There are many ways to enjoy marijuana, especially with all the strains and concentrates now available to buy online. But if you want the most intense high and long-lasting effects, marijuana edibles are your best bet.
Simply put, marijuana edibles are food products infused with the effects of marijuana. These come in all shapes and sizes, from marijuana gummies to cannabis cookies. All you need to do to use these is to eat them and give them a couple of hours to kick in. Edibles can be infused with THC, CBD or even a mix of both.
Many users like to experiment with edibles due to their seriously strong effects. While you may have had some heavy bong hits, edibles take getting high to another level. When you eat them, your liver converts THC to 11-hydroxy-THC, a stronger form of the chemical which then goes through your bloodstream. Unlike other methods of consumption, the effects of edibles can last for hours on end.
While they’re often used recreationally, edibles can also be good for medical use. They’re great at taking away pain, stress, and all kinds of other health issues for hours. If you don’t want the strong effects, you can always opt for pure CBD edibles instead. Here’s a guide to marijuana edibles, how to use them, where to get them, and what to expect.
Effects of Marijuana Edibles
Marijuana edibles give you a THC high much like you’d get from other marijuana products. However, due to the day they’re digested, they give you a much more intense high with longer-lasting effects.
When edibles are digested, you’ll feel extremely uplifted with a happy and euphoric high. You may get a burst in creativity and mental stimulation. You’ll also likely feel giggly and take more enjoyment in listening to music, watching TV, and other tasks.
Edibles will also give you a much more intense body high. You’ll get extreme couch-lock, in other words, you’ll feel glued to the couch. You’ll also feel tingly all over. However, this can be helpful for relaxing and relieving stress.
Over time, the effects will grow and you’ll feel sleepy. The marijuana edibles high can be strong even for experienced users. However, you can get milder effects by microdosing, i.e. taking a much smaller dose for a manageable and enjoyable high.
Medical Benefits of Edibles
Marijuana edibles aren’t just good for the recreational high. They can also be useful in the treatment of various medical conditions and symptoms.
Since edibles give you a strong, soothing body high, they can be very useful for pain and inflammation. They can relieve even severe symptoms and make you feel much more physically relaxed.
They can also boost your mood, which can be useful for depression and stress. Marijuana can also help with anxiety, although the powerful effects of edibles might be a little too much for sufferers of anxiety disorders.
Edibles can also be very effective for helping with insomnia. As the effects intensify, you’ll find it hard to stay awake and alert. This makes it very easy to fall into a deep sleep. If you need something to take away stress and help you sleep at night, edibles can be effective.
Other usual effects of marijuana include helping with headaches, nausea, and improving your overall wellness. Edibles can be a little extreme for medical treatment, although CBD edibles are very useful for medical purposes.
Types of Marijuana Edibles
While traditionally people smoke strains of cannabis flower or concentrates for the effect of marijuana, there are now tons of ways to consume it. Some opt for tinctures which you put under your tongue or topicals which you rub into your body. However, edibles offer one of the most effective ways to get the effects of marijuana.
Practically any food can be infused with marijuana. However, the most common types include cannabis cookies, brownies, gummies, candies, and drinks. There are also a few different types of edibles based on the cannabinoids they contain.
THC Edibles – These will give you the psychoactive effects of marijuana in full force. Edibles are known for the powerful high they give to the body. They convert THC to a stronger form which results in some very pronounced psychoactive effects. You’ll feel very euphoric and relaxed under the influence of edibles.
CBD Edibles – If you want to use edibles purely for medical purposes, CBD edibles are perfect. They give you all of the medical effects of cannabidiol, one of the most powerful medical components of cannabis. However, they won’t make you high.
THC/CBD Edibles – Many edibles also come with a mix of both THC and CBD in all kinds of ratios. These give you many great medical benefits while also making you high. This is great for those who want the best of both worlds. Some come with less THC to give you a milder high for better medical effects. Others come with a 1:1 ratio to make them ideal for both recreational and medical use.
How Long Till Marijuana Edibles Kick In?
Unlike other methods of consumption, marijuana edibles can take a while to kick in. They need to be digested into your body in order to be transferred to the bloodstream. As such, how long it takes for edibles to have an effect can depend on a few factors.
Usually, marijuana edibles will kick in within around 30 minutes to 2 hours. In this time, you should not eat any more edibles as the effects are extremely strong once they do kick in.
Naturally, you’ll start to feel the effects when the edible is digested and converted to 11-hydroxy-THC by your liver. As such, users with a faster metabolism will generally feel the effects much faster. Users with a higher body weight may also need to wait longer for the effects to kick in.
It can also depend on the type of edible you eat. Some snacks will be digested by the body faster than others. Gummies are usually the most popular form of edible as they make it easy to control your dosage and they digest relatively quickly.
How Long Do Marijuana Edibles Last?
While edibles take a while to kick in, once they do, they last for a very long time. Unlike smoking or vaping weed, where effects usually last for around 3 hours, the effects of edibles can last for twice as long if not more.
One study found that in beginner users, marijuana edibles had peak effects at around 2.5-3.5 hours after dosing. However, users often report effects lasting for much longer, sometimes as long as 12 hours. You may also feel mild effects for up to 24 hours.
In general, you can expect a high of 4-8 hours at least. This also depends on your tolerance, your body weight, and your dosage. Edibles will hit some harder than others. However, even experienced users will get some very strong and long-lasting effects.
How Long Do Edibles Stay In Your System?
When you take cannabis edibles, you’ll likely stop feeling high within 12-24 hours. However, while the effects won’t last any longer than that, the THC from edibles will still stay in your system for a while.
After you consume edibles, you may still have some residual THC in your system for around 3-14 days. One study found that roughly 80-90% of THC is flushed out in your system after five days.
However, this does not mean you’ll still feel the effects of edibles. These will subside within a day. The only issue with marijuana staying in your system is that it can be detected in a drug test.
If you have a drug test coming up, it’s best to avoid edibles. Usually, you can pass a saliva or blood test within a day or two. However, marijuana can still be detected in your urine for around two weeks, and in your hair for even longer. If you do have a drug test, you can use detox drinks and drink a lot of water to mask the THC in your system.
Drawbacks of Marijuana Edibles
While many users enjoy edibles for the strong psychoactive effects, they can also have their drawbacks. Since the THC effects are more pronounced, they can be uncomfortable for some users- especially beginner users.
THC can cause anxiety and paranoia in some users. This can often be worse with edibles. High dosages may also cause nausea, dizziness, and in some cases, vomiting. If you feel too high while under the influence of edibles, you can counteract the high by drinking plenty of water and eating.
For the most part, you should have no problems with edibles providing you dose wisely. If you’re taking edibles for the first time, you should start off with a low dosage to see how your body reacts.
Marijuana Edibles Dosage Guide
It’s important to manage your dosage when you use marijuana edibles. Since the effects are stronger and last longer, you should never take too much. Edibles are usually split into small servings so you can control your dosage better.
Generally, edibles come in a serving size of 10mg. This suits most users, as 10-20mg should be enough for any first-time user. If you respond well to the dosage, you can take more in the future, but it’s best to start off low.
You can also microdose with edibles. Splitting a serving into 5mg or less can give you milder effects. You’ll still feel them, but it’ll be much more manageable and less overwhelming.
It’s best not to increase your dosage while under the influence of edibles. Effects take a while to kick in, so it’s best not to take more until after effects have completely subsided.
THC Edibles vs CBD Edibles
Not all edibles get you high. While THC edibles give you the psychoactive effects of cannabis, you can also use CBD edibles. CBD edibles are made with cannabidiol- a cannabinoid which gives you many powerful medical benefits without getting you high. As such, CBD edibles are great for therapeutic use. So which should you use?
THC Edibles are preferable for those who want a heightened psychoactive experience. They’ll give you powerful mental and physical effects that last for many hours.
CBD Edibles are much milder. You won’t feel high, but they can give you a sense of relaxation. CBD can help with pain, anxiety, seizures, depression, nausea, headaches, and a lot more. As such, these are great for users who want medicals purely for medical use.
If you want purely medical effects, you’re better off buying CBD edibles. These won’t get you high and have no risky side effects. THC edibles can still be useful medically, but they’re better for recreational use.
Where to Buy Marijuana Edibles
You currently won’t find marijuana edibles in Canadian marijuana stores. However, it is easy to buy them online. BudExpress.ca carries a wide range of edibles in many different forms. Here are some of the best available.
THC Infused Gummy Bears – These gummy bears are packed with 100mg of THC. Each tasty gummy contains 10mg of THC so it’s easy to control your dosage. A pack costs only $18, making these a cost-effective way to enjoy the effects of THC.
Ed & Bills Coke Bottles – You can also enjoy these marijuana-infused coke bottles, mimicking one of your favorite childhood candies. Each contains 10mg and there’s 20 in each $30 pack, so these can last you a while.
Ed & BIlls Lollipop – For something cheap and easy, these $6 lollipops will give you 40mg of THC when you suck on them. They come in assorted flavors and will give you the effects of THC fast.
Ed & Bills Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies – These classic baked cannabis cookies are delicious and packed with THC. Each pack contains two cookies, each with 50mg of THC. It’s best to split them up for a smaller dosage.
There are plenty of other cannabis edibles, CBD edibles, and even edibles for pets! You can check out the whole range in our online store.
Conclusion
Marijuana edibles are a fun and tasty way to get the effects of marijuana in full force. As long as you start off small, they can be extremely enjoyable and give you one of the most intense highs. You can also use CBD edibles for some of the best medical effects. While edibles take longer to kick in, the pay off is well worth it.
