Things to Keep in Mind When Consuming Marijuana Edibles

That little gummy edible sure looks cute and delicious. It must be perfect for a first-time edible consumer, right? Not quite! Marijuana edibles can be much more difficult to handle than their consumer-friendly look suggests. It’s almost shockingly easy for these tiny candies to take folks straight past the giggly, low-key fun of being stoned and into the dark realm of “I’m tooooooo high.” Keeping your head above water is simple fortunately. Just follow these 8 steps and you’ll be sure to stay on the right track when it comes to dabbling with edibles for the first time.

Slow and Steady Consumption

First things first–start slow. Believe it or not, there’s an entire public education campaign around starting off with an edible containing just 5mg of THC. The reasoning? It takes a bit of a while for the magic to seep out of marijuana-infused foods, making it far too easy to munch too much before it kicks in. The trick is to start small with a 5mg serving and wait until the high hits. While you can always eat more, the same doesn’t work in reverse.

Patience Pays When Consuming Edibles

When you smoke weed, the high hits almost instantly. But when you eat an edible, you’re going to have to wait – and then wait some more. Since your body has to digest the substance before the psychoactive effects take hold, it might be a whole two hours before the party starts. Yeah, it’s a bummer, but patience pays in this situation. Plan ahead.

Understand The “High” from Edibles

Different kinds of weed, different kinds of high. Most edible marijuana is metabolized by the liver and gives you a much bigger psychedelic slap than the THC that enters your blood from smoking. So when you finally feel the effects of the gummy bear, it’s likely to be much stronger than what you’d experience from a joint for example. Plus it’ll last much longer – sometimes up to 12 hours!

Pick Your Edible Variety

It seems like there’s marijuana-infused everything nowadays–granola, truffles, butter, hummus. But for the most part, an edible can be defined within one of two categories: foods you chew and/or eat like cookies, candies and pills that are metabolized in the liver, and products like lollipops, gum, and tinctures that take effect through saliva membranes.

Be Cautious with Alcohol or None at All

Like we said, most edibles release their THC in the intestines. Therefore, you’ll feel a bigger punch if you eat them on an empty stomach. That said, go ahead and indulge on the munchies before, during, and after the edibles kick in. But watch the alcohol. Downing booze while waiting for your high to settle can lead to unpleasant results.

Know Your Edible Producer

The cannabis industry is relatively still in its infancy, so quality control is key: Is the marijuana baked into that magic brownie some subpar junk, or is it soaked in pesticides? Not to scare you, but it’s worth scrutinizing your treat when able just to err on the side of caution. Whether it comes from a trusted source, or has plenty of positive online reviews, knowing what you eat doesn’t make you a snob–it makes you smart.

Enjoy Edibles in A Safe Environment

If we haven’t made it clear yet, an edible-powered high can be a potent experience. So if you want to be social and stoned, we’d recommend a joint instead. Plan your first experience with edibles during a time that’s calm and comfortable. It’s a Nintendo and chill situation in our opinion.
So whether it’s your first or 420th time taking edibles, one fact remains the same for everyone: crossing the line and eating too much weed will not be enjoyable, even for veterans. Luckily, all it needs is a bit of research and knowing your limits. Take your time, and let the goodness settle in. You’ll be stoned in the sweet spot all day.