When consumed responsibly, THC edibles can help you better enjoy the therapeutic and recreational effects of your cannabis. But in order to do so – you have to get the dosage right.
To help you out, we are going to cover the basics of what you need to know about THC dosage in edibles. First, let’s define what we mean by cannabis edibles.
How to portion your edibles properly without getting TOO high.
Cannabis Edibles
Often, when someone hears the term weed or cannabis edible, they think about pot brownies or cannabis cookies. But when it comes to edibles, the different ways you can consume your marijuana go far beyond baked goods, including:
- Gummies
- Hard Candy
- Chocolate & Caramels
- Cannabis-infused drinks
Although some may not consider THC tinctures to be edibles, they can be used to create DIY edibles. For example, you could add a bit of a THC oil to your favorite cookie recipe or some THC tincture to your tea or lemonade.
Potential Benefits of THC Edibles:
- Effects tend to last longer
- Good for portion control
- More discreet than smoking or vaping
- Provide flexibility in how you ingest your cannabis
- Easier on your lungs than smoking or vaping
Like we said though, in order to maximize their potential benefits, you have to get the dosage right.
Edible Dosing
Nothing will ruin your first experience with weed edibles quicker than taking too large of a dose. Although the right dose will be different for each person, there are a few things you can keep in mind to help you find the dosage that’s best for you.
The first and most important thing you can do is to start slowly and gradually build up from there. Failure to do so can result in some unpleasant effects that can last many hours.
So, what would happen if you ate too many edibles?
Can You Overdose on THC Edibles?
Yes, it is completely possible to take too large of a dose of THC edibles.
A slight overdose can lead to things like anxiety, nausea, and feeling lethargic. A more significant overdose can result in things like increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, paranoia, hallucinations, and delusions.
The effects of a significant overdose of THC edibles are magnified for those with serious pre-existing medical conditions, or those who have mixed alcohol or drugs with cannabis usage.
So, if the consequences of taking too large of a dose can be so bad, why would anyone ever do so?
Much of the confusion comes from how long it takes to feel the effects of weed edibles.
How Long It Takes for Cannabis Edibles to Kick In
When you smoke or vape your cannabis, THC is quickly absorbed by your lungs and you feel the effects within a few minutes. With edibles, it can take much longer. That’s because the THC in your cannabis must be processed by your liver and enter your bloodstream.
Depending on a number of factors including the type of edible, its potency, your metabolism, and your tolerance – it can take anywhere from twenty minutes to a few hours to feel the full effects.
Once the effects do kick in, however, they tend to be much stronger and last longer compared to smoking or vaping.
A Common THC Edible Dosing Mistake
Here’s a common scenario for those new to edibles. They take an edible and wait about 20-30 minutes. They don’t feel anything and get impatient. So, they take another dose. Shortly after, they start to feel the effects of the initial dose.
They may feel great at first, but once that second dose kicks in, the effects become too intense. Once that happens, the undesirable effects can last for quite some time.
It’s not unheard of for the effects to last up to 12 hours – with residual effects lasting even longer.
How Much Should I Consume?
When it comes to THC dosage in edibles, there are so many variables that come into play. Because of this, the right dose will be different for all.
Here are a few general guidelines to help find the cannabis edible dose that is right for you:
- Those new to edibles should start with 2.5mg to 5mg and build from there.
- Those who are more experienced, could enjoy a dose of 10 to 15mg.
- Anything over 20mg can produce intense and undesirable effects – and is only suitable for those certain they can handle such a large dose.
How to Avoid a THC Edible Overdose
First and foremost, make sure to store your THC edibles somewhere a child or pet can’t get to. Since things like gummies, candies, and chocolates can look attractive to kids, it’s important to keep them secure.
First time users should make sure to start slow. Take a 5mg dose and allow at least two hours for the effects to kick in.
If after your initial dose, you do not feel any effects – please make sure to wait at least 2 to 3 hours before deciding if you need another dose or not.
Remember, you can always take more later – but if you take too much – you can be stuck feeling ill for as long as 12 hours or longer depending on the level of overdose.
Helpful Tips for Those New to THC Edibles:
- Some edibles come in smaller doses known as micro doses. Micro dose edibles can be as small as 1 mg and are great for first timers trying to dial in the dose that’s right for them.
- If you can’t find micro dose edibles, you can also cut a larger dose in half. For example, if all you can find are 10 mg servings, you can cut them in half for 5 mg doses.
- First timers may want to avoid chocolate edibles on their first try, since the fats in chocolate can enhance the effects of THC.
Learn more:
Foods That Can Enhance Your High
What to Do if You Took Too Many Edibles
First, take a deep breath and realize that this will most likely pass. Unless you have a serious pre-existing medical condition, or mixed alcohol or drugs with your edibles, you will most likely be okay.
Whatever you do, do not try to drive anywhere. Just stay put and do your best to relax and get comfortable. There are some foods and drinks that can help alleviate your unpleasant feelings.
Believe it or not, munching on a couple of black pepper balls could help. That’s because the terpenes found in black pepper – pinene, myrcene, and beta-caryophyllene – can help to reduce feelings of anxiety and help calm you down.
Since pine nuts contain the terpene known as pinene, eating some pine nuts after over-consumption can also have a similar effect.
The terpenes found in lemons have also been found to help smooth out any potential unpleasant effects of consuming too much THC. So, a glass of water with some fresh squeezed lemon could also help.
Learn more:
What Are Terpenes?
Where to Buy Quality Cannabis Edibles
The only place you should ever buy cannabis edibles is from a licensed and well-respected dispensary. If you live in Maryland, Missouri, or Ohio, then Bloom invites you to browse our inventory of THC edibles – which include cannabis-infused baked goods, gummies, hard candy, chocolate, caramels, and drinks.
THC Edibles Maryland
Bloom’s Dispensary in Germantown, Maryland is fully stocked with a complete selection of cannabis edibles. Starting July 1st, 2023 – Bloom is happy to serve adult-use recreational cannabis customers at our Maryland dispensary.
THC Edibles in Missouri
Bloom’s Dispensaries in Cameron, Cape Girardeau, O’Fallon, Springfield have a wide selection of THC edibles – including baked goods, gummies, hard candy, chocolate, caramels, and cannabis-infused drinks.
Cameron Dispensary:
Cape Girardeau Dispensary:
O’Fallon Dispensary:
Springfield Dispensary:
THC Edibles Ohio
Bloom invites Medical Marijuana Patients in Ohio to explore our wide selection of premium quality cannabis edibles.