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Thousands of Canadians rely on medical cannabis to ease their anxiety, lessen physical pain, and more. People may commonly associate medical cannabis primarily with combustion, but ingesting cannabis through edibles can be done in multiple ways and is becoming increasingly popular.
“Edibles” summon to mind things like cannabis-infused brownies or cakes, but Health Canada designates “edibles” as any food or beverage infused any form of cannabis, including extracts, concentrates, plant materials, or distillates.
Whether you’re new to medical cannabis or you’ve taken it before, researchers are making new discoveries all the time, and it’s helpful to keep your information current. Please read on to learn more about medical cannabis edibles.
The Variety of Edible Products
There isn’t a type of food or drink that can’t be infused with cannabis. Initially, chocolates and gummies were the most common form of cannabis edible. New options are hitting the market all the time!
What began as a discreet and smoke-free alternative to consuming cannabis can now be enjoyed with an increasing amount of food. Cannabis-infused tea is great for people looking to reduce the amount of sugar in their diet. Onset is faster when drinking edibles, as quickly as 15 minutes, rather than eating them.
Look for a medical cannabis edible that matches your lifestyle, taste preferences, and dietary needs.
How Long Does the Effect Last?
Edibles often provide a more potent and longer-lasting effect than consuming medical cannabis through combustion. It takes between 30 minutes and two hours to digest edibles because they’re metabolized through the liver before entering the bloodstream.
The liver breaks down the cannabinoids and changes the structure of the THC, making it more powerful. Medical cannabis edibles can last for up to 12 hours, while inhaled cannabis can last up to six hours.
Start With a Low and Slow Dose
Medical cannabis edibles are perfectly safe, but you need to be careful to take the correct dose. Edibles can take much longer than smoking or vaping to feel its onset, and it can be uncomfortable for patients to increase their dose before the effect kicks in.
You should buy medical cannabis only after speaking to your healthcare provider or cannabis-trained pharmacist. They will recommend a dosage for you based on multiple factors, but you’ll likely begin with a small volume of edible cannabis.
If you think the edibles provided too mild a dose, don’t take any more until the following day at the earliest. If you increase the dosage before the initial effect kicks in, you risk taking an amount that could cause discomfort. Don’t panic if this occurs, just find a comfortable place to rest until the cannabis works through your system.
New patients should always consult a healthcare practitioner or cannabis-trained pharmacist first and follow their advice. They may recommend taking a microdose to start, usually 1 to 2.5 milligrams of THC. Depending on tolerance levels and other symptoms, a patient may need as much as 10 to 15 milligrams. It’s best to begin at the low end and proceed from there.
Medical cannabis edibles let many people consume cannabis comfortably and discreetly. To learn more and get personalized guidance throughout your medical cannabis journey, speak to your doctor or cannabis-trained pharmacist today.