Medical Marijuana Edibles: More Than Just Your Big Brother's Pot Brownie

Never mistake the homemade pot brownie found at a frat party for the marijuana dispensary's pot brownie. So much more goes into the making of the medical-use treat -- higher grade trimmings and quality butter, for starters. Plus a brownie like Big Sexy's Sinful Sweets Peanut Butter Confession, available in most L.A. dispensaries, has just the right dosage and the correct strain of cannabis to give a patient suffering from depression an uplifting, energizing feeling. A patient looking for a muscle-relaxing edible, say, would probably want to go with the cannabis-laced ice cream instead.

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Variety of sweet edibles.

Because such things have to be carefully considered, patients with doctor's recommendations need the guidance of caregivers at marijuana dispensaries. It wouldn't be wise to walk into a store and randomly choose from the variety of edibles available: from oral sprays, pills and tinctures, to ice cream, pastries and granola bars, to peanut butter, tea and honey. Each is made with a different strain of cannabis -- sativa, indica and hybrid -- which produce different effects and are beneficial to specific illnesses.

For those who don't have a doctor's recommendation and have never been in a pot shop before, here's a peek at some of the edibles available in medical marijuana dispensaries. The following were purchased at Zen Healing in West Hollywood by a medical marijuana patient with a doctor's recommendation. Also included are his "tasting notes."

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Big Sexy's Sinful Sweets Peanut Butter Confessions Brownie has a different consistency from a regular brownie and isn't as chocolatey or rich but is tasty and moist.

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Pecan Chip Cookies are perfect for a chocolate fix, even after stored in the fridge for two weeks.

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Big Sexy's Sinful Sweets Heavenly Crumbs are a favorite. Frothy and fluffy muffin probably best with strong coffee.

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Hi Tea Pomegranate Green is pungent, anxious.

Our volunteer patient had a sweet tooth but for those more interested in savory edibles there are frozen personal-size pizzas (for around $25 at the Venice Beach Care Center) and bagel bites available as well as olive oil (usually one tablespoon a dose).

It's not recommended to cook with the olive oil, however, since THC starts to break down at 315-320 degrees Fahrenheit. But if you ever do get a hankering for a vegetable LaGanja (lasagna) or Ganja Ganoush, you can always fly to Denver and visit the first pot restaurant in America, Ganja Gourmet.