 2.5-milligram THC mints from Petra, sit in many a purse, according to first-hand testimonies told to me. It’s the substitute for an afternoon cup of coffee, without the jitters.

Many chemicals seem to work in microdoses. Psychedelics are being increasingly consumed in micro-amounts. That hit of chocolate that perfectly gets you through the afternoon? Microdose of caffeine, yo.

A recent article in the U.K.’s Guardian: “People ‘microdosing’ on psychedelics to improve wellbeing during pandemic.” The most exciting thing about this article is the survey that suggests “small doses of drugs being taken to treat health issues.” People are doing it for themselves while legalization catches up.

Psychedelics receive a lot of the coverage, and with good reason. More and more studies and patient-work in MFT practice demonstrate the mind-changing value of MDMA, mushrooms and more.

BTW, FYI, JSUK, what used to be “magic mushrooms” are now most commonly called “medicinal mushrooms” among the faithful. See what we did there? It worked with weed. No wonder Oakland and other governments feel emboldened to decriminalize the fungus. There is a whole world of entrepreneurs out there, ready to bust out amazing product innovations. They are working on them right now.

Popular methods of microdosing for mushrooms include the fungus dried, ground and measured into a glycerin pill for a classic rainbow-colored, apocalypse-of-love ’shroom trip. I’m, uh, just guessing.

Others use psilocybin tea bags to start off their day. Others, chocolate—perhaps Burning Man’s second greatest gift to the world, after the Leave No Trace ethos.

For me, too little of a dose actually peaks my anxiety and holds it up for the duration. Which sucks. So tea is out. But the pills evaporate all anxiety. What follows is 3–6 hours of brighter sunlight, deeper connections and greater wonder.

Originally posted on PacificSun.com