Who’s hungry? If you’ve ever salivated over the variety of delicious options available on marijuana-infused menus these days, you might be considering edibles for your next medicated meal. Before you go scarfing down cannabis cookies or dousing your chicken wings in spicy 420 Hot Sauce, make sure you know what you’re putting into your body and how it might affect you.
What’s with the delay?
You may have heard cautionary tales of patients who bit off more than they could chew when it came to their first edibles experience. That’s because most ingestible products must undergo the digestion process in the stomach before entering the bloodstream. When you smoke, you feel it right away; when you eat a brownie, your body can trick you into eating more brownies to speed up the feeling good process. Then when it hits you, it really hits you, and that can be a negative experience for first-timers.
As with all first forays into medicating with cannabis, moderation is your friend. We recommend starting off between 1-10mg THC, or following this chart for a more detailed guide. Then, and we can’t stress this enough, chill out for up to 2 hours and let digestion happen. You’ll know when that cannabis cola kicks in – it may be a stronger feeling than you’re used to if you’ve only smoked. It all depends on your unique body chemistry, but expect symptom relief to last a little longer than normal.
A full platter of options
The edibles industry has grown tremendously in recent years, giving patients something for breakfast, lunch, dinner and every snack in between. You have more control over not just your flavor preferences, but how you’d like cannabis to enter your body. There are three categories of edibles – stomach, oral, or hybrid – each referring to the method of absorption and each providing different relief.
Edibles that enter through the gastrointestinal tract include the classics like cookies, popcorn and granola bars. Their effects are delayed but last longer. Products like gum, lozenges, candies and even tinctures fall into the oral category, with relief that’s more immediate but requires more frequent dosing. Then there are hybrids like chocolate bars and drinks that offer the best of both worlds. Again, it all depends on your unique needs.
Getting a read on labels
Not too long ago, if you ate a pot brownie it was infused with as much guesswork as it was THC. Today dosage labels on edible products are more reliable than ever, but they’re still not perfect. That’s why it’s important to consult with an edibles expert to help you navigate THC and CBD content on anything you’re planning on putting into your body.
Medicating with edibles offers a sweet (or savory) alternative to smoking. If you haven’t tried it out yet, or had a bad experience in the past, stop by Sol Flower to start ingesting the smart way. We can help you with symptom relief that feels as good as it tastes.
