“User-friendly” is not a phrase that is regularly used when describing marijuana edibles. Whether you are nibbling on a ‘toast crunch’ purchased from your local dispensary or biting into a pot brownie baked in a college dorm, you can never be sure of how much cannabis you are ingesting. It takes hours to get high on edibles, and the effects can be long-lasting and intense.
That said, edibles provide a subtle way to get high among disapproving company or in public, and a single dose can get a user through a long shift at work or a painful bout of illness-induced nausea; thus, it can serve as an edible drug. It is often the preferred consumption method for individuals using marijuana for medicinal purposes (and individuals who do not want to smoke). Here are some things prepared in collaboration with https://bestpot.ca/ you should know before taking a bite of that marijuana edible.
1. Eating and Smoking are not the same
First off, if you are completely clueless and are wondering “what does edible mean?” or “what is an edible?” here is a brief explanation. An edible is a drink or food that is made using marijuana or marijuana oils. Edibles can be made at home like weed brownies, but producers can make and sell edibles in many forms: chocolate, gummy candies, beverages, brownies, and other treats.
Eating an edible is not the same as smoking a bud. When you light a bud, a process called decarboxylation takes place, and the psychoactive substance in the bud is converted to smoke which is inhaled into your lungs and then into your bloodstream. An edible is already decarboxylated during the extraction process, meaning, the chemical properties might have been altered depending on the extraction process. Also, when you ingest pot instead of smoking it, the cannabinoids are passed through the liver instead of going directly into your bloodstream. Are edibles bad for your liver? Studies are very limited on the effects of cannabis on the liver, so, there is no definite answer to that.
2. Consuming Edibles Differs from Smoking Buds
Consuming and smoking are entirely two different highs. Ingesting an edible will give you a high that lasts between four to nine hours. It makes both your body and mind high and provides a stronger and deeper high than smoking
Smoking will give you a high that lasts between three to four hours, and you need to keep smoking if you want to maintain the high. Smoking comes with a risk of cough fits and only affects your thinking.
3. Mix of Trims
Marijuana growers know that buds hold a higher value in the marijuana market than ingredients required for making edibles, but, edible makers know that ‘trim,’ marijuana waste, contains enough THC to make edibles that have psychoactive effects. Marijuana growers celebrate the fact that they generate revenue from their trim – they used to dump the trim – and manufacturers are relieved because they can get usable trim at affordable prices, so, both manufacturers and growers are pleased with the trim business. But, companies have difficulties especially when dealing with product predictability because they purchase their trim from various growers growing assorted strains. Just as smoking a bud of pure indica provides a different high compared to smoking a bud of pure sativa, a pure indica trim would spur a different reaction than a sativa trim. But, when consuming edibles, you are not getting one specific pure product: you are getting a mixture of trim and, each has its own characteristic.
The secret behind extraction is that extraction can incorporate a low-potency trim into high-potency marijuana oil, but the process removes terpenes (which are responsible for scent and taste) and other cannabinoids that are in the plant. This can cause cannabis oils taken from a particular variety to affect you differently when you ingest it instead of smoking it.
4. Interaction of Food with Marijuana
Different foods spur a different reaction with marijuana. No one can explain how this works. Smoking weed and describing how it works is easy, however, describing how cannabis reacts with different types of foods is difficult, if not impossible. It appears that marijuana functions as a catalyst with various herbs and taking them combined could have different outcomes compared to taking them separately. At this point, we do not know.
5. Edibles’ Research is still going on
The science behind edibles is still ongoing, which is why we cannot answer the question “Are edibles bad for you?” because we bluntly do not know. Twenty years ago, Brownie Mary started handing out weed brownies to AIDS patients in San Francisco. Since then, the research involving edibles has come to a standstill. In general, research on marijuana is prohibited by the government. Research on edibles, unfortunately, faces the same bureaucratic challenges, and it is only in its infant stage. There is limited scientific foundation for any claims asserted by edible purveyors.
With that said, there is no need to panic, apply common sense. We did not require peer-reviewed scientific studies to determine the edible side effects; neither did we need academic reports to know that weed gets you high. We do not need scientific facts to understand the weed brownies effects such as consuming too much weed brownies will get you extremely high.
6. Nutritionist’s Prompts
As a newcomer, you should start slow and go slow! This means trying an edible that contains a low amount of THC (the psychoactive component in marijuana that causes psychological effects) such as two milligrams, and waiting for about three hours for a psychotropic effect.
For the novice, do your homework and know what you are purchasing. Know what you are buying and do not end up consuming too much Eat before you eat! Edibles will pack a stronger punch on an empty stomach, so, make sure you eat something nutritious before eating an edible. Get comfortable by finding a relaxing location and be prepared to stay in the same location because when medicating with edibles, time is your greatest friend. Listen to your body and keep calm. Even if you follow all instructions to the tee, you may still feel anxious or jittery. This is not uncommon, and it should not arouse concern. Just try to relax if you are feeling out of sorts and remember that no one has ever met their death due to a marijuana overdose. You can get into trouble if you do not exercise patience and good judgment.
Are edibles bad for you? No. Edibles are absorbed and digested like other cannabis products. They are not bad for you and will not affect your liver. Actually, edibles are better for you than other forms of cannabis consumption. If you are new to edibles, we recommend starting slow and dosing low. Enjoy your edibles – but be cautious.
