Edibles and Overconsumption

It's late February, 2021, Cannabis is legal for all adults in 15 states, and available for medical patients in 34 states! Millions of adults in the United States now have safe and reliable access to this amazing, super-plant!

It might be argued that the reason there have been so many cases of cannabis overconsumption would be that the cannabis is becoming stronger. Successful breeders are continually experimenting with new hybrid cultivars. It is not out of the norm in 2021 for a strain to contain 28-31% THC or more! This might sound great to you, but to a newbie in the cannabis world, it may contribute to a potentially negative experience.

To Inhale or Ingest, Why Methodology Matters:

FACT: When you inhale cannabis you are high in moments, as you are consuming Delta9 THC. However, when you ingest cannabis you’re calling out a different cannabinoid altogether, 11-Hydroxy THC is what you're consuming.

With inhaled cannabis, you feel the effects within seconds, allowing you to stop early and let the effect settle in. Interestingly enough THC levels are not the only factor to consider with regard to cannabis potency, the effects of different terpenes will play an integral role in your magic carpet ride as well.

Ingested cannabis, bears no terpene profile, the known traits of the plant itself become moot, meaning that whether a sativa, indica, or hybrid was used to produce the edible, the effects of sativa vs indica vs hybrid do not carry through and vary considerably from person to person. Depending on a number of variables, I'll get into further, edibles may hit rather quickly on some and take a few hours to hit others, there are people who never really feel the effects, at all.

Sublingual options like hard candies, tinctures, and lozenges tend to work a bit faster than ingested cannabis, but a new consumer may be put off by the underlying taste of the weed in the product.

As legalization efforts continue and companies ramp up to their grand openings, it’s important to recognize that the way we consume weed is evolving, many newer patients and customers are concerned about inhalation methods, so the "safe" route in their minds may very well be edibles.

If you are new to edibles, please keep this information in mind:

• KNOW the amount of THC per serving and note the serving size of the edible.

• It’s crucial to understand that edibles are almost never immediate, they take time to digest and metabolize in your liver before they take effect. (Sometimes this can take two hours or more) This can be frustrating to people who want to feel a certain way by a certain time.

• Remember, the high you may experience ingesting cannabis is different from inhaling cannabis, it may come on more strongly in your body and the high is generally more relaxing overall, which could be contrary to the effects of the cultivar used to make it.

• Cannabis, like alcohol, should be consumed responsibly and choose the setting and group wisely - Everybody's body is different, I recommend being around people who don't stress you out. Until you have a general understanding of how you will respond to edibles, it is important to keep things around you as positive and as calm as possible.

So what’s the best beginner dose?

This will always depend on the person. A common adult-use dose in legal states is 5mg per piece, candy, gummies, chocolates, etc. They are generally sold in packs of 10 or 20, giving folks 50 or 100mg in a package. A good budtender will point out this package is not intended to be consumed in one sitting and the old “It’s ALWAYS recommended that you start low, and go slow”. There are always going to be people who just want to gobble up an edible and see what all the fuss is about. Inexperienced users generally possess little-to-no knowledge of cannabis at all. They know it’s a plant and that they won’t die from it, so they just want to go off and have some fun with it. I incorporate a ‘friendly caution’ into my closing as I’m double checking the items to their order. “This package has x piece. Each piece is one, 5mg dose. The contents of this package are not intended to be eaten at one time. Remember, I want you to have a positive experience. It’s ALWAYS recommended that you start low, and go slow. Did you have any additional questions for me today?”

Perhaps you’re reckless by nature, or maybe you try a little bit, it tastes amazing, you eat a few doses before you realize it. You’re likely to find you’ve taken too much. Everybody’s body metabolizes and reacts a little differently, but be prepared it’s possible when the weed takes hold, things may seem intensely out of whack for a while. This is what people refer to today as, "Greening Out".

If it happens, be cool, the most important thing to remember is to stay calm.

FACT: It would take the average sized human about 20,000 joints in 15 minutes to produce the kind of result that scientists suspect may be considered lethal. -- That would be the equivalent of one single person smoking 44 pounds of weed in just15 minutes!!

Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa couldn't pull that off, together! So just relax, you're going to be alright, my friend. Here are some tips for remaining calm:

• Breathe, Relax, Stay Calm - Remind yourself, nobody has ever died from cannabis overconsumption.

• Get yourself nice and comfortable, soothing music or sounds, something that promotes positive energy inside of you.

• If you’re an artist grab your sketchbook, if you’re a musician, start with a beat and don’t be afraid to get lost in it.

• If you're alone, call someone you trust will remain calm and try to help you remain that way.

• Remember, it’s all good. Ride that train wherever it goes! You won’t die, everything is OK, just don’t drive or make any important life decisions.
  

If you’re really freaking out, if you feel any sense of anxiety, paranoia, uncontrollable shakiness, or even vomiting… Here are a few natural, everyday suggestions that really work:

• If you have some CBD it’s a good idea to take some, it’s the best way to soften the effects of too much THC.

• Drink lots of fluids - water up all day everyday!

• A little caffeine - if you’re not experiencing high anxiety.

• Chew or suck or gently smell some black peppercorns.

• Inhale a fresh squeezed lemon - like the peppercorns, the terpenes tend to reduce the intensity of the high.

• Eat something - not mango, as it has a tendency to intensify the effects of THC.

• Take a nap! - You’ll still be a little high when you wake up, but not nearly as high as you were!

More about edibles:

Many products on the market claim INDICA or SATIVA on their packaging. This is older, dated terminology, to be honest. When it comes to edibles, this factor is absent. However since people relate the term, Indica with relaxing, sedating effects and Sativa with uplifting, energetic effects, the terms are widely used in Marketing of cannabis products.

• If you are sedentary, edibles may lock you down like an Indica.

• If you are active, edibles may compliment your activity like a Sativa.

I always recommend reading the ingredients. I feel it is important to always be aware of what we’re ingesting. Many products have added caffeine or melatonin or other ingredients to help enhance the desired relaxing or energizing effect.