The matter of potency would depend on what you were trying to treat and also on your tolerance. Since you haven't done it it wouldn't be that much. As for eating vs. smoking, eating will give you more of a body high and make you feel more relaxed (indica) or more energy (sativa). This way is used to treat pains, nerve problems, pretty much anything with the body. Smoking gives you more of a head high. Indica and sativas pretty much do the same. But since smoking is more for the head, then it helps with mental ailments, and also some nerve pains and other stuff that I'm missing