Edibles can be an enjoyable and safe way to consume cannabis. It’s easily accessible, and for those who prefer not to smoke, it can be a viable option to enjoy marijuana’s positive benefits without any negative effects. Consider these guidelines that describe typical efficacy when selecting the edible dosage that is right for you.
*1 – 2.5 mg THC: Provides mild relief of pain, anxiety, stress, and other symptoms. It can also provide increased focus and creativity. Helpful for first-time consumers and micro- doses.
*2.5 – 15mg THC: Produces stronger symptom relief, euphoria, and may alter perception and impair coordination. For patients with persistent problems, restless sleepers, and social butterflies.
*15 – 30mg THC: Strong euphoria. If you don’t have a high tolerance you may start to experience negative side effects. May experience impaired coordination and altered perception. Best for marijuana enthusiasts and medical users who have sustained tolerance. Experienced consumers who are looking for sustained sleep.
*30 – 50 mg THC: Produces very strong euphoria, impaired coordination, and altered perception. Best for people who have poor GI absorption of cannabinoids, and people with very high tolerance levels.
*50 – 100mg THC: At this dosage you are very likely to experience some of the negative effects of cannabis consumption including rapid heart rate, nausea, and pain. As well as altered perception, and impaired coordination. This dosage level is generally only tolerated in very experienced marijuana consumers, cancer patients, people with inflammatory disorders, or other conditions that necessitate high dosage.
Individuals Vary
The way each person metabolizes THC is different. Several factors that contribute to this include a person’s history of marijuana use, gastrointestinal factors, and the sensitivity of your endocannabinoid receptors. Keep in mind once you exceed 100mg THC negative effects that are commonly experienced with the overconsumption of marijuana including nausea, paranoia, and rapid heartbeat are inevitable, even for consumers with the highest tolerance levels.
Timing Your Edible For Best Results
More often than not people describe having negative experiences with edibles when they take an initial dose, don’t feel anything, and then consume more within the same hour. What happens is both doses combine and you start to feel the effects after two hours. Suddenly you will find yourself experiencing a “green out.” How fast your body metabolizes a marijuana edible can depend on many things including your tolerance level, body weight, and how much food you’ve consumed that day. It is best to take a small dose first and see how that is affecting you after an hour, before consuming more.
Combining THC with CBD in Edibles
CBD combined with THC in an edible can add to their medical benefit, while reducing negative side effects like impairment and elevated heart rates. CBD serves to partially block the intoxicating effects of THC. It’s important to know the contents of each of these components and the ratio of CBD to THC. When an edible has a 1:1 of THC to CBD it is a powerful therapeutic and generally delivers less impairment than an edible that is THC-dominant. However, it is worth noting, that excessive doses can still produce classic cannabis overconsumption symptoms.
Tips:
*If you consume an edible and don’t feel any effects after one hour, try eating a lite snack to turn on your metabolism.
*Some cannabis newbies require 2-3 doses before they feel anything at all. If this is the case go slow and be consistent. Try the same low dose three times with 8 to 24 hours between trials before supplementing your dosage.
*If marijuana edibles really don’t do anything for you, you may have difficulty absorbing marijuana through your gut. This may mean that absorption via sublingual (under the tongue), topicals, or smoke is best.
