Edibles for Beginners

Edibles are a very common starting point for people trying cannabis these days.  It’s understandable – they’re delicious, discreet, and they don’t involve smoking.  Edibles can also be tailored much more than raw cannabis flower, with higher concentrations of cannabinoids like CBD, CBN, CBG, etc, that can have interesting effects.

But newcomers to cannabis should also be aware that edibles can have the least predictable effects – they can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours before they hit their maximum impact, and even the same dosage might feel different at different times based on what you’ve eaten recently.

To have the best time possible with edibles, start low and slow.

• If this is truly your first time, start with an edible that’s just THC. Get a sense of how THC affects you, and then you can appreciate how other cannabinoids (CBD, CBN, CBG) can enhance the experience.
• Read the package CAREFULLY.  Labels have to list the entire amount of THC in the package and in each serving, but it’s not always clear.
• Start with 2.5 mg.  If you have to, get a 5mg and cut them in half.
• Make sure you have a flexible schedule for the next 2-3 hours in case the product takes a long time to kick in.
• If it’s your first time at a new dose, avoid the temptation to take more if you’re not feeling anything.  These first sessions are for calibration – we’ll get to the good times soon enough – and too little is better than too much.
• If you feel like 2.5 mg was not enough, go to 5mg the next time.  If 5mg isn’t enough, go to 7.5 mg next. (One and a half 5mg edibles.)  Trust us: the difference between 5 and 10 is a lot.

One last pro-tip: When you’re trying something new, keep your eye on the clock. Write the time you took it on a little note, then what time you started feeling it, and then what time you first noticed it wearing off. That way you learn how your body and different products react.