There are many edible kinds of marijuana, including capsules, tablets, and of course, food items. These can produce safe and long-lasting effects. However, they are also a bit more likely to leave you with unpleasant overconsumption symptoms or unwanted effects. Of course, the dose will determine whether you have a pleasant experience or end up having too much. Knowing the usual outcomes that you can feel at different amounts will help you decide on the right amount of cannabis for you. There are also some other things to consider when it comes to choosing the correct dosage. Keep reading to find out more.
Why Edibles Are so Different
It is vital for you to understand why edibles are different from other products. The differences can affect both your experience and the right dosage. Edibles are unique because of how your body processes and absorbs them. When you vape or smoke, your lungs will absorb the cannabis.
However, with edibles, the digestive system does the work of absorbing the marijuana in that edible. This difference majorly impacts your experience. An edible will kick in slower than any other kind of marijuana. Plus, they tend to last for a longer time in your body, and the experience might be more intense. They often become more intense over time.
The Strength of the Effects
Many people find that after using an edible, the effects are more potent than when they use other methods of consumption. These users often find that edibles offer them a body high, giving them more psychoactive effects. You might be wondering why the results are different for edibles.
The research has found that your body might process the edibles differently during digestion. The cannabinoid Delta-9-THC might be converted into 11-hydroxy-THC as the THC goes through your digestive system. It is thought that 11-hydroxy-THC is an even more potent type of THC. It would make sense that having more of this in your body might cause you to experience more psychoactive effects, and as such, it would affect your entire body.
Because edibles can have more potent effects than with other methods of consumption, many users prefer to have a smaller dosage of edibles. If you are trying them for the first time, this is important for you to remember. Even if you know how much THC works for you when you are vaping, that can vary quite a bit when you are using edibles.
Why the Right Dose Can Vary
Every individual has a unique body, which means that they might experience varying results depending on the medication. The response of one person might vary quite a bit from the next person’s response, especially when it comes to cannabis. You might be wondering why this is.
There are several factors involved, including previous marijuana use, the function of the endocannabinoid system, gastrointestinal factors, and the person’s overall sensitivity. For instance, some people might be susceptible to THC and will do well with a low dose of around one milligram.
But once you are above 100 milligrams and see high dosages such as 150 to 200 milligrams, or up to 500 milligrams, there is a higher risk for adverse effects. That might include paranoia and nausea. Even if you have a high tolerance, you may notice these harmful effects.
The Right Number of Edibles to Eat
The right dose for you will depend on several factors, such as your body chemistry, tolerance, and what kind of experience you want to have. However, there are a few guidelines that might help you when it comes to finding the right cannabis dose. These are usually measured in milligrams.
1 to 2.5 Milligrams of THC Edibles
The effects of this small dose may offer more focus and creativity. Some people use a dose of this size to try to reduce anxiety or stress, as well as pain. This is a good choice if you are using cannabis for the first time, or you want to try to micro-dose.
2.5 to 15 Milligrams of THC Edibles
This is a more potent dose that may help some users with relieving anxiety and pain symptoms. For some users, it might impair their coordination and offer some euphoria. This is considered to be a standard dose for recreational users as well. It is the right choice if you want to try to get a better night’s sleep.
30 to 50 Milligrams of THC Edibles
The effects of a dose within this range will give you more substantial euphoric effects. It can significantly impair your perception and coordination. If you have a high tolerance to THC, this might be a good option, and many people whose digestive systems do not absorb THC well choose a dose of this strength.
50 to 100 Milligrams of THC Edibles
This size of a dose can strongly impair your perception and coordination. It may also have some potentially unpleasant side effects if you are not used to using it. These effects might include an increased heart rate, pain, and nausea. However, if you have an extremely high tolerance to THC, you may need to take this much to feel effects. Medical cannabis users who have cancer or inflammatory disorders might also try to choose this much.
About 100 Milligrams or Greater
You might want to be careful when taking more than 100 milligrams of THC. The side effects of having too much THC can increase a lot when you have this much. Even if you have a very high tolerance to THC, you might still experience side effects. That is why you do not want to have an edible with more than 100 milligrams of THC in it.
Of course, there can be some exceptions to this rule. For instance, if you have a medical condition that you are using cannabis for, then your health care provider may tell you that it is a good idea for you to take 100 milligrams or more of THC at once. Just remember that this dosage would be highly unpleasant for most people and would not come with any potential benefits.
About Homemade Edibles
To determine the dosage in a homemade edible, multiply the percent of THC by 1,000 to get the number of milligrams in each gram. Then multiply the number of grams of your cannabis in your edible by the amount of THC in each gram. That will give you the total amount of THC in the whole batch.
Then just divide the amount of THC by the number of servings it makes, giving you the amount of THC in each one. You can also divide the total number by the desired amount of THC in each serving to figure out how many pieces to cut the batch into.
Waiting for the Edible to Take Effect
It is easy to take too much when using edibles because of how long it takes to feel the effects. When you are vaping or smoking, you will likely feel the results fast. The effects might kick in in about two to 10 minutes. On the other hand, when you use edibles, they might not kick in for around 30 to 60 minutes. For some people, it might take as long as three hours before any effects are felt.
Whether this is your first time trying an edible or you have used them for a long time, a common mistake is to take another edible when you do not feel any effect from the first one an hour later. Then a couple of hours later, you may notice all of the doses, and then you may feel the side effects of consuming too much cannabis.
If you do not know if a dose has affected you, take some time to assess how you are feeling. Then wait a bit longer to see if there are any effects. You can gradually increase your dosage a bit to see if it will affect you.
How THC and CBD in Edibles Can Change the Effects
Some medical cannabis users like to add CBD to their THC to try to enhance the potential advantages. They believe that it might help relieve anxiety or pain and decrease the potentially harmful effects, including an elevated heart rate and general impairment.
CBD might be able to help in reducing the intoxicating effects from THC, so if you want to try to get any medical advantages, look for strains that have both THC and CBD in them. You should know what the ratio of THC to CBD is and learn about the contents of your products.
For instance, if the product has a THC to CBD ratio of one to one, it may reduce the impairment and be more therapeutic than one edible with merely THC in it. However, you will want to avoid overdosing on the product.
As the ratio of THC to CBD increases, the chances of you having unwanted intoxicating symptoms will decrease. The general effects of the product will also change. If the ratio is four to one or more, then it is unlikely that you will notice any adverse effects unless the dose is very high. For instance, if you get a little high after having about five milligrams of THC, you might not feel any symptoms of being high if you have 20 milligrams of CBD and five milligrams of THC with it.
On the other hand, if you take an edible with the objective of getting high, you will likely want to choose one that does not have as much CBD in it. That way, there will not be CBD to counteract the effects of THC, which will be what you want.
Tips for Using Edibles With Cannabis in Them
If you took an edible an hour ago and still do not feel any effects, consider having a light snack such as carrots or an apple. That can stimulate your body to start digesting and encourage your gut to absorb the THC. If you have never used cannabis before, you might need to have two or three doses before feeling anything. You might want to take an eight to 24-hour period of time and have a low dose three times during this time. Do this before considering increasing the dosage.
It is rare, but some patients are not able to absorb that much THC through their gut. When this happens, it might be better to try to absorb the edible through the blood vessels in the mouth under the tongue. It can also be inhaled, so the lungs absorb it.
What If You Take Too Many?
You should stay in a safe and calm environment when you are using edibles. That way, if you have too much, you can have someone assure you that you will be okay. It is also essential for you to stay hydrated.
CBD might also be helpful for you. For example, if you have a 50 to 200 milligram of CBD without much THC in it, it might also help. Some people like to have lemon oil, which you can find in both the juice and the rind. You can grate a bit of lemon zest and chew it before you swallow.
It is unlikely that you will need emergency medical attention unless you already have some sort of medical condition. If you have diarrhea or vomiting, then you might need to have IV rehydration.
Closing Thoughts
Dosing your cannabis edibles can be tricky, especially if you do not know the right dosage to take. If you are a new user, you will want to start with a lower dose. It is better to do that and gradually increase how much you are taking. A bit of experimentation will help you find the right edible dosage for you. Just remember to consult with your doctor before beginning to use cannabis to see which dose might work the best. Sometimes, marijuana can interact with prescription medications.