As medicinal cannabis becomes more established as an alternative medicine, innovative new products appear every year. Producers understand that patients want predictable, convenient, and safe ways to get their cannabis prescriptions. Two of the latest new products are cannabis lozenges and marijuana wafers.
Lozenges and wafers are fast-acting, reliable, and practical. They’re an excellent alternative for patients who don’t want to inhale cannabis but need quicker relief than a capsule or oil.
According to the Therapeutic Goods Association (TGA), more than two-thirds of cannabis patients in Australia choose products that don’t involve inhalation (like oils, tablets, sprays, and sublinguals). Sound like something you may be interested in? Keep reading to find out more.
What Are Cannabis Lozenges and Wafers?
Traditionally, most people consumed cannabis by smoking or, at least, inhaling cannabis. But today, patients can choose from an array of diverse products. It’s easier than ever to work with a qualified doctor to get a medical cannabis product that suits your condition, circumstance, and personal preferences.
Cannabis lozenges and wafers are some of the most recent additions to the market. They use similar techniques applied in other medicines to deliver cannabinoids quickly and discreetly.
A cannabis lozenge is a small, hard tablet, just like the lozenges you’d take for a sore throat. You place the tablet under your tongue and let it dissolve.
Marijuana wafers work similarly. They’re small, very thin strips (think of a menthol strip for freshening your breath). When placed under your tongue, the wafer dissolves very quickly.
What's the Best Way to Take Lozenges and Wafers?
Cannabis lozenges and wafers work differently from other ways of consuming cannabis. Each lozenge or wafer contains cannabinoids, typically THC or CBD.
When you place it under your tongue, it dissolves and is absorbed directly into your bloodstream. Depending on the product, this can take between one and 10 minutes.
Thanks to the mucous membranes under our tongue, lozenges and wafers work so well. These membranes are very porous, meaning substances can pass through them quickly. Placing a marijuana wafer or lozenge on top of your tongue won’t have the same effect because the cannabinoids won’t be as readily absorbed.
To get the most out of lozenges or wafers, leave them under your tongue for the right amount of time.
Talking or swallowing can reduce the effect because more cannabinoids will pass into your digestive system rather than directly through the membranes under your tongue. Be patient and wait for your dose to dissolve fully.
What Are the Effects of Lozenges and Wafers?
Firstly, marijuana wafers and lozenges offer an advantage over other formulations.
When you consume capsules or swallow THC oils, the cannabis must first pass through your digestive system before reaching the bloodstream, and this significantly slows the onset time.
Some cannabis patients also find that capsules or oils can have inconsistent effects because the cannabinoids interact with many different compounds and enzymes as they’re digested.
With lozenges and wafers, you’ll feel the effects of the dose within only a few minutes, and that’s a similar onset time to vaporising. For patients with chronic pain or nausea, fast-acting cannabis medicines can be vital. Plus, the effects are consistent because the cannabinoids are directly absorbed.
Lozenges and wafers also have advantages over smoking and vaporising. While the latter works fast, there are health risks associated with smoking cannabis, and doctors in Australia don’t recommend it.
Vaporising is safer, but some patients still find it inconvenient, impractical, or uncomfortable. Smoking and vaping simply aren’t suitable for all patients, especially those with respiratory issues or needing discreet and quick relief throughout their day.
With lozenges and wafers, on the other hand, you get the convenience of an edible coupled with the fast onset time of smoking or vaporising. For many patients, that’s a win-win.
Cannabis Lozenges and Wafers for Quick, Convenient Relief
Cannabis lozenges and marijuana wafers are new to Australia and can offer patients fast-acting and discreet symptom relief. If you think cannabis lozenges or wafers could be right for you, you should speak with a doctor.
There are a number of risks associated with the use of medical cannabis and your doctor will explain these to you before issuing a prescription. Medical cannabis affects everyone differently and may not help with your chronic condition.
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