When most people think of marijuana, they envision the most common form of consuming cannabis flower – smoking it. However, smoking weed isn’t the only way to enjoy its benefits.
Edibles are a fantastic way to experience all the perks of marijuana without the need to inhale smoke into your lungs. In this article, we’ll talk about edibles and how to use them responsibly in order to provide you with the best possible outcome. So, let’s start with the basics, shall we?
What Are Edibles?
Edibles are cannabis-infused food. Eating cannabis flower doesn’t have the same result, so please do not eat your marijuana raw. The reason edibles provide the sensation of being high is because edibles contain what’s called “activated cannabis”.
Activated cannabis is marijuana plant or oils which have been activated through heat, which is then added to your treat. This makes it easier for your body to process the psychoactive substances that give you your high.
Edibles might appear to be new and edgy, but in fact, edibles have been made and consumed for thousands of years! There are records of edibles being used in India as early as 2000 BCE, mostly for medicinal and spiritual practices. Although, the Western world has taken the concept and expanded it, resulting in a variety of methods for consumptions.
Is the High from Smoking Weed and Eating Edibles Different?
Yes. Even though cannabis is used in both smoking and consuming marijuana, the results and high can feel different. The biggest disparity is that the high you experience with edibles lasts much longer than when you smoke it.
While both forms of consumption will give you the psychoactive “high”, edibles produce a stronger, more potent, experience. You may experience changes in memory, movement, and your perception of time.
Newbie consumers are often taken by surprise when they feel the difference. Similar to drinking alcohol, it’s important you learn what your tolerance is. Even though the effects of edibles aren’t incapacitating, they may feel a bit intense if you consume too much.
Why are the Effects of Edibles Stronger?
The main answer is because when you consume cannabis, your body metabolizes it differently than when you smoke it.
Inhaling
Inhaling marijuana causes the active components to be absorbed by your lungs, which then allows it into your blood stream. Your blood carries it to fatty tissues, like your brain, where it connects to your receptor sites and produces the high you’re probably already familiar with.
When you smoke cannabis, your high typically peaks after about 30 minutes or so and lasts for only a couple hours. Though the intensity will slowly decrease as time goes on. The same cannot be said for when you digest it.
Edibles
The high you experience with edibles usually takes longer to feel because your body has to metabolize it first. The slower your metabolism is, the longer it will take before you feel the effects.
You’ve probably already heard of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of marijuana. Well, when you digest your edible, your liver breaks down THC and turns it into a stronger compound known as 11-hydroxy-THC. Which causes your high to feel stronger and last longer.
Side note: If you haven’t felt the effects after ninety minutes to two hours, you can take a little more. But if it’s been less than that, it’s important you don’t consume more just because you haven’t felt it yet. Consuming more won’t make you feel high faster, it will only increase the intensity of the high you’ll have when it does come. While you can’t fatally over-dose on Marijuana, you can have an uncomfortable experience.
