At Fire & Flower we are all about education and giving Canadians the facts to make their own choices about cannabis. Legal cannabis is still a fairly new idea and legal edibles are even newer. There are no stupid questions. Pull up your chair, get your number 2 pencils sharpened, bust out the trapper keeper. Class is in session.
What are edibles?
Edibles are consumable food or drink items such as brownies, candy, gummies, sodas, teas and more that have been infused with cannabis extracts or concentrates containing THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and/or CBD (cannabidiol). In Canada, legal edibles have a maximum amount of 10mg of THC or CBD per package.
How do edibles get me high?
When inhaling THC, it can enter your bloodstream directly from your lungs, but edibles take a different route.
The process is a little more convoluted than the simple path smoked cannabis has to follow. Because of this, it can take much longer for THC to reach your brain.
- The edible is ingested and needs to be broken down by your stomach acids and enzymes.
- The THC is then absorbed by the lining of your stomach and taken to your liver.
- In the liver, THC is transformed into 11-Hydroxy-THC, which is more potent and can cross the blood-brain barrier more easily than THC that has been inhaled.
Do edibles get me higher than smoking cannabis?
Not necessarily, it depends on the potency and your overall cannabis tolerance.
So let’s backtrack to the previous question, specifically step 3. When ingesting cannabis, your liver turns THC into 11-Hydroxy-THC, which can enter your brain much easier than inhaled THC. So in theory, THC in an edible could have a stronger effect on your brain than the same amount of THC being inhaled.
That being said, there are a lot of factors when it comes to the way THC affects you: weight, experience and tolerance.
The best answer to this question is: it depends.
The best advice we can give you is: start low and go slow.
How long does it take for edibles to affect me?
There isn’t a set specific time that it takes to feel the effects of edibles, but what we can say is that because of the long path THC or CBD need to take to reach your brain, the effects will most likely take longer than if inhaled.
However, most users report taking 30 minutes to an hour for effects to begin, with some users even reporting up to two hours.
It’s important to be patient when consuming edibles. If you aren’t feeling effects yet, or feel like the effects are weak – wait for at least one hour before you consume more.
Why are people so excited for edibles?
A smokeless alternative
Smoking isn’t a pleasant experience for everyone. Some ex-smokers who enjoy cannabis also may feel that smoking cannabis is a trigger and prefer to ingest their cannabis.
Smoking is also not allowed in most public spaces and rental properties. So unless you want to join the smokers out in the cold, edibles are a great alternative to leaving the comfort of indoors when smoking is inappropriate.
Variety
The world of edibles is endless, exciting and downright tasty. It opens up an entirely new
culinary experience and lets you enjoy cannabis in a new way.
It’s discreet
We know, we know. It’s 2023 and the stigma still exists? Not everyone is on board with cannabis, but edibles can look as innocent as a portable treat. If you want to consume cannabis but aren’t in a safe space to do so, edibles make things much easier.
What should I be looking for when purchasing edibles?
THC Content
THC is the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. It will determine the intensity of the effects you
may experience with cannabis. When choosing an edible, start with lower THC content as higher
THC potency can be overwhelming. 5 mg or under per serving is recommended for
beginners.
CBD Content
CBD is another ingredient in cannabis. It counteracts the psychoactive effects of THC, making
them more manageable. When choosing an edible start with a higher CBD content than THC, it
will make for a less intense first experience.
Ready to start exploring edibles? Check out our guide to the best cannabis edibles in Canada.