Choosing to smoke cannabis can be therapeutic, capable of relieving any number of conditions from insomnia to the side effects of chemotherapy. But it’s also a superb vehicle for attaining personal balance and increasing our overall sense of well-being.

Here are 10 activities that will maximize the cannabis experience.

Take a bath

If you’re dead tired or your muscles are aching, a hot bath is always inviting. Once you’ve set the scene with scented candles and some relaxing tunes, why not light a joint. Obviously, the hand that’s holding the joint dry needs to remain dry, which will require a bit of coordination when climbing into the water. But once you’ve settled in, you’ll achieve physical and psychological serenity.

Work out with weed

The gym can be a tiresome experience: the same old machines, the same old routine. What’s the solution? Freshen your exercise by catching a buzz before you sweat. Cannabis gives your metabolism a boost. For runners, it alleviates the tedium of putting one foot in front of the other. By the way, the so-called “runner’s high” is very much akin to the cannabis experience, because exercise activates the endocannabinoid system in the same way toking up does.

For those who opt for exercise machines, which are designed to isolate individual muscle groups, cannabis will allow you to focus more keenly on the contraction of those muscles. Many yoga enthusiasts swear by cannabis because it marginalizes linear thought and focuses awareness on breathing and proper alignment.

Clean your house

No one’s going to say that cannabis makes housework fun. But at least it will make it tolerable. Even if you’ve put it off for weeks, a buzz will lead you back to an orderly existence. Instead of focusing on the mess and the work required to eliminate it, cannabis will place you in a zone of achievement – even actual play! Pay attention to your thought processes. You’ll find that your mind entertains itself as you scrub the bathroom. It will bounce happily from topic to topic and wrap itself around pleasant ideas. You’ll solve problems and find solutions.

Play with your kids

Watch young children play. They talk to their toys and make up stories. They live in a world of imagination. Unfortunately, adults normally don’t. But if you want to play their games and experience the world as they see it, a few puffs may do the trick. Although they prefer to remain anonymous, many parents say that cannabis enhances their relationships with their kids. It creates joy and silliness, which generates new ways of playing with your kids. It may also imbue you with the same sense of wonder that kids possess.

Go to the movies

Once social distancing rules relax, it’s time to give your internet a break and swap your online streaming service for an actual big screen feature. Take a few hours and settle into a big, dark, comfortable movie theatre, which is still an outstanding venue for entertainment, especially if cannabis is part of the feature. All of your senses are deprived except for sight and sound. And because cannabis seems to promote empathy, our involvement with the action on-screen is enhanced. (Note: Avoid nonstop action films with plots that involve government conspiracies, like the Jason Bourne films. You’ll be hopelessly lost.)

Dine out

Does this really need explaining? Make sure you’re good and hungry, then take a few puffs before going out for an exquisite dinner. We promise that the meal will be even exquisite-er. You’ll be awed by every appetizer, soup, salad, entrée and decadent dessert that arrives at your table.

Hiking towards Mount Arethusa in the Alberta Rockies. Photo: Photawa/Getty Images

Commune with nature

So often, we take the natural world for granted. But it’s there, just waiting for us – the beach, the forest, the mountains, the acres of open land with which we are blessed. Re-establishing that connection is essential to adult sanity. Toke up and get outdoors – and take your time. Observe the world’s palette of colours, feel the wind, bask in the sun. Allow your worries and problems to diminish.

Get it on

Frankly, we’re not sure why anyone would have sex without toking up! The evidence may be largely anecdotal, but cannabis users report that their physical stamina is enhanced and that the duration of the act itself increases. Cannabis eases anxiety, allowing one to fully enjoy the experience, whether giving or receiving pleasure.

Prayer and meditation

According to Rastafarianism: “The herb is the key to the new understanding of the self, universe and God. It is the vehicle to cosmic consciousness.” Cannabis was an integral component of ancient civilizations and religions. As the plant becomes more accepted, the old, dogmatic prohibitions that warn against having anything stand between you and the Creator are falling by the wayside.

Christians who love cannabis are increasingly finding community among likeminded believers. Of course, you don’t have to believe in God to reap the benefits of cannabis-enhanced meditation. Proponents insist that cannabis quiets the mind and allows a profound stillness.

Watch the news (without screaming)

If ever there were a time when we need the relief that cannabis provides, it’s now. Over the past three-and-a-half years, we’ve witnessed a war on immigration, indictment of the news media, Russia interference, police brutality against the Black community, and now…COVID-19. Time to toke up and watch whatever happens next unfold while remembering that the U.S. election isn’t too far off!