One of the most common questions we hear at Green Goods is: “What’s the best edible dosage for me?” It’s no surprise why—if you get it wrong, you could be in for a very different kind of experience than you expected. However, finding your perfect dose can be a bit difficult as there’s no single recommended edible dosage since everybody is unique.
It can be confusing, but we’re here to help. Learn why specific edible dosages are so personal, how to find your ideal dose, tips for a positive edibles experience, and more. By the end of this post, you should have a solid understanding of how edible dosage works so that you can make well-informed decisions and get the very most from your edibles.
Why Edible Dosage is Important
Whether you use cannabis as medicine or as a way to relax with friends and family, knowing how much you’re consuming is an important consideration—and it’s nowhere more important than when consuming edibles. Here are a few reasons why.
11-Hydroxy-THC
If you’ve ever inhaled cannabis in the form of flower or vaporizers, you likely have a solid idea about its subjective psychoactive and physical effects and how they affect you. However, when we ingest or eat products containing THC—the cannabinoid most directly responsible for those psychoactive effects—it transforms into a form known as 11-hydroxy-THC, which is a good deal more potent than THC itself.
When an edible is digested, a process called “first-pass metabolism” occurs in the liver. This is when a significant amount of 11-hydroxy-THC is released into the bloodstream. As a result, the subjective effects of an equivalent edible dosage compared to an inhaled dosage tend to be far stronger, usually 2 – 3 times.
Onset Time and Duration
In addition to the greater proportion of edible THC getting metabolized into 11-hydroxy-THC, there’s the question of onset time—how long it takes for the effects to be felt—and duration of the effects. When you smoke or vape cannabis, you can generally feel the full effects within a few minutes, and—depending on several factors—they typically last anywhere from 2 to 4 hours.
It’s different with edibles. When we inhale cannabis, those cannabinoids pass through our lungs, where they’re quickly absorbed. But when we consume edibles, the cannabinoids are processed through the stomach and the liver. As a result, they take much longer to take effect, and those effects will last longer than if the cannabis was inhaled.
So, how long are we talking here? While the onset time for edibles depends on numerous factors, such as the consumer’s age, cannabis experience, and diet, a rough average is anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes. Regarding how long those effects can last, the range is anywhere between 4 and 12 hours.
Why Your Ideal Edibles Dosage is Unique to You
Cannabinoids such as THC interact with our bodies through a network called the endocannabinoid system (ECS). While the extent of its workings is being continuously studied, we know that everyone’s ECS reacts in a way that’s unique and specific to each of us. However, many other factors impact dosage. Some of them include:
- Your weight and body mass index (BMI)
- Your metabolism (how quickly your body processes the nutrients and other compounds in foods)
- Your level of cannabis experience and tolerance
- How much and what type of cannabis you already consumed that day
Determining the right edible dosage can be a very personal question since we’re all a little bit different, and we all react to cannabis a bit differently.
THC Edible Dosage Guide
While there’s no single recommended dose for everyone, we put together this edible dosage guide to help you make informed decisions about your edible intake. The first and most crucial step is to always read the product packaging before ingesting any cannabis edible, so you know exactly how much THC is in each serving.
Beginner Edible Dosage Levels
- 1 – 5 mg THC: This is generally regarded as the smallest of THC dosages, making it perfect for both beginners and those who like to microdose. Consumers will typically feel mild relief from pain, stress, anxiety, and other symptoms at this level. Some consumers will experience heightened creativity.
- 5 – 15 mg THC: At this dosage, you may feel stronger relief from the symptoms listed above, as well as a heightened sense of euphoria. You may also experience slight impairment of coordination and alteration of your perception of time. Anything under 15 mg may be a good choice for getting better sleep or, under certain circumstances, fostering increased social interaction.
Intermediate Edible Dosage Levels
- 15 – 30 mg THC: Inexperienced consumers should use caution when consuming edible dosages above 15 mg. This is where newcomers may experience paranoia, whereas seasoned consumers are more likely to enjoy heightened euphoria and relaxation. This level may also be a good choice for medical cannabis patients who’ve developed tolerances to lower doses.
- 30 – 50 mg THC: Most people experience impaired coordination and altered perception at this dosage. That said, medical patients who have difficulty absorbing cannabinoids into their GI tract may be helped by edible dosages at this level.
Experienced Edible Dosage Levels
- 50 – 100 mg THC: This level is recommended only for those experienced with THC. Even with seasoned consumers, adverse side effects such as paranoia and rapid heart rate can occur, and physical coordination is almost always impaired at this stage.
- Beyond 100 mg THC: This level of dosage is considered to be quite potent. As a result, it’s also only suggested for those who are already experienced with very high THC dosages.
Tips for Finding Your Ideal Dose
How can you comfortably find the best dose that works for your body? Here are a few tips and tactics for ensuring a positive experience.
- Start Low and Go Slow: This is one of the most repeated sayings in the cannabis world—but it’s good advice. Since edibles take so long to take effect and those effects last so long, it’s always a good idea to start with a lower dose and wait to assess its effects rather than going big from the outset. You can always take more cannabis, but you can’t take less! And while an excess of THC is rarely dangerous, it can be unpleasant—and that’s something we’d like to help you avoid.
- Wait to Take More: Due to the increased onset time with edibles, it’s challenging to gauge a single dose’s effects before 90 minutes at a minimum have passed. We tell our customers to wait at least two full hours before taking any more of an edible cannabis product.
- Titrate Up Slowly: Especially if you’re interested in the medical benefits of cannabis, it’s worth it to increase your dosage slowly over time to determine the optimal dosage for your specific goals. Why? Many people derive greater benefits from smaller dosages of cannabis. You may get better results—and extend your cannabis budget—by using the smallest effective dose for your needs.
Find Quality Edibles at Green Goods
Calculating an edible dosage is very different from determining the dose of inhaled cannabis. When smoking or vaping, it’s relatively easy to assess the effects as you go. But with edibles, it’s wise to plan ahead, know exactly what you’re ingesting, and, most of all, wait before having more.
At Green Goods, we love introducing our customers to new and exciting cannabis products. We stock a huge array of edibles, ranging from luscious gummies and zingy mints to cookies, iced teas, and beyond. Simply select the Green Goods Maryland or Minnesota dispensary closest to you and see what’s in stock today—our friendly budtenders are always ready to help!
Want to expand your journey to all things cannabis? Visit our blog and check out our informative articles, including this explainer article on how long edibles stay in your system or buckle down on cannabis basics like the story of terpenes and how these fragrant oils give each strain its distinctive aromatic profile.
Have more questions about edible dosage or other cannabis-related topics? Stop by our shop and ask our knowledgeable team, or drop us a line. We’re here for you!
