How Many Edibles Should You Take?

Here’s a story about edibles.

Once upon a time, there was a guy who was out at a college rugby game with some friends who’d brought some homemade pot brownies with them. He’d smoked before, but never tried marijuana baked into anything before, and was fascinated by the idea, so he ate one. After about an hour, he didn’t feel anything, so he ate another half of one. Forty-five minutes later, he still wasn’t feeling high, so he figured the brownies didn’t work for some reason – he’d heard that you couldn’t get high if you consumed marijuana unless it was run through some kind of process to make the THC digestible, or something like that – so, having skipped lunch and with the near-constant hunger common to all guys in their late teens, ate three more without worrying about getting too stoned.

He, of course, had to have someone drive him home. He couldn’t give directions, though, because he’d temporarily lost the ability to remember them. But don’t worry about him. He’s fine now, writing for the fastest cannabis delivery service in Los Angeles.

The thing is, he’s not alone. Plenty of people have stories about learning the hard way that cannabis edibles take a long time to kick in, and in many cases pack a punch. These days, though, it’s easier than ever to manage your high through edibles.

Why use edibles at all?

Well, as for the guy in the story, he’s got asthma and an aversion to smoking. Some folks might have other lung conditions like emphysema or COPD, and are unable to risk more possible damage. Someone who takes cannabis for arthritis or fibromyalgia might not have the manual dexterity or ability to hold a vape, much less pack a pipe or roll a joint. Still others might live in homes with rules against smoking indoors, and during winter and the rainy season it’s easier to just munch on some chocolate than put a coat and boots on.

The problem with edibles. Of course, as noted above, the big difference between eating pot and smoking pot is the time it takes the THC to enter your system. What’s more, many edible users report still feeling high hours later, when smoked weed tends to subside faster. It means knowing your limits and your tolerances, and planning your day right. It takes practice and vigilance, but it’s not too difficult. 

How do marijuana edibles work?

Typically, most edibles on the market are made using cannabis oil or pure cannabis crystals, which are infused using a fat like butter or oil. THC is then metabolized in the liver, into a more potent compound called 11-hydroxy-THC. The process can take anywhere from 45ish minutes to three hours, which is why stories like the one told above are so frequent.

Another important part of the process is decarboxylation. Cannabis in its raw form actually doesn’t have what we think of as THC; it has a slightly different chemical called THCA. To be converted to THC, it must be slightly heated before consumption. Manufacturers of edibles must make sure decarboxylation is part of their production process. 

What Edibles Dosage to take?

The most basic thing to remember here is that the process of discovering your proper dosage is largely going to be one of trial and error. And as always, if you’re considering using pot medicinally, talk to your doctor first. 

The great thing about mass-produced edibles like gummies, cookies and chocolates is that the amount of THC and CBD is printed right on the label – and in the case of say, a bag of candy, it’s broken down by individual piece. For instance, a package of Camino Wild Berry Gummies contains 20 candies, and each candy contains 5mg of THC. That makes it really easy to know how much you’re taking.

Gummies in particular are perfect for microdosing since they’re so easy to cut with a pair of kitchen shears or even a butter knife. So a 5mg gummy can be two 2.5mg gummies or four 1.25mg gummies. And if you’ve never tried edibles before, you’ll want to start small. If you’ve got experience with weed, try starting with 2.5mg and waiting a few hours. If you’ve never had cannabis before, try 1.25. Again: Trial and error.

Your tolerance will increase over time

If you’re using cannabis regularly, you’ll actually feel this happen. One day you’ll get super high with 2mg, then a little while later it’ll take twice that to even make you notice. Don’t worry – the only way to overdose on pot is to be crushed under a metric ton of it. But it’s definitely possible to take too much, though don’t worry – the worst that’ll happen is you’ll be panicky for a few hours. More likely, you’ll just fall asleep on the couch.