Understanding Cannabis Edible Dosages: How Much is Too Much?

Cannabis edibles have gained popularity for being convenient, discreet, and lasting longer than smoking cannabis. Sometimes you get bored smoking the same ol' strain in the same way, and that's when edibles help. They serve as an alternative to enjoy cannabis for most, even if you plan to get back to smoking in the future. 

Moreover, if you're allergic to smoke or can't smoke for some reason, edibles are a great alternative and pretty discreet too. 

Edibles take much longer to show effects compared to smoking cannabis which works immediately. But, it's important to get the dosing right or you won't enjoy the experience. 

The right dose allows you to enjoy the effects of edibles without the fear of scary side effects. You can start with a small amount and increase it gradually, allowing you to ease into it gradually. 

Many users love to try edibles but they hesitate because they aren't sure of the dosing. Moreover, since edibles work differently than smoking, even a slightly higher dose can result in an entirely different experience, not to mention that everyone is different and your body might respond differently too. 

In essence, many people are worried about overconsumption — and rightly so. It's one of the most common mistakes beginners commit. Since edibles don't work quickly, it's easy to assume that you need just a bit more to feel the effects and chow down another cookie. If the dosage exceeds your tolerance, you can feel overwhelmed and have a bad trip. 

However, don't worry; you're likely to have a bad experience only if you don't understand how much to consume. 

In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about cannabis edibles, especially the dosage. This way, you'll never have to worry about overconsuming cannabis and have a bad trip. 

Let's get to it! 

How do Cannabis Edibles Work?

One of the major differences between smoking weed and eating edibles is how your body absorbs THC. When you smoke cannabis or vape cannabis, THC enters your blood — through your lungs — almost instantly. The effects of smoking or vaping take place within minutes. Naturally, you will feel the effects almost immediately after smoking although the effects peak within 30 minutes to an hour and fade relatively quickly.

The THC in cannabis edibles passes through the stomach before it gets into your blood. The process is a lot slower and causes a delay in the onset of effects (30 minutes to two hours, or longer in some cases). As you can understand, when you consume weed, the effect is more potent and takes hours longer than smoking which hardly lasts a few hours. In other words, it's common to be high for about 6-12 hours after consuming edibles.

Inexperienced users may misjudge its effects as it takes so long to feel anything. A lot of people eat more before the first dose kicks in so they consume more. This difference has made it crucial to be cautious and patient when ingesting cannabis-infused products and dosing them appropriately.

How the Body Metabolizes Edibles 

When you eat cannabis edibles, the action starts in the stomach, where the edible is broken down and the active ingredients, mostly THC, are absorbed. THC is then sent to the liver, where it's converted to 11-hydroxy-THC, which is much stronger than THC, and the high is felt more compared to smoking or vaping THC. 

The reason why edibles can produce a stronger, longer-lasting “high” than smoking and vaping is this metabolic conversion in the liver. 11-hydroxy-THC can travel through the blood-brain barrier better, which is also why the high is much more intense. The effects are a little more physical than cerebral and it's common to feel sedated, depending on the strain and dosage.

As you can understand, consuming too many edibles can have a major impact and people may have a bad trip when they eat too much.

Factors Affecting Edible Dosages

As you already know, various factors are responsible for how edibles affect you. Let's take a look at them in detail. 

1. Tolerance

A person's tolerance level is an important factor in how they experience cannabis edibles. Tolerance shows how your body is getting used to cannabis, mainly THC. People who regularly eat cannabis will develop a higher tolerance which means they require higher doses of cannabis to experience the same high they used to feel when they started using cannabis. 

On the other hand, a person new to weed will feel the effects with a much smaller dose, meaning a little bit indeed goes a long way. So, no prizes for guessing that you need to start with lower doses, generally around 2.5 to 5 mg of THC, and gauge your body's reaction. In contrast to those who use cannabis sparingly, regular users may require larger doses (10 mg or more) to feel the high. Still, you should be cautious if you're using particularly strong edibles. 

2. Body Weight and Metabolism

A person's body weight and metabolism also determine how they are affected by cannabis edibles. Usually, people who weigh more might need a little bit more to feel high, as THC might get distributed across a larger mass. However, the same dose can have completely different effects on two people of similar weight depending on their metabolism.

The metabolism determines how long it takes the body to break down and absorb the THC from the edible. People with faster metabolism may feel the effects quickly while those with slower metabolism may feel it after some time, increasing the chances of overdoing it. Your age, diet, overall health, and metabolic system can all influence how edibles affect you. That means people will often respond differently to edibles, so just be patient and wait for a few hours before taking a second dose.

Also, remember that THC is fat soluble, so it binds to fat. This means that the THC from the edibles will be stored in your body fat. Over time, the THC accumulates more, which means that it's likely to stay longer in your system.

In addition, the THC can be released slowly into the bloodstream at a later point as it's stored in the cells. The delayed release might trigger a prolonged high or you might feel the effects again even after a few hours of consuming edibles. 

Coming back to the metabolism, those with more fat may also metabolize THC more slowly. While this may delay the effects when THC is eventually broken down, there might be more of it absorbed into the blood which results in a stronger high. 

Along with body fat, eating fatty food (such as cookies or chips) can increase THC absorption. When THC fat is bound, processed well, and absorbed better in the digestive system, it enhances potency, making the high more intense.

3. Cannabinoid Content

The proportion of THC to CBD is also a key consideration in determining the dosage. THC gets you high while CBD has a calming effect and may even reduce the impact of THC if it causes anxiety or paranoia. Products with a higher ratio of CBD to THC usually have milder and more balanced effects and may be a good fit for you if you're uncomfortable with THC. 

If you're new to edibles, try a product with both THC and CBD first as a gentler way to get into cannabis. An example of a 1:1 ratio of THC to CBD offers mild psychoactive effects without overwhelming you. High-THC, low-to-zero CBD edibles are likely to deliver a strong high, so they should be consumed in small doses, especially if you're a beginner. 

4. Potency

The edible's strength obviously plays a role in determining the right dosage. Cannabis edibles come in a variety of strengths, and different cannabis products can have widely different THC levels. 

Most edibles are labeled with their total THC content per package (e.g. 100 mg) and the amount of THC per serving (e.g. 10 mg per piece).

That's why you must carefully read the labels to ensure you are having the right quantity. For instance, the product can be divided into more than one serving with each serving containing a specific amount of THC. Eating too many servings accidentally — particularly of strong edibles — can get you stoned fast. Always check the THC concentration and serving size, and start low, especially when you are new to the product.

Also, homemade marijuana edibles can be harder to dose accurately because the THC is not evenly distributed throughout. Nevertheless, you should start with small portions and check how your body reacts over a period of time.

After considering your tolerance, body weight, metabolism, THC to CBD ratio, and potency of the edible you can find your dose and prevent overconsumption. 

Guidelines for Proper Cannabis Edible Dosage

If you want to get the dosage right, you must first understand the label of the product. 

Most edibles state the total amount of THC (in mg) in the package as well as the amount of THC per serving. A 100 mg THC package may come as 10 servings of 10 mg each, which also depends on state laws. 

Apart from the THC, you should also take a look at other cannabinoids. For instance, your edible might contain equal amounts of CBD, which is great for some users, but if you're looking for a stronger high, you should opt for products with less CBD. 

By knowing these labels, customers can make informed choices on what dose to take according to their tolerance and wish.

Recommended Cannabis Edible Doses for Beginners

If you are new to cannabis edibles, start with either 2.5 mg or 5 mg of THC for best results. When the body is introduced to a substance in small doses, it can build immunity to change and the impact may feel mild or delayed. However, don't consume more right away as it takes longer to take effect than smoking or vaping. 

To lessen the chances of consuming too much and feeling anxious, paranoid, dizzy, or worse, start with low doses. If you notice that the effects are too mild after at least 3 hours, you can consider taking a little more the next time you eat edibles. 

Another way to enjoy the edible without the risk of consuming too much is to slice the edible into smaller portions for higher THC doses per serving. 

For edibles that have higher THC doses per serving, you should definitely cut a serving into smaller portions.

If an edible has 10 mg THC, for example, you can eat half or a quarter of it if you are unfamiliar with cannabis' effects.

Increase the Dose Gradually

After starting with small doses and establishing a baseline, you can then start increasing the dosages. As a general rule, it's best to wait at least three hours after the first dose before taking more, as mentioned before. Because edibles take longer to metabolize, you should give your body time to feel the full effects of the THC before taking more. This stops the possibility of taking too much, and you'll have a good time. 

Let's say you've tried a 5mg dose of edibles for a while and you think it's right for you. Over a period of time, you can increase the dosage for stronger effects until you find your sweet spot that works for you without discomfort.

Regular cannabis users with a greater tolerance should take 10-20 mg of THC. Still, you should avoid too much as edibles can catch you off guard with their delayed reaction.

Slowly using cannabis edibles and noticing how it makes you feel can help you develop a balance. If you do it right, you can enjoy the benefits of cannabis edibles gradually while avoiding the side effects of using too much.

Overconsumption

One of the most common mistakes users make is overconsuming edibles due to their delayed effects. Many users don't feel much between 30-60 minutes and think they need more, so they take more before the initial impacts have fully hit them. This can make you feel overwhelmed and uncomfortable with added anxiety, paranoia, dizziness, and even nausea.

Despite the fact that it's almost impossible to die from an overdose of cannabis, the physical and mental discomfort can be quite distressing. Although cannabis is beneficial in many ways, consuming too many edibles can make you feel unwell. You've had those days of feeling awful after a lavish Thanksgiving dinner, haven't you? And that can happen even if your food isn't infused with cannabis. But since we're talking about edibles infused with cannabis here, the symptoms will be pronounced and different. 

Here are a few symptoms that are common when you overconsume cannabis:

• Dizziness or lightheadedness: Feeling unable to stand up straight or losing your sense of balance and feeling woozy or sick to your stomach.
• Dry eyes and mouth: When you use too much weed, it can dehydrate your mucous membranes which can make you feel like your eyes and mouth have gone dry. 
• Heart palpitations: Some people may experience increased heartbeats. At times, you may also feel heart palpitations although it's rare. This can be a tad scary for those inexperienced with cannabis. 
• Drowsiness or fatigue: Lower doses of an edible may help you relax, but higher doses will make you very sleepy or lethargic. On the contrary, some people may also find it hard to sleep. 
• Anxiety and Paranoia: Some users may experience intense symptoms that lead to anxiety or paranoia. This usually happens when you're already in a bad mood before consuming cannabis, which highlights the fact that you should always use cannabis when you're in a good mental space. Other users may also feel disconnected from reality or find it difficult to think or follow a conversation. 
• Hallucinations: High doses of THC can produce auditory and visual changes in perception, including hallucinations.
• Panic attacks: Those suffering from anxiety can experience panic attacks when they consume high doses of THC. If you aren't used to edibles, anxiety and sometimes paranoia could lead to panic attacks.

The only thing you need to remember is that the symptoms are typically short-lived; however, they can create an unpleasant and overwhelming experience. Typically, the effects will last about 6 hours, but it can be more at times, depending on how you react to cannabis and how your body breaks it down. 

Now, these are short-term effects that go away if you over-consume once or twice. However, you can experience long-term effects if you over-consume frequently. In some cases, the user develops a mental aversion to the herb. Most people have no lasting effects once they wear off, but it can be unpleasant enough at the time not to eat the edible again. 

What Should You Do If You Over-consume Cannabis Edibles

If you've consumed too many edibles, you might panic. However, stay calm! There's nothing to worry about. 

Here are a few steps you can take to manage the issue and reduce your discomfort.   

1. Stay Calm

It is very important to stay calm if you've overconsumed cannabis. If THC affects you too much, it's easy to lose control. But, keep reminding yourself that this experience is temporary and shall pass. Having too much weed can make you feel anxious and paranoid but it will get worse if you freak out! Just take slow, deep breaths and remind yourself that you are not in any danger. It will pass, don't worry. 

2. Choose a Safe and Comfortable Place

If you can, find a quiet and familiar place where you can lie down or sit back. Reducing intense stimulation can help relieve anxiety and confusion. If you're at home, find some comfort in your room. Feeling physically comfortable can induce confidence and calm your mind. 

3. Keep Drinking Water

Most people who are familiar with cannabis have experienced dry mouth aka cottonmouth at some point. Keeping yourself hydrated by drinking some water or herbal tea can help you feel more grounded as well. You can sip on fluids slowly to feel better and get rid of the dizziness. Don't drink alcohol because, as the research shows, alcohol interacts negatively with THC, and the negative effects become more pronounced.

4. Snack, But Snack Lightly

Sometimes eating something, especially food that's high in fat or sugar can help balance the intensity of the high. THC can dissolve in fatty substances, which means that fatty food can help your body absorb THC a little faster. Eating a small snack like an apple, crackers or something sweet can also help you feel more centered and less dizzy. Do not eat heavy or oily food as they can upset your stomach.

5. Use CBD to Balance out THC

If you happen to have CBD (cannabidiol), using it may help lessen the effects of too much THC. CBD lowers the intensity of some of the psychoactive effects of THC, like anxiety or paranoia, and has a calming effect. You can take a small dose of CBD in the form of oil, tincture or even vape it as it can help to level out the high.

6. Get Distracted!

Distraction can help whenever someone has over-consumed cannabis. You can let go of anxiety by doing something light that takes you off the high. Whether you love listening to music, playing video games, watching your favorite sports, or chatting with a good friend, any of these activities can reduce anxiety. If you think of something nice or neutral, then it's easy to let the time pass while you wait for the effects to wear off.

7. Get Active 

Since your heart is probably beating faster when you're anxious, a quick workout can help you wear it off. This way, the mind and the body are at the same level and you'll stop feeling that something is off. 

8. Meditate

This is one of the best ways to reduce anxiety or stop a bad trip. It seems impossible to calm down but you can do it if you train your mind. Simply hop on to YouTube and watch a guided meditation video for the best results. 

9. Relax and Wait

In the end, time heals all forms of misuse. Usually, cannabis edibles will stop affecting a person after a few hours, but you must relax and wait it out. When in doubt, just close your eyes and let your body and mind take some rest. Choose a comfortable location, chill out, and wait for the effects to wear off. A quick nap will work wonders if you can calm your mind enough to sleep. 

How to Prevent Overconsumption of Cannabis Edibles 

If you like cannabis edibles but want to avoid overdoing it, here's a checklist of safe consumption tips to follow: 

• Start with Low Doses

If you're a novice user or your tolerance is low, then try having about 2.5 to 5 mg of THC. Even if you are a regular consumer, it's always better to be safe than sorry when trying a new edible since you don't know how potent it is. 

• Read Labels Carefully

Be sure to look at the THC amount in the edible and how much of it is per serving. Some edibles are sold in multi-serving packages, and you might consume the entire product unintentionally, thereby using more than intended. 

• Be Precise

If you're eating homemade edibles, dosing can be more unpredictable. Thus, you must calculate the doses precisely when making edibles at home. And, then, divide your batches evenly so you can eat a safe dose.

• Be Patient

You know this already, but it's worth reiterating that you need to be patient since edibles take longer to kick in. If you eat too many edibles too soon, it can be a disaster. You can even set a timer for about 2 hours once you consume an edible. Also, resist the urge to increase the dose even if you feel like you're not affected by the psychoactive effects at all. 

• Creating A Relaxing Ambience

Where you eat cannabis edibles is as important as what you eat (and how much). A comfortable environment is essential to promote a positive and relaxed experience. If you're a beginner, it's best to try edibles at home or with your friend so that someone's around to help you if something goes wrong. This will also prevent you from becoming anxious. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How long will it take for an edible to kick in?

Edibles will usually take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours to produce noticeable effects. These things can vary based on your metabolism, recent food intake, and the strength of the edible. Stay patient and give the effects time before considering a second dose. 

2. What's the best first dose for beginners?

People who are new to THC should consume 2.5 – 5 mg to start. Starting with small doses helps you see how your body feels without too strong of an effect. You can always increase it as needed.

3. How long do the effects of edibles last?

Eating cannabis products will make you high for longer periods of time, unlike smoking. The high usually lasts 6 to 12 hours, peaking at two to a four-hour mark. Some after-effects could be felt even after the peak, so plan accordingly. 

4. Can I halve an edible to reduce the strength? 

Yes, you can cut an edible in half to get half the dose. For example, if an edible has 10 mg THC per serving, by cutting it in half, you can consume a 5 mg dose. Just remember to split it evenly, so it stays the same.

5. What will happen if I don't feel anything?

You need to wait for three hours before taking more. Edibles take time to kick in, so eating more too soon can lead to overconsumption and even an overwhelming high. The bottom line is that you need to be patient. 

6. How will I know whether an edible has THC or CBD?

Most edibles show how much THC and CBD they contain. If a product has more THC than the other cannabinoid, it will have more psychoactive effects. If it has more CBD and a balanced THC/CBD ratio, it will have more therapeutic effects with fewer narcotic effects. Make sure to check the labels for THC and CBD content. 

7. Can you overdose on cannabis edibles? 

One popular myth is that cannabis edibles can “overdose” you as alcohol or prescription drugs do. This is not true. In fact, you can't overdose on cannabis in this way. The truth is, cannabis edibles cannot kill you but they could make you very very uncomfortable.

8. What will happen if I take too much? 

Eating too much THC through edibles can result in a temporary but intense response commonly described as “greening out.” Over-consumption symptoms often include extreme anxiety, paranoia, hallucinations, dizziness and nausea, confusion, etc. Although these symptoms may be distressing, they won't cause serious harm and they will go away after a while. The results could last for 6 hours or as long as 12 hours. However, over time, THC breaks down in your body. So, you're not damaged permanently.

Cannabis edibles are safe to consume when you do so carefully. Learning about the proper dosing can help you avoid an intense situation.

Summary: Understanding Cannabis Edible Dosages: How Much is Too Much?

We covered a lot about cannabis edible dosages to help you have a safe and enjoyable experience. Remember, taking the right dose is important because edibles can be much stronger and last longer than smoking or vaping cannabis. Thus, it's important to understand your dosage and read the label for how much THC is in one serving, and start small if you're inexperienced with using cannabis. 

There are different types of factors that affect the dosage, including tolerance levels, body weight, and potency of the edible amongst others. However, proper knowledge about this subject can help you manage the effects even if you overconsume accidentally. 

Still, it's best to create a comfortable environment, be patient while waiting for the effects to hit, and increase the dosage slowly even if you're experienced with cannabis edibles as you can enjoy their high more while experiencing less discomfort.

Ultimately, the goal is to enjoy edibles, so make sure you take every possible step to achieve this goal.