Cannabis Edibles: All Your Questions Answered
If you vape or smoke cannabis, you know that the effects hit right away. When it comes to cannabis edibles, it gets a bit more complicated:
Your body needs time to digest, metabolize and absorb the THC. Depending on your weight, metabolic rate and other factors, you may feel the effects of an edible within 30 minutes or well over an hour. Whereas when you inhale THC and other cannabinoids, they go directly to your bloodstream and brain.
How does THC absorb into your body through edibles ?
After chewing and swallowing, the delicious edible lands in your stomach.
The edible is then digested by your acids and enzymes that break it down into its component parts, including THC.
The THC then absorbs through the lining of the stomach and is taken to the liver.
In the liver, THC is transformed into 11-Hydroxy-THC, which is like super-THC. It’s more potent and can cross the blood-brain barrier more easily than THC that’s been inhaled.
Pro Tip: Edibles hit slower, but can hit stronger.
Portion control: How much should I consume?
Patience is a virtue and a necessity when consuming edibles. Whether you’re new to cannabis all together or just new to edibles, we recommend starting with the lowest amount possible. Start with cutting a piece in half to start and save the rest for later!
By many cannabis consumer standards, a 2mg THC edible is considered a “low” or “micro-dose,” while a 5mg THC edible is a standard dose. For those experienced with edibles, 10mg is a strong starting point with great pain relief and deep relaxation effects.
If you’re looking for an experience that doesn’t get you high, try an edible that is high in CBD and low in THC.
Edible F.A.Q.
Should I eat before consuming an edible?
Having food in your stomach affects the absorption time and intensity of the edible. We advise you to eat a snack before your first time consuming, just in case.It’s also not a bad idea to have THC-free snacks on hand after you take an edible. It’s hard to resist only having one edible because of their tasty nature, so some chips or sweets should do the trick!
What if I have never smoked or vaped and want to try out edibles?
If you’ve never experienced the effects of THC before, that doesn’t mean you should avoid edibles altogether. In fact, many people prefer edibles over smoking and vaping! As a tip, start with the smallest amount of THC possible (2 mg, if you can break your edible treat into a smaller piece) and wait up to two hours for the effects to kick in.
Drink water, eat snacks, kick back and relax while you await your high adventure.
Even if you have smoking and vaping experience, you should still expect different effects from edibles, which are slower but stronger.
Edible tip: Always listen to your body!
What if I accidentally take too much?
Don’t worry, it can happen - and truth be told, it can be a bad time. When you're ready to try edibles again, you’ll remember to go slow and low. (Reminder: You can always eat more, but you can’t eat less.) We believe in preparing (and sometimes even over-preparing) so try to memorize and follow these steps if you get too high:
Repeat the mantra: ‘This will pass’. Drink water, relax, and stay away from driving. The effects will go away, it just takes some time.
If you have it, try some pure CBD. Make absolutely sure that your CBD source doesn’t have any THC, and try a little at a time. CBD is known to temper the effects of THC and can help slow down that “racy” feeling.
Drink water - preferably cold. For at least 10 minutes, keep sipping iced water to dull your high and combat dry mouth. Pro tip: adding some ground black pepper, lemon zest, shredded ginger, and mint leaves to help settle your stomach and reduce the psychoactive effects.
Sit back and stream your favorite show. Depending on your high and your personality, this is easier said than done. But this too shall pass, and you can distract yourself by getting yourself in a comfortable position and finding a passive activity.
Sleep. You’ll wake up feeling refreshed, and though you may feel a little groggy or “off” the next morning, it will dissipate. It’s not like an alcohol hangover whatsoever.
My friend swears by this certain type of edible. Will it work for me?
We love that your friend is trying to help you out, but the same edibles with the same amounts of THC will affect each person differently. Bodies don’t metabolize THC in the same way or in the same amount of time as others. Always treat every new edible as a new experience.
Enjoy Responsibly
You made it! You’re at the end of the guide and are officially ready for brownie bites, sour gummies, or chocolate squares.
Reminder:
Edibles take longer to process, but can also have stronger and longer effects once the THC reaches your bloodstream.
There is no one-size-fits-all with edibles: every body processes the same amount of THC differently. So read the doses on the packaging carefully, and follow the “start low and go slow” method. This isn’t the fastest way, but it can be one of the most enjoyable and effective!
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