Side Effects of Marijuana Edibles
Even if you’re used to smoking and vaping weed, marijuana edibles can be a whole different story. Edibles give a much more potent high that can last for many hours- sometimes up to 12! They also take longer to kick in, so controlling the dosage and timing can be important. There are also certain side effects of marijuana edibles you need to watch out for.
While, for the most part, the effects of marijuana edibles are much the same as other consumption methods, they can be much stronger. This makes them enjoyable for many- you can get powerful physical relaxation and a euphoric cerebral high that makes activities much more enjoyable. However, with such potent effects, it’s best to know exactly what you’re getting into.
Marijuana edibles are often used for recreational purposes, although medical users can benefit from them as well. Some users who don’t want to get too high microdose edibles. This gives you milder effects, making it useful for medical benefits. You can also use CBD edibles which give you all of the medical benefits of marijuana without the side effects of marijuana edibles.
So what exactly should you expect from edibles? Here’s some information on how to use them and the side effects of marijuana edibles you should expect.
How Long for Marijuana Edibles to Work?
Marijuana edibles work a little differently to smoking or vaping weed. While other methods of marijuana consumption usually give you effects instantly, the high from edibles can take a while to kick in.
After eating a marijuana edible, effects usually kick in after around 30 minutes to 2 hours. This can be affected by various factors, such as body weight and metabolism. Those with a faster metabolism will likely feel effects much quicker.
Unlike with smoking, the THC from edibles needs to be digested into your system before it passes through your bloodstream. This is why the high from marijuana edibles is often delayed. However, once it kicks in, you can expect powerful and long-lasting effects.
How Long Do Marijuana Edibles Last?
Once edibles kick in, the effects will last for a long time. A study on marijuana edibles found that the effects usually last for anywhere from 4 to 12 hours. You’ll usually get the brunt of the effects at around 4 to 8 hours after consumption.
How long edibles last is also affected by a few different factors. Your dosage will make a difference, and naturally, those who eat more will experience effects for longer. Your metabolism and marijuana tolerance also counts. Those who digest the marijuana metabolites quickly and are used to smoking weed won’t be hit as hard as beginners with slower metabolisms.
Although the effects of edibles last for a long time, they can be highly enjoyable. You’ll get feelings of happiness, euphoria, and relaxation. Edibles can also be great for medical relief thanks to the potent body high they can give you. They’re great for chilling out and heightening your senses, making activities much more enjoyable.
What are the Effects of Marijuana Edibles?
Consuming marijuana edibles can give you a wide variety of effects. For the most part, these are easy to enjoy- especially if you’re used to consuming marijuana in other ways. You’ll get most of the same effects as you would from other methods of consumption, only they’ll be stronger and last longer.
THC edibles will give you much more pronounced psychoactive effects. This means your senses will be heightened and your enjoyment of activities will be enhanced. These are great for relaxing, enjoying movies and TV shows, and relishing in the psychoactive effects of marijuana.
You’ll get feelings of euphoria and happiness, making it a nice mood booster. It’ll also do wonders for your body. Marijuana edibles can give you an intense body high that gives you soothing relief all over your body. This can be useful for de-stressing.
What are the Negative Side Effects of Marijuana Edibles?
Although many people will enjoy consuming marijuana edibles, there can be some negative side effects. Beginners need to be cautious about how much they take. Due to the potent high you’ll get from THC edibles, too much can cause overwhelming effects for some users.
Like with other THC products, some users may experience feelings of anxiety or paranoia. If you experience negative mental effects from smoking too much weed, it’s best to avoid edibles or take a very low dosage.
Short-term memory loss and lack of focus can also be common. Due to the strong psychoactive effects, edibles aren’t recommended for times when you need to be productive. While they can be relaxing, the high can feel too strong for some users.
You’ll also experience some of the usual side effects of marijuana, such as dry mouth and dry eyes. The sedative effects can also be much more pronounced, and you might end up feeling very lethargic after using edibles. Somewhat ironically, edibles can still give you the munchies. Don’t use this as an invitation to eat more edibles- high dosages can result in a bad high.
What are the Medical Effects of Marijuana Edibles?
Marijuana edibles can also be useful for medical reasons. You can find marijuana edibles in various forms- THC edibles, CBD edibles, and edibles with a mix of both. Both CBD and THC have medical qualities which can be useful for various reasons.
Marijuana edibles can be used for pain relief. You’ll feel soothed all over your body thanks to the effective physical relief given by THC. You’ll also get a nice mental boost, which can be useful for preventing depression and other mood problems.
They’re also very useful for inducing sleep. Marijuana edibles can help with the treatment of insomnia and other sleep disorders. They can also increase your appetite, reduce nausea and vomiting, and have other positive effects on your overall health.
While THC edibles can have some negative effects for some users, CBD edibles offer medical relief with no negative effects. Some users also use 1:1 Edibles with both THC and CBD. These help you get the medical effects of both cannabinoids, and CBD can reduce some of the potential negative effects of THC such as anxiety.
What are the Side Effects of CBD Edibles?
While regular marijuana edibles come with THC, you can also get edibles in pure CBD form. CBD edibles give you none of the psychoactive side effects of THC edibles. You won’t feel high or feel intoxicated, but rather get purely medical effects.
CBD Edibles can be useful for a range of reasons. Those looking for medical relief without the potential negative side effects of edibles can use CBD edibles safely. They can offer treatment for various conditions and symptoms without any negative side effects.
CBD is often used in the treatment of pain. While edibles take a while to kick in, they can offer potent pain relief which helps with chronic pain, aches, strains, and inflammation. CBD also helps clear up skin conditions, prevent digestive issues, and can even help to prevent conditions like cancer and diabetes.
It also has many benefits for your mental health. CBD is shown to help treat anxiety disorders, improve your mood, and even has neuroprotective qualities. While THC is sometimes associated with increased anxiety and paranoia, CBD has antipsychotic effects, making it incredibly safe and even beneficial for those with mental health issues.
How to Reduce the Effects of Marijuana Edibles
After consuming marijuana edibles (and THC edibles in particular) you’ll likely feel the effects for a while. However, there are ways to reduce the side effects if you feel like you’re getting too high.
While the THC in edibles can give you extreme effects, CBD can actually make your high milder. Many people use edibles with both THC and CBD to reduce negative side effects. However, if you feel like you’re too high, you may want to use some CBD Oil or CBD Tinctures to reduce the psychoactive effects.
Staying hydrated will also help reduce negative side effects. In addition to helping your body in general, drinking more water will help you flush out THC faster. Some users also drink cranberry juice or coffee, which can speed up the digestive process and your metabolism.
Sometimes taking a nap can be the best way to come down from a high. Marijuana edibles make it easier to sleep, so sleeping off some of the high can be helpful. Although, you may get some interesting dreams. Generally, the best way to avoid getting too high from marijuana edibles is to keep to low dosages and don’t eat more than you need to.
What’s the Recommended Dosage of Marijuana Edibles?
Controlling your dosage with marijuana edibles is even more important than with other cannabis products. Edibles take a while to kick in, and some users may be tempted to eat more. However, too much THC can result in a bad high. So how much should you take?
There are many ways to use edibles, and the right dosage for you may depend on your tolerance. Marijuana edibles generally come in 10mg servings. A single 10mg serving of a THC Edible should be enough to give you some potent and long-lasting effects.
It’s best not to go beyond 10mg your first time. Experienced users who find the edible high enjoyable may want to experiment with 20 or 30mg.
You can also microdose with edibles. This involves splitting edibles into smaller servings of 5mg, 2.5mg or even less. Smaller servings can result in a milder and more manageable high. These can be great for general use. You’ll experience an improvement in your mood and enhanced senses without feeling too intoxicated.
CBD Edibles often also come in 10mg servings. However, there’s not much harm in taking more CBD as there are no negative side effects. Therefore, those looking to counteract heavy pain, anxiety or other medical problems can safely take a higher dosage of CBD edibles.
How Long Do Marijuana Edibles Stay in Your System?
While the effects of marijuana edibles will be gone within around 12 hours, THC can stay in your system for longer. While CBD edibles won’t make you fail a drug test, THC edibles will. THC metabolites can stay in your system for anywhere from a week to a month.
Drinking water can help get edibles out of your system faster. Studies estimate that 80-90% of THC in your system is excreted within 5 days. But depending on how much you’ve used, how fast your metabolism is, and what you’ve done to flush it out, THC can still stay in your system for weeks.
There are various ways to get marijuana out of your system fast. Everything from what you eat to what you drink can help. If you have a drug test coming up fast, you can even use a home detox kit to mask the THC in your urine.
How Do I Buy Marijuana Edibles?
Marijuana edibles are popular amongst cannabis users and many dispensaries and recreational stores often stock them. However, you’re unlikely to find marijuana edibles in government-run Canadian stores right now.
The best way to get your hands on marijuana edibles is to buy online. Online dispensaries often stock various products and even offer delivery to your home. This is a safe and convenient way to get the marijuana products you want.
You can also use products such as THC and CBD tinctures to create your own edibles. Adding these to drinks or cooking them into oil or butter can add something extra to your favorite foods and beverages. You can even cook cannabis strains into edibles if you oven roast the herbs then process them in a blender.
Conclusion
Marijuana edibles will generally give you an intense high with feelings of happiness and relaxation. Potential negative side effects can include paranoia, anxiety, dry mouth, and dry eyes. Other side effects include sleepiness and an increase in appetite- although these can be positive for many people.
In general, using edibles can result in a positive experience with many medical benefits. CBD edibles also allow you to get the health perks of cannabis without getting high. For these reasons, marijuana edibles are a popular product for many medical and recreational cannabis users.
