Frequently Asked Questions

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Marijuana-which can also be called Cannabis, weed or pot-refers to the dried flowers, leaves, stems and seeds of the cannabis plant. The Cannabis plant contains more than 100 compounds, also known as cannabinoids. These compounds include tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is responsible for the "high" feeling you experience when consuming marijuana.

Marijuana can be used in a number of ways. Marijuana can be smoked in joints (like a cigarette), in blunts (cigars or cigar wrappers that have been partly or completely refilled with marijuana), or in bongs (pipes or water pipes). Marijuana also can be mixed or infused into foods like cookies, cakes, or brownies (called edibles) and can be infused in drinks.

It can be vaped using electronic vaporizing devices (i.e., e-cigarettes or vape pens) or other vaporizers. Compounds (or cannabinoids) in marijuana can also be extracted to make oils and concentrates that can be vaped.

The difference simply lies in its intended use. Medical cannabis is used by people with a qualifying medical condition who have registered under a state's medical cannabis program. Patients must carry a practitioner or state issued medical cannabis card in order to purchase and consume cannabis for medical reasons. The cannabis itself is no different from that which can be purchased for adult-use—that's the preferred term for "recreational use."

Cannabis isn't one-size-fits-all. Different strains, dosages and product formats may have varying effects on each individual. At Green Empress we personalize recommendations and help to guide you on your journey with this ancient plant. We always recommend that people start with a low dosage and go slowly, based on your history with cannabis and your current goals. Our budtenders work with you to help you tweak your selections until you find what works best for you. 

Chances are, someone passed you a joint, and you smoked it with little to no information. What was the strain type? The cannabinoid ratio? The dominant terpenes and common effects? You have no idea, do you? Neither did the person who passed it to you. While this doesn’t mean you did something “wrong,” your lack of info had the odds stacked against you. We are all different, so our experiences with cannabis will follow suit. While all the information in the world won’t ensure a paranoia-free experience, it will certainly increase your odds of having a pleasurable one. A little educated guidance will help. Our mission is to provide education around cannabis and confidence around consumption.

The most common use for Marijuana in the United States is for pain control. While marijuana isn’t strong enough for severe pain (for example, post-surgical pain or a broken bone), it is quite effective for the chronic pain that plagues millions of Americans, especially as they age. Part of its allure is that it is clearly safer than opiates (it is impossible to overdose on and far less addictive) and it can take the place of NSAIDs such as Advil or Aleve, if people can’t take them due to problems with their kidneys or ulcers or GERD.  

In particular, marijuana appears to ease the pain of multiple sclerosis, and nerve pain in general. This is an area where few other options exist, and those that do, such as Neurontin, Lyrica, or opiates are highly sedating. Patients claim that marijuana allows them to resume their previous activities without feeling completely out of it and disengaged.

Along these lines, marijuana is said to be a fantastic muscle relaxant, and people swear by its ability to lessen tremors in Parkinson's disease.  I have also heard of its use quite successfully for fibromyalgia, endometriosis,interstitial cystitis, and most other conditions where the final common pathway is chronic pain.

Marijuana is also used to manage nausea and weight loss and can be used to treat glaucoma. A highly promising area of research is its use for PTSD in veterans who are returning from combat zones. Many veterans and their therapists report drastic improvement and clamor for more studies, and for a loosening of governmental restrictions on its study. Medical marijuana is also reported to help patients suffering from pain and wasting syndrome associated with HIV, as well as irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn’s disease.

The Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) legalizes cannabis and cannabis products like edibles for adults 21 years of age and older. The law allows New Yorkers to possess up to 3 ounces of cannabis for recreational use. It’s illegal for people under the age of 21 to use or possess cannabis or cannabis products. Because possession and use of cannabis and cannabis products are illegal for people under the age of 21 and they can be harmful to minors, lock these products up and keep them out of reach and out of sight, especially with respect to edibles, which may attract children. Not only can they make children sick, they can also make pets ill. If a child or pet ingests cannabis or a cannabis product, call the poison control hotline: 1-800-222-1222.

No, unless the employer is permitted to do so pursuant to the provisions of Labor Law Section 201-D(4-a) or other applicable laws. Enacted March 31, the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act prohibits employer discrimination against employees based on their cannabis use outside of the workplace, outside of work hours, and without use of the employer’s equipment or property. 

At Green Empress Cannabis, we do not sell any cannabis products.  We do however provide you with cannabis education and product recommendation for a suggested donation amount. You have to be 21 and over speak with our trained cannabis budtenders.