Why Edibles get Patients Higher
According to recent figures, over 25 million adults in the United States have openly confessed to consuming cannabis regularly. Some of these consumers are casual users to relieve some stress after a long day at work. Other consumers are patients who require the medicinal effects of the plant to treat their ailments. Others are ‘stoners’, or avid cannabis consumers who have built up a high tolerance to the plant. Nevertheless, the eager consumer still may not be ready for the consumption of edibles. This is because edibles affect everyone differently. Let’s take a look at understanding how edibles work with our bodies and why tolerance levels can remain in flux for some consumers.
How the edible metabolization process works
An edible is a term for a food or drink that has been infused with the psychoactive cannabinoid THC. The infusion process regularly consists of the confectioner using a lipid such as butter or oil. Still, the dry cannabis simply cannot be sprinkled in or on the edibles like seasoning and be deemed effective. The cannabis must go through a method known as Decarboxylation. This method requires the cook to crush the cannabis evenly and heat it ever so lightly without burning it. This process not only activates the THC within the cannabis but converts the cannabinoids into THCA. This is the acidic form of THC required for all edibles to be effective. The body breaks down THCA within the body differently than smoking typical cannabis.
A crash course in decarboxylating dope
Once the cannabis has been decarbed, it is lightly baked into the ‘enzyme.’ Some confectioners prefer the stove-top method or even a crockpot on a low setting (which we don’t recommend.) The process of infusing cannabutter or canna-oil can last anywhere from 45 minutes to a few hours, depending on the amount of cannabis. The common consumer will likely only decarb the cannabis for the former amount of time. Once completed, the mixture can be extracted with the help of a cheesecloth. Thanks to decarboxylation, edibles are generally more potent than smoking cannabis. There is also a nice amount of math behind making and consuming edibles.
The science of dosing cannabinoids and edibles
The science behind the potency of cannabis when choosing to make edibles is firm. For every single gram of weed, there are 1000 mg or 1000 parts of dry cannabis. If the confectioner knows the THC percentage per gram of cannabis they are using, a simple formula can be performed. Typically, potent cannabis ranges from 18 to 25 percent THC per gram. This means, per gram, cannabis can consist of 180 to 250 mg of THC. Depending on the amount of butter or oil used, it can yield 10 to 15mg of THC per tablespoon. For a better understanding, 30 to 50 mg of THC within edibles is recommended for the enthusiastic cannabis consumer. This amount of THC can induce euphoria, intense levels of relaxation, and hallucinations.
Why tolerance varies from patient to patient
As aforementioned, even the most avid cannabis consumer can get too high from edibles. 30 to 50 mg of edibles is enough to put the typical stoner under. However, there are a multitude of dispensaries and cannabis companies that offer edibles of 100 mg of THC and up. Additionally, the timeframe of effects associated with consuming edibles severely outweighs those associated with smoking dry cannabis. An edible can have a consumer intensely high for hours on end. Indulging in amounts higher than 50 mg of THC can lead the consumer to nausea, rapid heart rate, impaired motor skills and perception, audio and visual hallucinations.