With the legalization of cannabis, access to its edible form has become a lot easier now as compared to what it was in the past. Today, you can visit any local marijuana dispensary and buy cannabis edibles without any problem. Moreover, with regulations around the herb, this particular way of consumption has become a lot safer now even for a newbie.
However, no matter if you are a noob or a pro, with edibles, you always need to be careful. Edibles, as compared to smoking or any other way of consumption, induce completely different effects on you. And thus, it’s very important to clearly understand what you are getting yourself into in order to be safe.
Yes, cannabis is perhaps the safest psychoactive substance, even when we compare it to alcohol. However, there still are risks of having bad trips. And the chances of having a bad experience are even more with edibles.
Considering this, here are a few tips by medical marijuana doctors to help you stay safe and enjoy your cannabis edibles to their fullest.
Understand How They Work
The first and perhaps the most important thing you need to learn before you even take the first bite of your edibles is how they work. Remember that the effects of edibles are completely different from that of smoking in almost every term.
For instance, with smoking, you start experiencing the effects within a few minutes of consumption. While, with edibles, the onset may take anywhere between 30 minutes to two hours. The peak time with edibles is also different. Your effects will usually reach their heights in around 30 to 60 minutes. But with smoking, this time is a lot less. That’s exactly why some people tend to eat more, as they are not very patient to wait for this long. And this leads to overconsumption and thus a bad trip.
Along with this, the high also lasts a lot longer with edibles as compared to smoking. You may continue feeling the effects for up to around 10 to 12 hours sometimes. And they usually are a bit stronger comparably.
But why are the effects of edibles so different?
The simple answer to this is that, in this method, the cannabinoids are metabolized in your stomach instead of your lungs. And this process is very different and also takes more time.
Understand Dosing
With edibles, understanding what’s the right dosage for you is also very important. This is the part that decides how your final experience will be.
Usually, when we talk about the dosage of an edible, we refer to THC, the compound that is responsible for the intoxicating effects of cannabis. And knowing how much of it should you consume is very important to keep the effects well balanced.
The typical THC in edible products ranges from 1 to 100 mg. And in this huge window, finding your perfect spot can be very difficult sometimes. But don’t worry. We’re here to help you.
Here is a rough idea of how much THC you should consume as per your tolerance level.
For beginners:
- 1 to 3 mg for mild effects
- 3 to 8 mg for medium effects
- 6 to 15 mg for strong effects
For people with some tolerance:
- 2 to 7 mg for mild effects
- 5 to 12 mg for medium effects
- 10 to 20 mg for strong effects
For people with high tolerance:
- 5 to 10 mg for mild effects
- 7 to 15 mg for medium effects
- 15 to 30 mg for strong effects
Keep in mind that this is just a basic idea, and the effects may differ for you depending on your specific condition. Having said that, if you are trying cannabis edibles for the first time, medical marijuana doctors recommend you to keep it low and slow.
Avoid Consuming on Empty Stomach
You should prefer consuming edibles only when your stomach is already full. If you consume them on empty stomach, there is a very high chance you’ll experience stronger and faster effects. This is usually because, in this case, your stomach is metabolizing the edibles very quickly as it doesn’t have anything else to do. However, when you consume them on a full stomach, your system already has food to work with. And thus, the metabolization of edibles has to wait.
Furthermore, when consuming edibles on empty stomach, you may eat more than you should, which may lead to overdosing. And I perhaps don’t have to tell you the dangers of overdosing on cannabis. It may make you anxious, paranoid, and in extreme cases may lead to unconsciousness.
Always Consume Them in a Relaxed Setting
If you are planning on consuming edibles, make sure you are in a comfortable place. You can enhance your overall marijuana experience two-fold if you are able to relax. Remember that the effects of the herb have the ability to amplify the feelings you already have. And increasing your level of anxiety or panic is perhaps the last thing you want from your marijuana edibles.
If you don’t like social gatherings, prefer keeping your edibles session at your own home. In fact, this should be your first option if you don’t have a way to come back home from another place afterward. You must not drive when you are high.
At your own home, you may invite a few friends over if you trust them and feel comfortable with it. Also, it would be wonderful if you can have a friend who can stay a little sober to keep an eye on you and others.
In addition to this, try gathering all the things you may need while consuming cannabis beforehand. This will save you a lot of trouble later, considering the high caused by the edibles is quite long-lasting.
Never Mix it With Alcohol
Sometimes, people may think of mixing cannabis with alcohol for better and more intense high. However, this may prove to be very dangerous. Keep in mind the effects of both these substances, even individually, can be unpredictable. So, combining them is most likely going to make matters worse only. As per medical marijuana doctors, if you have alcohol in your blood, your system absorbs THC a lot more quickly. And this may increase the chances of developing extreme side effects. By consuming cannabis and alcohol together, you may experience blackouts and even loss of memory briefly. And the risk of developing anxiety, paranoia, or panic is also more.
In addition to this, the continuous use of the combinations of cannabis and alcohol may lead to the development of dependence on either or both substances.
Tips to Handle a Bad Edible High
Well, no matter how hard you try, there is always a chance of getting a bad trip from your edibles, especially if you are a newbie. But hey, it doesn’t have to be all bad. Here are a few tips to help you manage such a situation:
- Keep some CBD-only edibles with you to combat the negative effects of THC.
- Always buy high-quality edibles and only from a trusted source.
- Keep yourself hydrated.
- Keep a few healthy snacks with you.
- Chew some black pepper.
- Take a nice, cold shower.
- Distract yourself.
Edibles are perhaps the safest and one of the most popular ways of consuming cannabis, especially among medical users. However, they may sometimes become problematic because of the way they work. Follow the tips given above to keep your edibles experience as enjoyable as possible.
