Edible forms of cannabis have become increasingly popular for medical marijuana users. Edibles don’t have the same health risks as smoking, nor any confusion when it comes to taking them as may some other forms of medical marijuana.
Even with its popularity, we still get asked the same question often: “How many edibles should I take?”
The answer is unfortunately relative, as it is specific to each person and his/her tolerance and many other factors. However, there are a few ways to get a better sense of how many edibles you can consume. Read on to learn how to dose with marijuana edibles.
What is different about edibles?
Unlike their counterparts made for smoking, vaping, or topical use, edibles are well known for taking longer to kick in and offering a longer high.
Typically, edibles have the cannabis infused into a fat (like butter or oil) in the edible product. THC in an edible is metabolized by the liver, meaning it will take longer to feel the effect of it.
In fact, on average, users won’t feel the effects of edibles for 45 minutes to up to 3 hours after consumption. (This is why it’s incredibly important to go slow with edibles.) What’s more is the effects will last up to 5 hours after consumption, compared to 1-2 hours after smoking or vaping.
What causes different reactions?
Not only will your experience with cannabis make a difference in your edibles dosing, but other factors cause different reactions as well. These include:
- Your THC sensitivity: some patients are simply more sensitive to THC and only need a small amount to feel the effects.
- Your gastrointestinal system: from your metabolism to your gastrointestinal makeup, we all metabolize at different rates and our bodies process the things we ingest in incredibly different ways.
- Your endocannabinoid system: how our system reacts with that of the endocannabinoid system of the marijuana plant has a significant impact on the way cannabis makes us feel.
- Your desired experience: are you looking for a little extra clarity or a strong euphoria? There’s a big difference in dosing based on the effects you want to experience.
Determining your best dose
In a very general sense, here are a few doses and who they are best for:
- 1 – 5 mg: Best for beginner users, ideal for focus and better creativity
- 5 – 20 mg: Best for intermediate users, ideal for strong symptom relief and euphoria
- 20+ mg: Best for expert users, ideal for very strong symptom relief and more intense euphoria
Our best answer
So how do we answer “How many edibles should I take?”
Since there are so many variables when it comes to edibles dosing, the best advice we can give is: start low and work your way up to see how you uniquely feel based on how much you’re dosing.
Now that you have a better understanding of marijuana edible dosing, we encourage you to feel more confident the next time you try them.
At Hive Medicinal, we’d love to help with your medical marijuana needs as your local Maine dispensary. Take a look at our current products or, better yet, stop by in person!
