Cannabis-infused #edibles are amazing. They’re a relatively discreet — not to mention delicious! — way of consuming cannabis, and with a little bit of knowledge, they may quickly become your favorite means of enjoying your medicine or herbal hobby. Read on to learn the basics when it comes to edibles.
The Basics Of Edibles
Edibles are food made with cannabis, usually via an infused oil or butter. They’re a time-honored tradition among serious stoners, and it’s understandable as to why this is so. Indeed, edibles are extremely potent and amazing at making your body feel good. They can be especially effective at taking away pain, providing a restful night’s sleep, or stimulating appetite — all things that allow for great, holistic medicinal benefits.
The high you get from an edible is a special kind of feeling. And some of that has to do with the way you enjoy it.
Unlike smoking cannabis, you do not get an immediate high when consuming an edible. The THC is absorbed through your bloodstream (as opposed to your lungs) after being processed by your stomach, so it can take anywhere from half an hour to a couple of hours to feel the effects. It also matters whether or not you’re eating the edible on a full or empty stomach, or post exercise. You will feel it hit you much faster if your stomach is empty or you’ve been sweating it out at the gym. However, because of the absorption method, the impact can last much longer than if you smoke or vape — sometimes even up to a day, depending on the dose.
How To Get The Dosage Right When Consuming Edibles
The most important feature of edibles — beyond all the delicious flavors of brownies, chocolates, drinkables and savory treats you can sample — is the dosage. It can be tricky to get the correct dose for yourself when eating weed, and there’s no “one size fits all” amount that works for everyone the same. For that reason, it may take a few attempts to find your sweet spot.
Many people may be tempted to eat another bite, slice or segment because they don’t feel anything straight away, but you have to remember that everyone’s body metabolizes at different rates — and differently, depending on different days — so if a low dose after an hour doesn’t work for you, next time, try to up the dose.
Do not immediately double the dose only 10 minutes after consuming your first edible — you shouldn’t get sick or hurt (and nobody has ever died from overconsumption of cannabis!), but getting too high from an edible can be unpleasant and intense, and is best avoided if possible.
Instead, go low and slow. The average dose at a dispensary is 10mg/serving, and your budtender should be able to explain what a serving looks like if it’s not explicitly clear on the packaging. However, for some people, 10mg might even be too much, and they would prefer to start with microdosing, at around 5mg. If you find that 10mg was OK, but you feel you can handle more, next time go up to 15, then 20. Just remember that you can always eat more, but you can’t give the THC back, so slow and steady really does win the race when it comes to edibles.
Cannabis edibles are an exciting way to sample the plant and flex your culinary skills, along with your passion for consuming cannabis. So, eat up, sit back, and relax!