The Couch
The Beginners Guide to Eating Edibles
Lots of people think they know what they’re doing, when they decide to venture into eating edibles. That first brownie tastes great initially, until they’re in way over their head on an edible ride. You can experience a ton of negative effects if you’re not doing this the right way. In fact, proper usage is so serious that brands are labelling edibles cannabis products, in order to avoid accidental consumption or over-consumption by the public. Do it right, and instead of freaking out, or falling asleep in a social setting, you’ll have a pleasant experience.
Here’s a brief guide, on how to best go about your first edibles adventure:
Use the Correct Amount
For inexperienced users, taking the correct dosage for your body can’t be stressed enough. Most edibles come with, at most,10mg of THC in them, but that can be too much for some people. Know your own habits, and figure out how much you can handle, rather than being overly ambitious. Ingesting too much activated THC could can anxiety or paranoia, really putting a damper on your entire experience. If you need to take half of a serving size, don’t be afraid to split it up, and save the other half for later. Feeling too little is always a better experience than feeling too much.
Hard to go wrong with a honey stick! (Thanks to Vaping360 for the awesome photo)
Wait for It to Kick In
You’ve probably heard the story before: a guy new to eating edibles doesn’t feel the brownie, so he eats three more. Then he becomes immobile, until it wears off. This obviously relates to the previous section, in regards to not taking too much. But aside from taking too much, it’s also important to know how long you’re going to be waiting until you feel something.
With smoking, you feel something right away. With edibles, it’s going to take a bit. It could be anywhere from a half hour, to two hours, or more; really depends on the edible and on your metabolism (as far as how quickly you process food).
Always ask the person at the dispensary, or the person giving you the edibles, as many questions as you can, beforehand. If you’re using edibles for a certain event, or if you want to time it to kick in, once you’re done with some important task, get the estimate, so that you’re not experiencing the full effects at the worst possible time.
Remember: It Won’t Be Over in Ten Minutes
When you’re eating edibles, it’s not an uncommon thing to ask, “how long do edibles last?” Just like with the time it takes to kick in, this depends on a lot of different factors, some predictable, some not so predictable. The edible has to pass through the entire digestive system. What you’ve eaten in the day and how hydrated you are totally affects the intensity of the effects, as the cannabis moves through your digestive system, as well as how long it takes to complete the process. There’s no real way to get an exact time, if you’re new to the process. Overestimate the amount of time you may feel the effects, and don’t use edibles, if you have something important to do at some point in your day.
It’s also not going to hit you all at once. With ediles, the experience slowly builds, unlike smoking flower, where the effects are felt almost instantly. With edibles, there’s a come-up, and you don’t know when you’ll stop rising, until you’re on the way back down.
Prepare for the Worst, but Expect the Best
If you do happen to take too much, or if your high takes a bad turn, there are ways to counteract edibles. If you find yourself getting way too anxious or panicking, try to curb those feelings, by distracting yourself or doing whatever you can to calm yourself down. Staying conscious of your heart rate is important, as some deep breaths can slow it down. Staying hydrated can be a big help, in making sure that THC doesn’t make you freak out, and don’t forget to keep a full stomach! A full stomach means that you’ll absorb more CBD, which can curb the paranoid effects of CBD. Using edibles on an empty stomach is one of the worst things you can do, especially if that CBD is the reason you’re using them in the first place.
Be wary of consuming alcohol at the same time.
While you may want to keep your stomach full and consume plenty of liquids, alcohol may not be one of them. Some people enjoy having a few beers while they’re using edibles, but this will increase cannabinoid uptake, in a way that could trigger some of the adverse effects. Mix that with the general nausea that can come from drinking, and you might get yourself into a case of “the spins” that you has you gripping the toilet for the duration of your edible high.
