Getting the right edible dose – A Guide

Finding the accurate dose is the key to ensure a premium marijuana experience. Take too much, and you’ll start to feel a few side-effects or have a bad trip. This is particularly important in the case of cannabis edibles. Since overdosing on the marijuana ingestibles is quite common, it is crucial that you know the right edible dose before you use it.

Now getting the right edible dose is a bit tricky. Not everyone’s body and mind react to cannabis the same way. There are several factors that need to be considered. This post will guide you to a better understanding of the cannabis edibles and help you to ascertain the right edible dose for yourself. Follow our tips and guidelines, and you can ensure a truly rewarding marijuana high.

Cannabis edibles – why overdosing is so common

Though nothing serious or fatal, cases of cannabis edibles overdosing are definitely on the rise. It is really hard to resist the allure of the mouth-watering edibles like candies, gummies, jelly bombs, cookies, brownies, cakes, beverages etc. Especially when the cannabis-infused snack is one of your favorites. It is only human to overconsume.

With the edibles, there is a greater chance of overdosing than smoking or vaping marijuana. This is because of the specific way in which cannabis edibles work on our bodies. The effect-producing cannabinoids present in the edibles are metabolized in our digestive system before they are absorbed in the bloodstream. As a result of this, the onset of the effects is delayed in comparison to smoking or vaping. Usually, it can take anywhere between 20 minutes to 3 hours before that edibles start to produce effects. Compared to other consumption methods, the effects of the edibles last much longer – 4-12 hours even more than that. This is the reason why your smoking tolerance will be very different from your tolerance to the edibles. Always keep this in mind when you are switching to the ingestibles from other methods of cannabis consumption.

Finding the right edible dose

The delayed onset time and the long-lasting effects of the edibles make it absolutely necessary to get the dosage right. As different individuals have different physiological and mental makeups, the right edible dose varies from person to person. What is right dose for you may not be appropriate for your friend. There are several variables to take into account – the user’s previous history of cannabis use, the condition/sensitivity of their gastrointestinal as well as endocannabinoid system etc.

Normally, the standard dose of an edible is 10mg of THC. However, if you are a first-time user, you’d want to start ‘low and slow’. Experts recommend 1-2.5mg THC for the beginners. A dose like this will not get you extremely high or stoned but will provide all the positive therapeutic effects and symptom reliefs. Therefore, it is also the right dose for medical marijuana patients who are looking to microdose on a regular basis.

Anything above that and below 15mg THC will give you stronger effects and produce a sense of euphoria. A dosage like that is good for the recreational users as well as medical patients looking for longer reliefs from pains, depression or anxiety.

If you are a veteran toker who has developed a high tolerance to THC, you’ll need a dose of 30-60mg or higher.

Some tips on how to accurately dose accurately

• There is no shame in asking for expert opinions. If you are confused about finding the right edible dose, consult a marijuana expert or an experienced budtender and share with them all the relevant details like your body type, age, gender, history of cannabis use, your health condition, and others.
• Carefully read the label of an edible and check out the THC-CBD content in it. You need to know how much THC it contains as a whole before you can calculate the right amount to consume. For example, if your cannabis edible has a total amount of 100mg THC in it, to get a standard 10mg dose you need to consume only 1/10^th of it.
• Do check out the CBD: THC ration in your edible. If it has high CBD content, the psychoactive effects of THC are likely to be suppressed.
• As the right dose varies between individuals, pay attention to your own body. Always keep track of how much you have consumed and how exactly it made you feel. After you take a dose, wait for 45 minutes. If you feel you need more, take the same dose again.
• If you don’t feel any effect after an hour, eat some snacks or an apple to kick start the digestive system. 
• Ideally, you should take the same low dose three times in equal intervals within 8-24 hours before going for a higher dosage.
• Since the edibles work through digestion, different food-items can produce different responses in people. For some cannabis-infused candies work better than the THC cookies. Try different edibles and find out which one is best for you.
• Never consume an edible on empty stomach. It is like alcohol or the pain meds – you don’t want to have them on empty stomach. To avoid any undue side-effects, always eat something before you have your edible. This way you’ll feel the effects in a slow and measured way.
• Those who like to use home-made edibles need to be extra careful in getting the right dosage. When you are baking a cannabis-infused brownie at home, it is not so easy to get the consistency and accuracy like the products manufactured by a specialized edibles company.

If you get the dosage accurate, there is nothing better than consuming the edibles. They won’t affect your lungs or throat like smoking or vaping does. It is absolutely the healthiest and most discreet way to use cannabis. As long as you are smart and careful with your doses, the edibles will keep delivering the optimal recreational as well as medicinal effects.