How to Use Cannabis Wheels

Now that cannabis is legal in Canada, the doors of opportunity have been flung open. Recreational users can explore cannabis in an entirely new way; finding specific strains and understanding their chemistry is easier than ever. But if you want specific effects from your cannabis, how can you get them?

There are a lot of ways to find the right strain for you. One of those ways is to explore different types of cannabis wheels.

What Are Cannabis Wheels?

If you’ve been researching cannabis recently, you might have come across these fun resources. Cannabis wheels offer information on different strains and help consumers figure out what will deliver certain effects.

Not all cannabis wheels are the same. Some provide information on specific strains, and others focus solely on the strain itself. (What are terpenes, you ask? We break it down for you in one of our recent blog posts.) Some are interactive and others are infographics that lay out all of the information you need from the start.

Whether you have specific medical needs or just want to try a new strain, you can use a cannabis wheel to have the better smoke.

Why Use a Cannabis Wheel?

• You’ll find the right strain, the first time. If you don’t want to be paranoid after a joint, you don’t have to be. Find the right strain that will deliver euphoria, a burst of creativity, or a nice, long sleep.

• You’ll know what you’re smoking. It’s always nice to know what’s in your weed. What is giving your weed that earthy smell? Why do you get paranoid with one strain? Cannabis wheels can help you get all of the answers you need.
• They offer other helpful information. Depending on the wheel you use, you will be able to find your favourite strains across the country or find similar strains that come from the same lineage. The more informed you are, the more fun it is to experiment with cannabis!

Our Favorite Cannabis Wheels  

Not all cannabis wheels are the same, and not all resources on cannabis are 100% accurate. Use trusted sources when you are researching and experimenting with strains. Because cannabis has been illegal in North America for such a long time, a lot of information is distributed by cannabis connoisseurs who might not know what they’re talking about.

These sources do know what they are talking about and have cannabis wheels that can help you as you start shopping for strains.

Leafly

This website has your guide on all things cannabis. If you have a question about the makeup and history of different strains, you can probably find the answer on Leafly. (We also like that you can find the lineage of each strain on Leafly. It’s not easy to find this information anywhere else.)

Check out their simple guide to terpenes here. Aside from basic stats about each terpene, you can check out different strains that are high in each terpene and compare your experience with each.

Leafly also has a great guide on what makes cannabis medicine. If you want a specific effect from your weed, it’s even more important to know what you’re smoking and what to buy. This infographic breaks down the different chemical compounds (and combinations of these compounds) that affect the body and mind.

Cannabiscope

This is the mother of all cannabis wheels. We could play on the Cannabiscope Interactive Wheel for hours and not get bored.

Treat this wheel like a “Choose Your Own Adventure” quiz. The wheel starts out with choosing whether you want a certain mood or a certain aroma. From there, you can pick how you want to feel, what effects you want from your weed, or what smells and taste you’re in the mood for. (This is the greatest website if you want to try pairing different strains with food or drinks!)

After a few clicks, the wheel will provide you with a handful of strains that fit your needs. Want something to relax and treat physical pain? Sour Diesel, Agent Orange, or OG Kush will do the trick. Want a strain that tastes like grapes? The wheel suggests Granddaddy Purple or Grape Ape. You’ll get at least two strains to pick from, no matter what you want to taste or feel.

Once you’ve chosen a strain that fits your needs, you can look at the stats provided by Cannabiscope. The website provides the following information:

• Product attributes (including aroma and mood-altering effects)
• Cannabinoid quantity
• Terpenoid quantity
• Availability

If you want information on a specific strain, you can also bypass the wheel and look at Cannabiscope’s full index on different strains. (We still like to play with the wheel, though.)

Create Your Own Wheel

Cannabiscope also allows you to create your own interactive wheel. If you have a collection of strains you want to try or particularly like, you can “collect” them on your wheel. Once you have a fair bit of strains pulled together, you can see how they compare. We like to make cannabis wheels out of the weed that we buy through our mix and match packages. This package allows you to buy an ounce of weed by picking four different strains. You get to try 7 grams of each strain and pick the one that fits your mood or appetite for the day.

Experiment For Yourself!

As we mentioned earlier, there is still a lot of research to be done on individual strains. If you find that specific strains offer different effects than you see on cannabis wheels, don’t panic. Your body may be built differently than the person next to you. We all react to weed differently, and as we age, the way we react to weed will continue to change.

Keep a log of how your body reacts differently to different strains of cannabis. Most likely, you will be able to find a pattern that will help you make informed decisions about what strain to smoke next and what types of strains to avoid. Whether you are using a cannabis wheel, a personal diary, or just a lot of experimentation, it’s important to inform yourself on what you’re ingesting and make conscious decisions about what you smoke, dab, or vape. Have fun!