Cannabis edibles are cannabis-infused foods and drinks. Edibles aren’t new, but they’re becoming more popular. Due to advances in infusion methods, cannabis-infused baked goods, THC Gummies, seasoning packets, cooking oil, chocolates, breath strips, mints, sodas, and many other products are now available.
Cannabis-infused edibles let you feel the effects of cannabis without smoking or vaping. Consuming is simple—we all know how to eat and drink.
Edibles’ effects can take 30 minutes to two hours to start. The effects of edibles may take hours to kick in and build over time because the cannabis has to pass through your digestive system before entering your bloodstream. How much you consume determines how long your high lasts.
This guide will help you choose the right edible for your needs if you’re new to edibles.
Trying edibles for the first time
As we’ll explain in four steps, trying edibles for the first time can be intimidating, but it’s all about taking it slow. Key takeaways for an optimal edibles experience:
Try edibles with THC and CBD.
Start with less than 2 mg THC.
Buy products that are easy to dose.
Before eating again, wait at least two hours, preferably 24.
select your cannabinoid.
Take a moment to process that. Weed and your body have cannabinoids. Though we have different names for them: endocannabinoids and phytocannabinoids. Endocannabinoids are the cannabinoids our bodies produce. Cannabis plants make phytocannabinoids.
Phytocannabinoids, also known as cannabinoids, cause cannabis’s mental and physical effects. They may affect anxiety, sleep, inflammation, and pain, but more research is needed. While we do provide a comprehensive list of cannabinoids for your perusal in a later section, for the sake of brevity and accessibility, we will only discuss THC and CBD here.
THC gives you a high.
THC is the most abundant cannabinoid in the cannabis plant and produces the classic weed high. This famous cannabinoid may induce euphoria, creativity, relaxation, or pain relief in different people. Confusion, short-term memory loss, time perception changes, rapid heart rate, lowered coordination, and anxiety may occur in others. Starting with the lowest dose and combining it with other cannabinoids (which we’ll get to in a minute) is the safest way to experiment and avoid side effects.
CBD provides a calming effect.
CBD is psychoactive, but not in the same way as THC. CBD is an FDA-approved medication (Epidiolex) because it changes brain activity. However, taking a lot of CBD to get the euphoric effects of THC is like trying to start your car with your house key. CBD is non-intoxicating but better at treating anxiety. CBD-only edibles are a good place to start if you’d rather not feel anything than too much.
THC and CBD together provide a balanced high.
THC and CBD together produce a more subtle high than THC alone. CBD also reduces the risk of THC-induced paranoia. If you want to get high, try a mix of cannabinoids.
familiarise yourself with milligrammes
Make the milligramme (mg) your best friend to determine your ideal dose and how edibles will affect you. Milligrams measure the THC or CBD content of all ingestible cannabis products, including drinks and THC Gummies. Every edible product in a legal, licenced dispensary has milligrammes on the label. Milligrams help you determine the minimum dose needed to achieve the desired effects and the maximum dose you can tolerate without side effects.
Long story short: start with 2 mg of THC.
THC affects people differently, so 2 mg could be a microdose, low dose, or perfect dose. For your first time, consuming more than 2 mg may leave you feeling intoxicated for longer than expected. 2 milligrammes is better than calling the police and thinking you’re dead.
10 mg of CBD is a good starting point for CBD-only edibles. CBD edibles should be purchased from a licenced dispensary to ensure potency.
Start with 2 mg of THC and 2 mg or more of CBD if you want to try both. By taking two THC or CBD products at once, you can create this combination. Choose from a variety of products that contain both.
Pick your product.
Are weed gummies your thing? Are you trying to avoid inhalation while still feeling the effects quickly? Today, legal products come in a variety of potencies.
Try weed gummies or chocolates for a classic edible experience. These products are easy and fun to use, and their effects last 30–2 hours. Enjoy exploring the many low-dose chocolates and gummies available in legal markets today.
Cannabis drinks are fast-acting edibles. Most weed drinks are still designed for high-tolerance cannabis consumers, but legal low-dose options have improved over the past few years. Weed drinks have faster effects, usually within 30 minutes.
Choose products that are easy to dose. Starting out requires accuracy. So, while it may be tempting to nibble the corner of your friend’s 100-mg chocolate bar or measure out a teaspoon of the highly potent drink at your dispensary, start with products designed for low-dose cannabis consumers.
Be patient
Because the cannabinoids that are ingested are absorbed through the digestive system, getting high from eating cannabis takes significantly more time than getting high from smoking it in a pipe or joint. It may take anywhere from half an hour to two hours for the effects of your edible to become noticeable, but once they do, they will continue for a good portion of the day.
At least two hours should pass between each dose before you take another one. Wait at least twenty-four hours before attempting a higher dose. This will improve your results. As a result, you will be able to evaluate the differences between the effects of 2 mg, 4 mg, 5 mg, and so on. If after two hours of administration of 2 milligrammes of THC no effects are observed, the recommended next step is to delay the dose for one day and then increase it by 1 to 2 milligrammes, bringing the total to 3 to 4 milligrammes. Repeat the process until you come up with a number range that is suitable for you.