If you’re new to cannabis, the thought of walking into a dispensary and picking a brand off the shelves can be a little intimidating. In today’s legal weed market, knowing what’s right for you can be overwhelming. Common questions are:
- What kind of marijuana product should I purchase?
- How much cannabis should I take?
- Do I need to get high to receive the benefits from weed?
- If I get high, how long will it last, and what will it feel like?
Many people consume cannabis to help them with their health conditions. The most common conditions why people consume cannabis are sleep, depression/anxiety, and chronic pain. But, there are a myriad of other conditions and reasons why people seek cannabis. For some, it is the desire to unwind and relax and for others, it’s for medical reasons, such as neuropathy, migraines, or to help with symptoms from cancer.
What Type of Product is Right for Me?
There are many different types of cannabis products available for purchase, and often it’s confusing, if not expensive, trying to figure out which ones to try. Here is a list of common cannabis products you may run across in your local dispensary:
- Smoking flower or "bud"
- Vaping oil from a pen
- Dabbing wax, resin, or shatter
- Eating an edible
- Consuming marijuana sublingually from a tincture, mint or tablet
- Applying a lotion, balm or transdermal patch to your skin
- Consuming a capsule or pill
- Drinking a liquid, such as a cannabis "mocktail"
Interestingly, how cannabis affects you is highly individual and also dependent on the method of consumption. Within each of us is a network of receptors that cannabis acts on to bring about its therapeutic effects. This network is called the endocannabinoid system (ECS). Each person has a unique endocannabinoid system with which marijuana interacts with. The ECS is largely responsible for whether we feel good when we get high from THC, the psychoactive component in cannabis, or if we feel a little paranoid or anxious.
The other aspect which affects how we feel after consuming cannabis is due to its bioavailability. The term bioavailability was coined in the pharmaceutical industry to describe the rate and speed at which a given drug is taken up by the body and has its desired effects. The effectiveness of weed can vary greatly depending on how it’s consumed. So, getting the right amount of marijuana for the effect you’re looking for can be tricky.
Why Choose an Edible?
Choosing the right product for you may take time. For many people, edibles are a safe, discreet, and effective source for cannabis consumption. For instance, when you eat an edible, you don’t need to worry about anyone smelling cannabis! For many people, being able to consume cannabis openly without others knowing, is important.
Although it can take up to two hours before you feel the effects of a weed edible, people consume edibles because they are long lasting. Edible effects tend to last for around six to eight hours, while the effects from inhaled methods tend to diminish after only two to three hours.
For medical marijuana patients, eating an edible, like a cookie, every four to six hours is much more palatable than vaping or smoking cannabis flower. Also, the onset of an edible is more gradual and tends to last longer than with other methods.
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Low Dose THC Edibles
To avoid having a bad first experience with an edible, we always suggest taking a very small/low dose and work up until you feel comfortable. Start with a microdose of a cannabis edible, which is between 1.5 to 2 mg. Once you eat your edible, wait for two hours before consuming more. For some people, this is just the right amount to feel the positive effect. For other people, a dose of 5 to 10 mg may be appropriate. But remember, once you eat it, you can’t take it back, so start slow and go low!
Below are some examples of some popular edible brands, which vary state by state. Unfortunately, what’s available in California may not be available in New York and vice versa.
We have highlighted 3 different low dose options which are perfect for the new-to-cannabis. If you seek a higher dosage, each brand listed has a wide array of products with varying amounts of THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids.
matter.lite – by Verilife
A new line of edible gummies has popped up on the scene to address an underserved market – people who want low-dose edibles. Not everyone wants an edible with 20mg of THC, which is why Verilife created matter.lite. Available in rasberry and mango flavor, these gummies weigh in at 2.5mg of THC a piece. It’s a perfect starting point for the new-to-cannabis or people who prefer a softer gentler weed experience. Currently available at Verilife dispensaries throughout the state of Illinois.
Petra Mints – by Kiva
Kiva, a beloved California edible brand, was one of the first to deliver a low dose THC edible. The Petra Mint is a discreet, tasty mint that comes in a variety of flavors. Our favorite happens to be the original Morrocan Mint, but in THC-only there is also Pineapple, Tart Cherry, and Saigon Cinnamon. At 2.5MG of THC or less per serving, these little delights make it easy to find the right dosage. They also offer a CBD, CBN and a 1:1 option of THC to CBD.
Ripple – by Stillwater
Yet, another way to go when consuming an edible is actually by drinking a beverage. Stillwater, a Colorado-based brand has a variety of products but has come up with a low-dose dissolvable powder to be poured into the drink of your choice. Our microdose favorite by Ripple is the balanced 1:1 THC to CBD flavorless powder which contains 5mg of THC and 5mg of CBD. Consuming CBD with THC tends to mellow out the psychoactive effect of THC. If you’re new to cannabis, we suggest consuming half of the packet to start and waiting to see how you feel. Next go around, try the whole packet, as always start low and go slow.
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