5 Effective Ways to Use Kanna
A while back, I shared a primer I wrote up on Sceletium tortuosum, AKA, Kanna. This time I’d like to dive a bit deeper by outlining a few practical ways to make use of this criminally underrated herb.
Some herbs are subtle in their effectiveness. Others, like kanna, don’t hide the fact that they are amazingly powerful! Kanna enjoys a cozy spot in my personal list of Top 3 Herbs. Gram for gram, it may even be more potent than the number 2 herb on that list, kratom. But we’re not here to discuss the power of kanna, per se. That has already been established. We’re here to talk about using it, and trust me when I say there is a plethora of options at your grubby little fingertips.
- Just Eat It
The easiest way to dose kanna is to get oral with it. Get your mind out of the gutter, ya freaks! Kratomites refer to this method as ‘toss and wash’. What you do is measure out your dose, toss it down the gullet, and then chase it with a beverage. Not the tastiest route, but it is among the fastest as the effects come on pretty quickly. Doesn’t take much, either. As little as one gram can deliver a powerful kanna experience. From euphoria to analgesia, oral dosing unlocks the full spectrum of kanna’s effects.
2. Smoke It
If you don’t mind a little herbal combustion, smoking may be the way to go. Similar to cannabis, smoking kanna produces near instant results. And like oral dosing, only a small amount is required. Anywhere from 25 to 50mg in your favorite smoking apparatus can deliver effects that climax in about 20 minutes and linger for a couple hours. While smoking offers instant gratification, it generally doesn’t provide the whole shebang, so you might not extract the full range of effects you would typically get from oral dosing.
3. Snort It
Kanna is primarily available in two forms: powder and crushed herb (tea cut). The crushed herb is well suited for smoking and brewing tea. The powder, on the other hand, can be used in a wide variety of ways, including insufflation. As a seasoned kannamaniac (I literally just made that up), I can tell you it’s one of the most intense dosing methods on the table. When snorted, the effects of kanna come on hard and fast — kinda like that speeding Mack truck you never saw coming. This method can bring on feelings of discomfort, but that general uneasiness quickly tapers off into blissful relaxation and crystal clear mental clarity. If there was one downside to insufflation, it’s the potential for the herb to irritate the nasal passage and aggravate existing sinus issues.
(I don’t know how the hell people snort coke on a regular basis, I swear. SMH.)
4. Chew It
In the old days, Kannaland natives would chew on both raw and fermented plants to unlock the power of kanna. This method came in handy on hunting expeditions and other lengthy journeys that required mass energy and laser focus. Westerners have added a modern twist to the old way. In this example, you sprinkle roughly 50mg of kanna powder on to a piece of gum and commence to chewing. With or without the gum, chewing kanna produces effects that are strong, yet generally easier to manage via sublingual administration. Chewing is a great way to ease into the kanna experience and get even more mileage out of your stash.
5. Extract It
Last but not least, we have the kanna extract. An extract is a concentrated variation where the active ingredients are isolated from the plant to create a more powerful experience. These concentrates can be anywhere from 10 to 20 times stronger depending on the extraction technique. General rule of thumb tells us that while extremely powerful, extracts lack the energy and focus associated with the unadulterated leaf. And like with any herbal extract, kanna concentrates can potentially cause your tolerance to skyrocket, meaning you might quickly reach a point where a lot more is required to get those desired results. With that said, convenience alone makes tinctures and other kanna extracts excellent go-to options for hassle-free dosing.
Incredibly versatile and powerful as all outdoors with a historically proven safety profile, kanna is one of the most intriguing members of God’s botanical garden. Clearly I’m a super fan, but how about you? What’s your favorite path to Kannaland?
Contel Bradford is a mystical and complex individual. You can attempt to unravel some of the mystery by visiting his freelance site at contelbradford.com.
