There’s a reason that cannabis food and drink is incredibly popular—it’s awesome! But eating cannabis can also be tricky. The fact is you can’t fatally overdose from too much bud, but the stories from friends who have overindulged are enough to make anyone hesitant about trying edibles. The good news is that when done right, edibles are a fantastic way to enjoy the effects of cannabis in a way that’s healthier and more discreet than smoking.
If you’re wondering about how to dose edibles for a great high, this article is for you. We’ve put together a simple guide to help you understand how cannabis-infused edibles work and how to get the right dose. By making smart choices, you can ensure that you’ll have a great experience.
How do Edibles Work?
So, is there a difference between eating cannabis and smoking it? Yes. The way you ingest cannabis determines how your body processes THC, the compound that makes you feel high. The way your body processes THC will influence everything from how intense your high is to how long it will take to kick in.
When you smoke, your body absorbs cannabinoids like THC through your lungs. This leads straight to the bloodstream, producing effects within a few minutes. But with edibles, your body must digest the food before the cannabinoids get broken down by the liver and absorbed into the bloodstream. That means edibles can take anywhere from 30 minutes to a couple of hours to fully hit you.
Do Edibles Produce a Different High?
Edibles can produce a high that feels different than smoking. When you eat cannabis, the liver converts THC into a different type of molecule than the lungs do. This means that edibles can be up to 10 times more psychoactive than smokable cannabis. Don’t get us wrong, the dose is still the biggest factor in your high. But eating cannabis has the ability to make THC feel more intense.
But that’s not all. Just like with anything you ingest, the effects will depend on you as an individual. A small person with a low THC tolerance who hasn’t eaten all day will feel it more intensely than an experienced smoker who has just eaten dinner. Go figure.
Here’s how to choose a dose that’s right for you.
How to Dose Cannabis Edibles
Start “Low and Slow”
If you are new to edibles, “low and slow” should be your motto because it can take up to 90 minutes before you feel the effects. The standard “dose” of an edible is 10 mg of THC. But if it’s your first time, it’s better to go with less than 5 mg. If you don’t feel anything, don’t up your dose for the first two hours. If you do choose to have more, increase your initial dose by 5 mg. It’s better to go slow until you find your perfect level. Remember that it’s easy to overdo edibles and being too high isn’t fun. It pays to be patient, and once you know how many milligrams it takes to give you a pleasurable experience, you’ll be set.
Read Labels
When you purchase edible cannabis form a licensed dispensary, it will have packaging and dosage information on the label. You want to know how much THC is in the product so that you can eat the correct portion. That means if an edible has 100 mg of THC, eating 1/10th of the product would give you the standard 10 mg dose.
When you make edibles at home, it’s harder to get the consistency and accuracy that you’ll get from a company that specializes in making them. Keep this in mind when you are just starting with edibles. Knowing the precise amount of THC you ingest is what will help ensure a good experience.
Listen to Your Body, Not Your Friends
While we’re all for enjoying cannabis with your friends, your dosage should be based on you as an individual, not what your buddies can handle. If you have a friend that can easily down three cannabis cookies, you shouldn’t take that as an invitation to try and keep up. It’s better to stick with what you know about yourself and what feels good for you. It takes different dosages to create the perfect high in different people.
Always keep track of how much you ate and how it made you feel. That way, you can continue to dial it in and have an even better experience the next time. Remember that different strains can also have different effects, so it can be a bit of a process learning what’s right for you.
Final Thoughts
Keep in mind that your smoking tolerance won’t be the same as your edible tolerance. Even if you’re a seasoned smoker, what you can smoke might not translate to what you can eat. Always start low and go slow no matter who you are.
Ultimately, the work you do to find the perfect dose is totally worth it if you want to give edibles a real shot. They can offer many benefits and a lot of fun without some of the more negative aspects of smoking. As long as you are smart, you’ll have fun dialing in your perfect dose.
So, get out there and buy some quality cannabis edibles, and see what all the hype is about! Klover always has a wide variety of edible cannabis products for you to choose from. We currently have a Happy Hour Special; buy two edibles, get the third 50% off from 3PM-6PM. Let our expert staff help you pick out some goodies so you can start enjoying edibles today!
