Weed edibles have a long (and well-deserved) reputation for sending people to the moon. From the notorious pot brownie to space cake, even weed pizza, edibles – are known for hitting hard – if not quickly. But with increase in legalization, there has been an influx of new edibles weed types – ones that are made to hit faster, have lower doses, or are perfect for making your own edibles any time and any place.
All Kinds of Weed Edibles
What’s in a weed edible? That which we call an edible by any other name would taste as dank… or whatever Shakespeare said. (Shakespeare was a stoner by the way.)
You don’t have to sink into the couch after consuming an edible. With a little research, and the right dosing, edibles can be a delicious and effective part of any cannabis routine.
What are Edibles?
An edible is an edible cannabis product, a food or beverage that is marijuana-infused. There are both THC edibles and CBD edibles, but you can really make edibles out of any cannabinoid. Edibles can be food or drink products, although historically, edibles were often baked goods.
Edible THC is the most popular kind of edibles weed, but other non-intoxicating cannabinoids, like CBD or CBN, are rising in popularity. In states where delta-9 THC remains illegal, you may see Delta-8 THC edibles on shelves.
Why Are Edibles Good?
Edibles offer cannabis consumers a variety of benefits, for both recreational and medicinal use. They’re discreet; unlike smoking or vaping, there is no odor or smoke produced – edibles just look like food or drinks. Edibles also offer a wide variety of flavors, textures, and tastes, so you can always find a new edible to try. They offer a wide variety of cannabis products for people who want to enjoy the health benefits of cannabis use without the smoke.
Edible effects include relief from chronic pain, reducing inflammation, combating insomnia, reducing nausea and anxiety, and more.
Edibles are also great for people who can’t smoke for medical reasons or don’t like smoking weed. They deliver long-lasting results with a full-body experience that is distinct from smoking marijuana.
How Do Cannabis Edibles Work?
Edibles are an oral form of cannabis consumption that stimulates your endocannabinoid system; you must eat and digest them to feel the effects. Traditional edibles have a 90 – 120-minute onset time and are metabolized through the liver and the digestive system. An edible high takes longer to hit, but is longer-lasting than smoking; the experience will usually peak around 3 hours and take up to 6 – 8 hours to fade, but you may still feel some lingering effects for up to 12 hours.
What Do Edibles Feel Like?
Edible highs are often described as more intense than smoking, even in equivalent doses. This can include a full-body high experience, a head high, euphoria, giggliness, the munchies, as well as adverse effects like anxiety.
Edibles are more intense than smoking cannabis flower because when they’re metabolized through the first pass in your liver, the THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is converted to 11-hydroxy-THC, which is up to twice as strong as regular THC.
This means that you should be cautious with the dosage of new edibles – lest you overdo it and enter the shadow realm. Start with 2.5 mg of a new edible if you don’t consume marijuana frequently, or 5 mg if you do. The worst that will happen if you take a low dose is wishing you took more – but always wait up to two hours before taking more, so the first dose has time to kick in.
Edibles fall under the oral category of cannabis consumption. Capsules, pills, oils, dissolvable tablets, and tinctures are also consumed orally, and while some people will call them edibles – they’re not food or beverages.
Types of Weed Edibles
There are as many types of edibles as there are food and drink options. You can find many types of cannabis-infused edibles at dispensaries in legal states, and whatever you can’t find, you can make.
In today’s cannabis market, there are new types of edibles, sativa edibles, indica edibles, and even fast-acting edibles. These use new infusion technology to help edible effects be felt faster-- closer to the onset time of smoking rather than traditional edibles. Eating an edible and feeling it 20 minutes later seems ideal (as long as you don’t overdo it).
- Cannabis drinks – seltzers, water, juices, powdered mixes, and beverage enhancers,
- Baked goods – the iconic pot brownie, the infamous space cake, and any other confectionary delight you can dream of
- Hard candy – mints, lozenges, lollipops
- Soft candy – chocolate, caramels, taffy, and chews
- Savory snacks – chips, crackers, popcorn
- THC Gummies – squares, bears, chews
- Homemade edibles – soups, pot roast, cider – the sky is the limit when it comes to homemade edibles
Making Your Own Edible THC Treats
Anything you can make in your kitchen, you can infuse. From classic pot brownies and gummy edibles to space cake and weed pizza, your kitchen is the center of creation when you play with cannabis-infused food.
To infuse, you’ll need a cannabis extract, typically a THC oil, tincture, or butter. You can make your own cannabutter or cannabis-infused oil at home or you can pick up what you need at your local dispensary. If you live in a state where cannabis isn’t legal yet, you’ll have to make your own. It’s easy enough to do with our step-by-step guide on how to make your own weed butter and our guide on making THC-infused canna-oil.
Always start low and go slow with homemade edibles, especially if you didn’t calculate the dosage before making them.
And bonus pothead points if you make your homemade edibles with homegrown weed!
Grow your Own 🌱
Our complete grow kits include everything you need to go from seed to your very own supply of high grade medical cannabis.
Dosing Weed Edibles Chart
As mentioned above, weed edibles can hit hard, thanks to the delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) converting into 11-hydroxy-THC. That makes dosing critical for having a good experience with edibles.
Every stoner who’s been around the block has a story (or two) about eating too many edibles – and it’s never a good time. It may be a stoner right of passage, but you don’t have to overdo it on edibles to enjoy the benefits of them.
The good news is that with legal weed, the doses are pretty standard, like with pre-measured gummies. So you can easily tailor your dosage!
The below dosing guide is a good place to start with edibles, but when in doubt, remember the golden rule of cannabis consumption: go low and start slow. The biphasic effects of THC mean a higher dose is more likely to cause negative side effects, like anxiety, paranoia, and increased heart rate.
|
Dose type |
Milligram Dose |
Effects |
|
Microdose |
1 - 2 mg |
This small dose will not get most people high unless you’ve never consumed cannabis before. A microdose is usually considered a functional dose that can help you relax, relieve pain, or abate nausea. |
|
Low |
2.5 - 5 mg |
Some people will feel the full intoxicating effects of THC at this dose, while others may not. Start with a low dose if you’ve never had edibles or you’re trying a new product. If you don’t react well to high doses of THC, keep it below 5 mg. |
|
Moderate |
6 - 10 mg |
Most people will feel THC’s intoxicating effects at a moderate dose, which include pain relief as well as potentially the munchies, lethargy, and euphoria. |
|
High |
11 - 35 mg |
A high dose of cannabis is subjective, and different people will feel it differently, but a high dose works best for experience cannabis consumers. A high dose will be intoxicating if the edible includes THC, and may have effects such as sleepiness, euphoria, anxiety, munchies, or couch lock. |
|
Macrodose |
50+ mg |
A macrodose is best for people with specific medicinal needs or a long history of cannabis consumption. Macrodoses are highly intoxicating and take cause “couch lock”, sleepiness, and anxiety. |
How to Make Marijuana Edibles Hit Harder
If you feel like your edibles aren’t delivering the experience you want, there are a few things you can try.
- Have a higher dose. If 2.5mg or 5 mg aren’t doing it for you, try 10 mg. Just remember the biphasic effects of THC – lower doses have opposite reactions than higher doses.
- Consume more fat. Cannabinoids, like THC, are fat-soluble molecules, so if you haven’t eaten enough fat, you may not feel as much. Edibles like chocolate bars or baked goods with butter tend to have higher fat content and may help you feel the effects more.
- Eat more food. Edibles don’t hit as well on an empty stomach. Have a snack (preferably something with some fat). Conversely, a big meal right before an edible may make it take longer to hit because there’s so much other food that needs to be digested as well.
- Check the product shelf life. Cannabinoids, like THC and CBD, are not shelf-stable products – they degrade due to heat, light, and age. If your edibles aren’t hitting right, check how old they are. It may be time to make a dispensary run.
FAQs About Edible Cannabis Products
What does cannabis edible do to you?
Cannabis edibles that contain THC will get you high. This includes positive effects like euphoria, the giggles, the munchies, and relaxation, but can also include paranoia, anxiety, and sedation in high doses.
What kind of cannabis is edible?
Processed cannabis is used in edibles, usually in the form of tinctures, butter, or oils. The cannabis plant itself is edible, but eating it will not get you high because the cannabinoids (like THC) are in their acidic form (THCa) and acidic cannabinoids are not intoxicating.
Can you get a good high from edibles?
Yes, you can get a good high from edibles. An edible high can be a full-body experience and lasts between 6 – 8 hours.
Are there vegan edibles?
Yes! It’s easier than ever to find vegan edible products, including chocolates, gummies, and baked goods.
What are the side effects of edibles?
The side effects of edibles are the same as with any form of cannabis consumption and include relaxation, euphoria, the munchies, sleepiness, lethargy, giggliness, anxiety, increased heart rate, and paranoia. The dose of your edible has a big impact on the side effects you experience.
What strength is edible Marijuanas?
The strength of an edible should be listed on the packaging. Always start low and go slow with a new product to ensure you don’t over-indulge and end up pinned to the couch for the rest of the day.