In a nutshell, an edible is a consumable product that contains cannabinoids like THC or CBD. You simply eat an edible and then wait for the effects to take hold.
However, edibles work a lot differently than smoking or vaping cannabis. Not only that, but there’s also a nearly limitless variety of weed edible products.
If you’re interested to learn all about edibles and how they work, then continue reading below.
How Do Edibles Work?
For edibles to work, the THC and CBD need to make their way through the digestive system. Typically with smoking or vaping cannabis, the THC and CBD enter through the body through the lungs.
If you were to smoke a joint, each puff would bring a hefty dose of THC-enriched smoke to your lungs. The THC gets absorbed through the lungs and into the bloodstream.
Your body uses some of the THC and other cannabinoids in the smoke, but a lot of it ends up getting wasted. The more you smoke, the higher you get—simple.
With edibles, it’s a much different and more complex story. Let’s use a piece of a pot brownie as an example.
You take the THC-rich pot brownie, chew it, savor the delicious flavor, and then swallow it. The pot brownie then goes to your stomach, where it sits and gets broken down.
Then, a part of that brownie enters the intestines. The THC in the brownie is absorbed by the intestines and then gets processed by the liver.
The liver takes the THC and turns it into a more potent version of itself called 11-hydroxy-THC. No one is sure why the liver makes 11-hydroxy-THC, but it does so more often with edibles.
11-hydroxy-THC is much more potent and faster-acting than regular THC. That’s why many people tend to feel more intense psychoactive effects from edibles.
How Long Do Edibles Last?
If you’ve ever smoked cannabis before, you know that it lasts about a few hours or less. However, edibles can last an entire day.
Once again, it’s because of the digestive process. As we mentioned before, the weed edible needs to sit in the stomach before going into the intestines.
The problem is, the stomach usually takes hours to digest anything. That’s why you should wait at least a few hours before taking more of an edible since it can take a long time to hit you.
Not only that, but since the weed edible isn’t digested all at once, the high can come in waves. Overall, weed edible can last from about 6 to 8 hours, not including the time it takes for the edible to kick in.
How to Dose Edibles
If you’re interested in trying a THC-rich edible, then you’ll need to learn how to dose it out. Dosing is finding out the right amount of an edible so you won’t get too high or not high enough.
To find your dose, all you need to do is get a professionally made edible with measured doses. Most products should have a measured amount of THC in milligrams (mg).
For example, a chocolate bar can have squares that have 5 mg of THC each. You can start by taking one or two squares, so about 5 or 10 mg of THC.
Hopefully, you’ll start to feel something within an hour, but remember, it can take up to two hours to feel anything. Wait at least a few hours before taking more if you don’t feel anything.
Once you find your dose, you’ll know how much to take every time.
What Types of Edibles Are There?
One of the most iconic weed edibles is the pot brownie. Likely you’ve seen or heard of the legendary pot brownie from popular shows or movies.
These classic weed edibles were probably the most popular edible for decades. However, thanks to relaxing cannabis laws worldwide, there’s been a weed edible renaissance.
Baked Goods
As we mentioned, baked weed edibles were and are still the most popular type of edible. Besides brownies, there are cookies and space cakes.
In the past, these weed edibles were homemade and usually ended up way too strong or too weak. Nowadays, baked edibles are made by professional companies in a wide range of flavors and styles.
Gummies and Candies
The next most popular form of weed edibles are gummies and candies. You can find delicious treats like gummy bears, lollipops, gumdrops, and much more.
The delicious flavor and easy-to-eat nature of candies make them an easy choice. People also like candy edibles because of how easy they are to dose out.
Drinks
Now you might be wondering, isn’t a drink technically not an edible? You’d be correct, but cannabis-infused drinks work the same way as edibles.
Drinks are still a bit niche, but they’re becoming more popular by the day. That’s especially true of CBD drinks which can give you a nice uplifting buzz.
You can usually find CBD teas or even THC-infused non-alcoholic wines and beers.
Oils
Sometimes the names of various cannabis products can be confusing. If you see a THC or CBD oil, it might be for vaporizing.
However, the edible cannabis oils are typically extracts. Cannabis oils are the raw product of the cannabis extraction process that pulls out cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids from the flowers of cannabis plants.
Usually, THC or CBD oils can be eaten as is or mixed in with anything. In fact, most weed edibles these days are made by infusing cannabis oil with any food or drink.
Tinctures
Tinctures are not true edibles, but they work almost the same. Like oils, tinctures are extracts that are usually mixed with alcohol.
Unlike other edibles, tinctures are usually taken sublingually. That means that you put drops of tincture under the tongue.
The effects of a tincture kick in faster because the cannabinoids absorb through the mouth rather than the digestive system. However, not all of the cannabinoids will get absorbed, so the rest will still be digested.
Why Use Weed Edibles?
Using weed edibles is excellent for people who need all-day relief. On top of that, edibles are great for people who have sensitive lungs.
Smoking or vaping cannabis isn’t for everyone, and edibles offer a great alternative. All you need to do is dose out your edibles, and you’ll always have the best time without going overboard.
Remember to always purchase professionally made and tested edibles to ensure maximum safety and enjoyment. Now that you know everything there is to know about edibles, you can shop in any dispensary with confidence.
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