Unlike smoking cannabis, edibles are introduced to the body through the gastrointestinal tract and processed by the liver before entering the bloodstream The liver changes the cannabinoid THC into the more potent 11-hydroxy-THC which tends to have a stronger more sedative effect. This makes cannabis edibles especially suitable for people with sleep disorders caused by pain or general insomnia. People ingesting cannabis will often feel the effects within 45 to 90 minutes (sometimes sooner) with a high lasting between 6 to 10 hours. Much of this depends on your own body chemistry and how your body reacts to the THC as well as the quality of the crop, processing, and production of the edible. Certain edibles will hit harder and faster than others depending upon whether or not they are sublingual, or absorbed through the capillaries and arteries in the mouth.

 

How many edibles should ingest?

One of the most common complaints with cannabis edibles is their often unpredictable strength. Though one dose of an edible should contain about 10-20 mg of pure THC, the strength of an edible is determined by the quality and quantity of cannabis used to create it. We always recommend 5mg of THC to start off. The slow onset of cannabis edibles can create even more confusion for consumers, particularly if they are not aware of their enigmatic nature. Impatient users looking for relief from their symptoms often do not wait long enough and eat more before feeling the effects of the first dose. When in doubt, always start with a small dose and wait at least 90 minutes before consuming more edible cannabis products.

 

Does orally ingesting cannabis have a similar effect to smoking it?

Yes, without a doubt. However, exactly what effect edibles will have on you depends on several factors: the type and potency of the edibles you are using, your tolerance, your body chemistry, and even how much you’ve had to eat. Because the effects of eating an edible differ greatly from the effects of smoking, many first time users are caught off guard by the stronger potency and long-lasting effects.

 

What are the different types of edible cannabis?

There are three types of edible cannabis products. Those geared towards gastrointestinal uptake (digested through the stomach), those geared towards oral uptake (through sublingual blood vessels), and a few that fit into a hybrid category that targets both. Any edible where the cannabinoids are absorbed through the stomach, like a brownie, cookie or various other baked goods fit into the gastrointestinal uptake method. These edibles tend to take longer to activate within the body (sometimes as long as two hours), but produce a longer-lasting effect (up to eight hours of relief). Edibles geared towards oral uptake can affect a patient almost immediately but tend to wear off faster (within two to three hours). Edibles that you hold in your mouth for an extended period of time like suckers, lozenges, or tincture, fall into this category. Items such as drinks and chocolates fall into a hybrid category because they are designed to be absorbed in both the mouth and the stomach. These edibles are a middle ground between oral and intestinal absorption, offering fast-acting relief that can last for four hours or more.