What are cannabis edibles and why are they so popular?
Weed-infused edibles are a discreet and convenient way to feel the psychoactive and therapeutic effects of cannabis.
Edibles were traditionally crafted by adding cannabis-infused butter or oil to food, but their growing popularity has inspired an explosion of creativity. Today, home chefs are even including pure, distilled THC or CBD in their recipes.
Here are just a few benefits of cannabis edibles:
- Cannabis edibles can be potent with long-lasting effects
- Edibles are discreet and smoke/vapor free
- Lightshade carries an extensive range of edible product types and flavors in our Denver dispensaries
- Consumers can experience a variety of therapeutic and psychoactive effects from cannabis edibles
What should you know if you're a first time edibles consumer?
Start Small
Eat only one serving of a low-dose edible until you learn how your body responds.
Go Slow
Some edibles can take between 30-minutes and 3 hours to kick-in, while others offer a faster onset time (5-15 minutes). We suggest that you wait for the effects to arrive before consuming a second dose.
Don't Mix
Do not mix edibles with alcohol or other substances.
Lock Them Up
Store your cannabis edibles in a childproof container and/or the original packaging, and keep them far from the reach of children.
How do cannabis edibles work?
After an edible is consumed, our bodies digest, process, metabolize and absorb cannabinoids (cannabis chemical compounds). Consumers enjoy a slow and steady onset, which makes edibles an attractive choice for pain management and restful sleep.
Edibles often provide more intense effects than other consumption methods, and onset can take anywhere from 5-minutes to 3 hours, depending on the product. And, based on dosage, the effects of a cannabis edible can last between 3 and 6 hours.
The effects also vary from person to person and can change based on what you’ve had to eat or your mood. It’s tricky, so we suggest you start low and go slow.
As a general rule of thumb, new consumers should start with micro-doses in the range of 2.5 to 5mg.
Looking for an Alternative to Smoking Cannabis?
Many patients choose medical marijuana as a holistic health conscious choice over pharmaceutical drugs. In order to maintain that holistic approach, patients must consider the benefits of consuming edibles over smoking cannabis. Smoking marijuana can be beneficial however it is not without risk. Consumption of edibles allows the body to intake the medical benefits of THC through absorption in the mouth, stomach and liver, while avoiding the negative side effects of inhalation. Below are the most important factors when considering an edible to purchase.
Eating vs. Smoking
The primary difference between ingestion and inhalation is the rate of absorption of the different Cannabinoids. This means that 10mg of inhaled Cannabinoids does not translate to 10mg of ingested Cannabinoids. In addition, edibles will take up to two hours to start feeling the effects and will last longer than smoking.
Smoke-Free Benefits
Ingesting cannabis can potentially eliminate the damage to the lungs caused by the inhalation of smoke.
Warnings for Women
If you use marijuana in any form and at any time during your pregnancy, or while you are breastfeeding, it may harm your baby.
Warnings for Children & Pets
If your child eats or drinks marijuana products, call the Poison Center Hotline as soon as possible at 1-800-222-1222. For pets, call your veterinarian or Animal Poison Control at 1-888-426-4435. Symptoms can include your child or pet having trouble walking or sitting up, starting to be sleepy or having a difficult time breathing. Ingestion of too much marijuana can be life threatening for animals.
Measuring Potency
The only accurate measure of potency is THC, CBD, and/or CBD milligrams (mg). Do not be fooled by the hash, bud, trim, crystalline THC (kief) mg, or other tricky wording. Activating THC for edible consumption consists of a process involving heat and time that can greatly affect the potency of an edible.
Featured Edible Brands
