Cannabis edibles are a tried and true method of consumption that offer a break from the harsh smoke you’re used to. But the one lingering issue with edibles is knowing what kind of experience awaits. You know that one friend that tried a brownie, got high, and accidentally ate the rest of the brownies in a munchie driven fugue state? From what they can remember, that doesn’t sound like an exceptionally good time. We want you to have enjoyable relief, not an overwhelming high like they did. Before you chow down on whatever dank treat tickles your fancy, there’s a couple things you should stop and consider. We’ll get to the cool edible dosage science in a little, but first, let’s talk about our favorite topic: You.
Why do you consume?
We believe that cannabis is for everyone, but we know that not everyone consumes for the same reason. Knowing what kind of effects you’re looking for is critical to having the right experience with edibles. If you’re an 80-year-old retiree that’s looking to amp up your lazy afternoon, a 22-year-old college student suffering from MS, or anything and everything in between, you need to understand that edible dosage and the related experiences come in a broad spectrum. Consuming to reduce pain, either physical or mental, or just to have a good time will quickly help you narrow down your edible choices.
If your ideal experience involves a good head change and a potential couch-lock, you’re gonna be good to go with an edible that just includes THC. However, if you’re only after the medical benefits cannabis provides, you’ll want to shop around for a product that offers a mix of THC and CBD.
A lot of us need relief from everyday issues, but still need to be fully functioning adults for most of the day. Too heavy of a dose from a THC edible might leave you staring at the sky for hours, pondering your existence, which doesn’t leave much space for productivity. A ratio of 1:1 CBD:THC is considered well-balanced and produces little to no psychoactive “high” while simultaneously delivering the benefits of both cannabinoids. If you know that your body is extra sensitive to THC, a ratio of 4:1 is commonly used to eliminate any psychoactive effects and may be the right choice for you.
How well do you know yourself?
If you’re a seasoned smoker, this question should be pretty easy to answer. You know how much you need to smoke to get your head right and you know just how to handle those effects. You might even have decent experience with edibles already, too. Thanks to your prior “research,” edible dosage is going to be much easier to figure out.
For those that are just getting started with edibles, however, they can come off as a little intimidating. Fear not. There’s an edible out there that’s perfect for you, and we’re going to help you find it.
Start by asking yourself how your body has handled other medications in the past. If you’ve typically experienced rapid results, you probably have a good metabolism that is pumping those meds through your body with some quickness. It’s impossible for us to know what your body is like so telling you that a specific milligram dosage of THC or CBD is guaranteed to have certain effects is pretty far-fetched and almost impossible to accurately predict. There are many factors to consider including experience, body weight, and metabolism.
We can point you in the right direction, but deciding the proper edible dosage is going to take some experimentation.
Getting started: low and slow
Maybe you’re riding the new green-wave or maybe you’ve been smoking longer than computers have existed. Either way, if you’re new to edibles, we always recommend that you err on the side of caution.
Most companies produce edibles that contain 50mg of THC per package, but recommend a single dose to be 5mg of THC. When talking about getting “high,” 5mg won’t be anywhere near enough for some, but for others it will be too much. If you have minimal experience with edibles, we’d even recommend splitting that first dose in half. Give your body two full hours to digest and metabolize your edibles before you think about taking more. Over time you will start to understand how long it takes for those to kick in and what kind of effects they produce for you.
Ultimately, finding the perfect edible dose is going to take some time, but the relief you’ll find will be well worth your efforts. You may end up micro-dosing 2.5mg of THC every morning to stay sharp, or taking a full gram of 1:1 RSO daily like many cancer patients do. Only you can decide what your body really needs and your CBD and THC edible dosage is going to be unique.
Shifting gears
As you experiment and get closer to finding your perfect dosage, you may feel inclined to increase it for some extra fun. Day to day pain relief is extremely beneficial, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying your experience with edibles. When you have a whole day open to experiment, try out some more potent treats and let your body and mind transcend what you knew “high” to be.
On the flip-side, if you eat edibles to get super baked, don’t forget about the value of micro-dosing. since you’re a hardened veteran, low doses probably won’t get you high, but they still provide benefits like decreased anxiety and increased creativity!
If you choose to set yourself up for a new medication regimen or just a Diem worth of fun, be sure to keep your edibles and munchies separate