Carts, also called dab pens, are not a joke. The most important thing to remember is that carts = dabs. They are very strong, and they can really knock you on your ass if you’re uninitiated. However, there are ways to use them very effectively. In fact, I’m using a cart of the strain XJ-13 as I type this. Carts are very convenient, portable, and very easy to use once you get the hang of it. Here are some ways that I used carts to manage the negative aspects of neurodivergence.

Use a Low Heat Setting

Your battery (the actual mechanical part that you attach your cart to) likely has a few heat settings. Mine (pictured) has a low and high setting, indicated by blue and green lights around the button and the bottom. Even as a daily cannabis user, I CANNOT handle the green setting. It’s too harsh, it hurts, and it gets me way too high. I keep mine firmly set on blue. While on a lower setting I find that the inhale is much smoother and I have better control over how high I get.

Be Gentle

You might hear people talking about how many seconds you need to inhale. Ignore them. When you’re new to carts, a gentle 1-2 second inhale is enough. My dry vape requires a very hard inhale, and sometimes I’ll use my cart not realizing that dab pens are the opposite and launch into a massive ugly coughing fit. It’s not pleasant. In this instance it’s more than okay to be timid with your pulls. When you’re more accustomed to it you will figure out what type of inhale is best for you. But seriously, go slow.

Micro-dose It

Vape pens are incredibly convenient and easy to use. It is VERY tempting to just keep hitting the vape as a stim. But here’s the thing: carts = dabs. Dabs are incredibly strong and you will very quickly fly yourself right to the moon. It’s very easy to get way too high to the point where it’s unpleasant. Take ONE hit, sit with the feeling for a bit, then maybe take a second. I can usually get to a comfortable level of high in about three hits. When I was new, it only took two hits to get me blasted. Slowly dip your toes in, don’t just jump straight into the pool. If you smoke or use edibles, that doesn’t mean your tolerance will stand up to dabs.

Gradual Highs

One of my favorite ways to use carts is what I call the Long High. You probably won’t actually get high in a real sense right away. I take one hit off the pen every 30-60 minutes while I’m working on tasks. With an energetic strain, this means keeping your mood and energy levels lifted all day without getting more than a buzz. Then, when I’m done with all my tasks, I take a few more hits to get decently high (more than a buzz, less than getting hit by a bus) and do whatever feels fun in the moment. It’s my secret recipe for a good day. Be very careful though – if you start feeling more than a buzz it’s best to back off for longer than an hour. It’s a delicate tightrope walk. You also shouldn’t do this very often or your tolerance level will get too high and you will need far more to get high than you used to.

Errand Running

It is not convenient to vape or smoke before going to stores or running errands. Carts are the best for this. Taking about two hits in the parking lot before going inside can get you just high enough to prevent overstimulation in the store. By the time you leave the store, the high will be wearing off (or it should be). I don’t recommend doing this if you are the one driving.

Walks

Enjoying nature is just better when you’re a little high. Carts are perfect for taking on walks because there’s no litter, and no fire. I like to hike in a state that gets wildfires every summer, so sparking up a joint in a forest is generally a bad idea. You can just take a quick pull on the vape without breaking stride – no stopping to relight your joint. I recommend doing this in an area that you are extremely familiar with for safety reasons. This morning I stuck to the area around my apartment, and didn’t stray far.

On an unrelated note – XJ-13 is a great strain for using outdoors. I will acquire some XJ-13 flower before posting a review of it though – it doesn’t seem right to review strains in cart form.

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