Chances are, if you have ever eaten marijuana edibles, you have experienced the near crippling existential anxiety that comes from taking too much. At the very least, we have all heard of the two cardinal mistakes people make when it comes to marijuana edibles dosage – taking too high of a dose and not waiting long enough for the edible to kick in before taking more. In fact, dosage is probably the number one thing you should learn about before eating marijuana edibles!
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How To (Actually) Enjoy Marijuana Edibles
If you took weed edibles once and though you were dying or poisoned, do not swear them off forever! With the right dosage, you can have a safe and enjoyable marijuana experience. In fact, a lot of people like edibles because they can be cheaper than smoking or vaping, do not aggravate your lungs, and produce effects that last a long time. The key is figuring out what dosage and ratio of CBD to THC works best for you. And trust me, once you get your dosage figured out, it can open up a whole new wonderful world of cannabis consumption.
What To Expect From Your Edibles Depending On The Dose
It pretty much goes without saying, but if you are brand new to cannabis, opt for the lowest marijuana edibles dosage possible and increase your dosage gradually. Depending on your metabolism, it could take up to two hours before an edible has any effects.
In you are unsure of your tolerance level, here is a general breakdown of a mild, medium, and strong dose based on how much cannabis you smoke regularly. This information is pulled from Trip Safe, which is a great resource for first-time edible users.
Minimal tolerance or first time users have a mild response at 2-4 mg, medium response at 3-8 mg, and a strong response at 5-15 mg. Those who smoke weed 1-3 times per week will experience a mild response at 3-7 mg, a medium response at 4-12 mg, and a strong response at 10-20 mg. Daily smokers will obviously have a pretty high tolerance level. Mild effects are felt at 4-10 mg, medium effects at 6-15 mg, and strong effects at 15-30 mg.
What Edibles Feel Like At Various Doses
- 1-2.5 mg THC
This is a good level for first-timers and people who want to microdose. It might improve creativity, and enhance focus. At this dosage, you are not as likely to feel adverse effects like anxiety or panic attacks, and will likely only feel a light head and body high.
- 5-15mg THC
At this level, you start to feel impaired. It might be used by people that want to feel altered states but maintain the ability to be social. This dosage will provide stronger pain relief, can alter your perception and coordination, and can make you feel that euphoric sensation THC is known for.
- 15-30mg THC
At this level, the effects of the THC begin to get more intense with strong levels of euphoria and things like panic attacks in infrequent consumers. It’s not recommended to take doses this high unless you already have a high tolerance for cannabis. Experienced consumers may turn to this dosage.
- 30-50mg THC
The sensation of euphoria will get extreme at this dose. Everything is heightened at this dose. It’s not recommended for an infrequent or inexperienced edible-taker.
- 50-100mg THC
A super dose! Edibles this high should be eaten with extreme caution. It is really only for experienced THC users and those with medical conditions they’re prescribed cannabis for. Doses this high can increase your heart rate and highly alter your perceptions of reality.
If you are interested, GQ also has a hilarious and informative guide that helps you calculate how many milligrams of cannabis edibles you should take for the desired effect. Combine this with the information above and you are probably out for a pleasant experience.
Exploring THC to CBD Ratios in Edibles
If you accidentally take too much of your edibles, have no fear. There is no lethal dose for cannabis, so even if you feel like you are dying you are going to be just fine. Moderate to intense highs can produce dry mouth, increased heart rate, anxiety, and of course, paranoia. If even small doses of edibles produce these effects, you might consider taking edibles that are 1:1 CBD to THC or higher. Of course, if you do not want any mind altering effects in your edibles, you can also take pure CBD edibles.
Finding The Right Edible Marijuana Dosage for DIY Baking
If you’re making your own edibles at home, the standard ratio for baking is to make an infusion that is 1 part cannabis to 1 part fat. For example, if you are making cannabis- infused coconut oil, you would combine 1 cup of coconut oil with 1g of cannabis. Obviously, when you try to calculate the mg of THC in the end product, it gets a lot trickier. For that reason alone, it is a lot easier to accidentally take too much after eating a homemade edible versus one from your local dispensary.
