The legalization of marijuana in multiple states of the US has made access to cannabis edibles a lot easier now. Today, you can just visit any nearby dispensary and buy yourself some tasty marijuana treats without any trouble. Furthermore, given the regulations governing the herb, the method of consumption is now deemed safe even if you are new to it. No wonder why people are preferring this particular way of administering the most after getting a medical marijuana card in Garden Grove.
With that being said, though, with edibles, you still need to be a little careful. Yes, edibles are lot safer if we compare it to smoking. But the effects it induces are also very different. Given this, before you try them, you must have it clear in your mind that “what you are getting yourself into.”
Keep in mind, the risk of having a bad trip is perhaps the highest with edibles among all the methods. Considering this, MMJ doctors say that there are a few things you must be aware of in order to stay safe while consuming marijuana edibles. Here’s the list.
The Working of Edibles
If you are trying edibles for the first time, one of the most important things you need to learn is how they work in your body. You surely don’t want to consume them just to find out they don’t even have the effects you were looking for. If you have consumed marijuana via smoking until now, you must have it clear in your head that the effects of edibles are going to be completely different.
To provide you with a slight idea, let’s compare the effects of both these methods.
First of all, if you are a smoker, you are perhaps habitual of the cannabinoids hitting you in a few minutes only. This is because of the way they enter your body. The cannabinoids, while smoking, enter your bloodstream via the lungs. However, if we talk about edibles, they follow the digestive path and are metabolized in your stomach. Due to this, the method takes a lot more time to affect you. Usually, this time varies between 30 minutes to 2 hours. Plus, the effects last a lot longer than smoking.
However, you should note that due to the onset of these effects being slow, the risk of people overconsuming edibles is also higher, as they may think the product isn’t working for them. And this may easily lead to a bad trip.
Edibles Dosing
Another thing that’s extremely important for you to learn before trying edibles is, how different dosages of cannabis may work for you. After all, this is the factor that makes all the difference.
Okay, first of all, you must understand that when we talk about dosage here, we are talking about the level of THC in your edibles. This is the compound that makes you high. And thus, learning how much of it will be best for you is very important in order to keep things in control.
See, the typical range in which the level of THC lies in edibles is from 1 to 100mg. You see, it’s not a small window. And thus, finding your perfect dose can be a little tricky sometimes.
But hey, we are here to help you only. Here’s a general indication of the level of THC that may work for you depending upon your tolerance toward the herb :
As a Beginner:
- 1-3mg: Mild effects
- 3-8mg: Medium effects
- 6-15mg: Strong effects
As an Intermediate User:
- 2-7mg: Mild effects
- 5-12mg: Medium effects
- 10-20: Strong effects
As a Heavy User:
- 5-10mg: Mild effects
- 7-15mg: Medium effects
- 15-30mg: Strong effects
However, please note that this is only a rough idea, and sometimes the effects may also depend on external circumstances, including your tolerance, body structure, metabolism, gender, and medical condition, etc. Considering this, if you have just got your medical marijuana card in Garden Grove, doctors suggest you keep it low and slow while consuming edibles.
The Effects of Edibles on Empty vs. Full Stomach
The effects of edibles can also vary, based on if you are consuming them on an empty stomach or full. Experts say you should prefer the latter. Consuming edibles on an empty stomach may lead to the effects that set on a lot more quickly and are very intense. The reason for this is that, in this particular case, the edibles are getting metabolized quickly, as the stomach doesn’t have any other food in it to process. However, when it’s already full, the break down of edibles has to wait, as there is other food that your system has to work with first.
Additionally, when your stomach is empty, the chances of you consuming more, just out of hunger, is more. And this may lead to overdosing very easily, which may result in anxiousness, paranoia, and in some cases, loss of consciousness.
Importance of Your Setting
While consuming marijuana edibles, your set and setting play a very important role in defining your overall experience. Given this, it’s very important that you are in a relaxing and comfortable place. You can actually improve your experience with marijuana edibles significantly by being somewhere you actually like.
So, if you are not very social, it perhaps not a very good idea to consume marijuana at a party or a social gathering. You surely don’t want to break down or be vulnerable in front of so many people. Also, if you think you can drive after consuming cannabis, just drop it altogether. It’s not only illegal but also very dangerous.
Consuming it at your own home, on the other hand, has several advantages. First of all, you will be in a comfortable place. And secondly, you can invite a few friends over if you have the space to keep them for the night. (Don’t let them drive either.)
Results of Mixing it With Alcohol
Consuming cannabis with alcohol to intensify its effects may seem like a good idea at first. But trust me, it’s not. On the contrary, it may be very dangerous.
Remember, the effects of cannabis edibles are already very unpredictable. And mixing it with alcohol can make matters even worse. Medical marijuana experts say that the presence of alcohol in your bloodstream may make your body absorb THC much more quickly. And due to this, the chances of you getting a bad trip may spike. With this, you may experience blackouts and in some cases even a loss of memory for some time. Plus, there is always a risk of developing extreme paranoia, panic, and anxiety.
Additionally, if you keep on consuming marijuana with alcohol for a long time, there is a chance of you developing a dependence on one or both these substances.
Finishing Remarks
Edibles are surely one of the safest ways of consuming cannabis available right now. And this has made them quite popular, especially among medicinal users. But still, nothing in this world is perfect. And the same goes for edibles. Edibles too can cause some problems due to their working mechanism in the body. But if you are aware of the facts given above, you perhaps have enough knowledge to enjoy your edibles in the best way possible.
