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Meds Do Edibles Affect You

Do you get high from edibles?

  • Yes

    Votes: 6 66.7%
  • No

    Votes: 2 22.2%
  • Sometimes

    Votes: 1 11.1%

  • Total voters
    9

momofthegoons

Vapor Accessory Addict
Staff member
Over the years, I've noticed that edibles have different effects on different people. One person can have a bite of a brownie and get high as a kite. Another can eat the whole brownie and barely feel anything. I read this article today that attempts to explain why that is...

How do edibles affect you? Do you get high from them or feel they're a waste of time?

Edibles Don’t Work for Everyone – Here’s Why


Edibles are a popular way to use cannabis. But, edibles don’t work for everyone. Have you ever eaten an edible and felt nothing? Was it too strong for you? Both can happen, and an explanation is coming. Multiple factors from dosage to purity and your body’s own chemistry all play a role in whether or not edibles will work for you. You also have to take into account what type of edible you’re selecting. We’ll cover it all and make it easy to understand.

A Little Thing Called Bioavailability
We’re not going to throw a word like this at you and not tell you what it means. The definition of bioavailability in simple terms is – the amount of a substance that actually becomes available/usable to your body. The scientific definition, according to Merck Manual, is: “Bioavailability refers to the extent and rate at which the active moiety (drug or metabolite) enters systemic circulation, thereby accessing the site of action.”

When it comes to pharmaceuticals, their bioavailability is calculated via clinical trials and studies. From here, appropriate doses are determined based on how much the body will actually receive.

This is a big factor when it comes to edibles. Different types of edibles have different bioavailability levels. For example, beverages and hard candies will have a higher bioavailability than a baked good. Different edibles have different absorption rates. Every person’s body has an individual metabolism. These two factors are big players in bioavailability.

Here are some of the absorption rates of common edibles:

  • Baked goods, crackers, cookies (foods in this category – solid foods) – 4-12%
  • Hard candies, beverages, lozenges and some gummies – 50-75%
This means that if you have a cannabis cookie and it contains 10 mg of THC, and you consume the entire cookie – your body is only getting 0.4 mg – 1.2 mg of THC. If you have a 30 mg cookie or brownie, your body is only getting a maximum of 3.6 mg of THC and other cannabinoids. For most, this just isn’t enough to even make a difference. So, this is why you may not feel anything at all if you have some type of baked good, bread or other solid cannabis edible.

Edibles that you actually have to chew and require digestion have a lower bioavailability because there is a longer process of getting the cannabinoids to your bloodstream. First you have the digestion process itself. Then you have to factor in the multiple organs that the cannabinoids have to travel through to get to your bloodstream. The longer it has to go in to reach your bloodstream, the more of the cannabinoids you are going to lose.

If you’ve ever had a hard candy, lozenge or beverage that nearly incapacitated you – it’s because it has a higher bioavailability than other types of edibles. It is very important to pay attention to the number of servings in cannabis beverages and the total number of milligrams of THC as well. Most cannabis beverages are designed to be more than one serving. If you’ve picked one up that’s 100 mg THC in the entire container and down the whole thing – you’re getting 50 mg – 75 mg of THC and well – for most people that’s just too much at one time.

Non-solid edibles (beverages, candies, lozenges and tinctures) enter the bloodstream faster since sublingual glands in your mouth (mostly under your tongue) start to absorb the contents of the liquid. It’s a rather quick absorption method.

Cannabis suckers decorated with edible glitter


THC Purity and Potency
Purity and potency are other factors in whether an edible may or may not work for you. It’s important to make sure that the THC or cannabis extracted liquid used to make the edible comes from a company that has third-party testing completed. You’ll want to go to that manufacturer’s website and look at their lab test results.

Make sure the manufacturer has a separate lab results sheet for THC oil or cannabis oil. Look specifically for the volume of the sample. Then look to see how much THC was actually in that sample. Ensure that all other sections of that lab report pass. You’ll want to look for <LOQ – this means less than the limit or level of quantification. If something is under the LOQ that a lab must test for, it’ll be marked as <, N/A or some other indicator. A limit or level of quantification is the smallest amount of a compound or substance that a lab can or does look for in a substance. You can also think of it <LOQ as a limit of detection.

You will also notice something called an action level on lab reports. Action levels are amounts of a chemical that has been deemed unsafe. You want every section of the test to have results that are under action levels.

Tolerance
Do you know your personal tolerance? Tinctures are a great way to determine what is too much. Edibles aren’t the best test for this.

If you use cannabis flower and go through 7 grams or more a week, you likely have a decent tolerance, so a 10 mg edible probably isn’t going to do anything for you unless it’s mostly absorbed sublingually.

If you are a microdoser, you likely have a lower tolerance. This means that a 10 mg edible might work just fine for you.

Those that use cannabis concentrates more frequently likely have higher tolerances in general. Cannabis concentrates have much higher potencies. Since the vapors from concentrates are inhaled, they also have a higher bioavailability since the cannabinoids can enter your bloodstream through your lungs. Inhaled cannabinoids have a bioavailability of 34% – 56%. Why such a large range? The size of the hit, the potency and how long you hold it in are all factors.

You and a friend can have the same portion size of an edible and have two entirely different experiences. One of you might not feel anything while the other is sitting there laughing at everything.

Metabolism
How fast your body processes food is a factor. For some, a faster metabolism might mean that the cannabinoids metabolize faster through your body so you might not feel the effects strongly, for an extended period of time or even at all. Those with slower metabolisms are more likely to lose more of the have the cannabinoids in their bodies a little longer. It’s not known whether this plays a role explicitly in the strength of the effects of bioavailability of edibles.

Tips for Safe Edibles Use
It’s true that edibles work wonders for some and do nothing for others. From the factors in play that we mentioned above, it’ll be easier for you to gauge if edibles are right for you or not. They aren’t cheap, and the more THC and/or CBD they have in them – the more expensive they are.

Here are some tips for having the most positive edibles experience possible:

  • Be mindful of the serving size
  • Pay attention to the total milligrams in the entire package
  • Look for the dose per serving
  • Know your tolerance
  • Keep the type of edible being consumed in mind (liquids and candies will hit you harder and faster)
  • Start small – if you are new to edibles, it’s best to start with half of the suggested serving size. While you aren’t getting every milligram of cannabinoids mentioned in that dose, it’s important to really understand what your body needs and can handle.
  • Wait at least 90 minutes before consuming another serving – edibles typically take 45 minutes to an hour to take effect unless it is a liquid or sublingual edible (beverages, lozenges, hard candies, etc.). Liquid and sublingual edibles can start to show effects within minutes. Other edibles require digestion and distribution. If you have a serving and don’t feel anything in 30 minutes, your body hasn’t fully digested the edible yet.
  • Don’t use another cannabis product while waiting for the effects to kick in, including CBD. CBD might lessen the intensity or effects of THC, which might make you think that you don’t feel anything at all. Using another cannabis product while waiting for the effects of the edible to kick in might leave you having a very unpleasant experience since the combination of THC from both sources might be too much and might leave you feeling overwhelmingly high.
  • Always make sure your edibles are kept where your children and pets cannot reach them!
We hope that this guide, and these tips, help you better understand how edibles work and why they might not work for you. It doesn’t mean that they’ll never work, but now that you know what the factors in how edibles work in the body are, it might be easier for you to understand how much THC and other cannabinoids your body really needs.
 
Over the years, I've noticed that edibles have different effects on different people. One person can have a bite of a brownie and get high as a kite. Another can eat the whole brownie and barely feel anything. I read this article today that attempts to explain why that is...

How do edibles affect you? Do you get high from them or feel they're a waste of time?

Edibles Don’t Work for Everyone – Here’s Why


Edibles are a popular way to use cannabis. But, edibles don’t work for everyone. Have you ever eaten an edible and felt nothing? Was it too strong for you? Both can happen, and an explanation is coming. Multiple factors from dosage to purity and your body’s own chemistry all play a role in whether or not edibles will work for you. You also have to take into account what type of edible you’re selecting. We’ll cover it all and make it easy to understand.

A Little Thing Called Bioavailability
We’re not going to throw a word like this at you and not tell you what it means. The definition of bioavailability in simple terms is – the amount of a substance that actually becomes available/usable to your body. The scientific definition, according to Merck Manual, is: “Bioavailability refers to the extent and rate at which the active moiety (drug or metabolite) enters systemic circulation, thereby accessing the site of action.”

When it comes to pharmaceuticals, their bioavailability is calculated via clinical trials and studies. From here, appropriate doses are determined based on how much the body will actually receive.

This is a big factor when it comes to edibles. Different types of edibles have different bioavailability levels. For example, beverages and hard candies will have a higher bioavailability than a baked good. Different edibles have different absorption rates. Every person’s body has an individual metabolism. These two factors are big players in bioavailability.

Here are some of the absorption rates of common edibles:

  • Baked goods, crackers, cookies (foods in this category – solid foods) – 4-12%
  • Hard candies, beverages, lozenges and some gummies – 50-75%
This means that if you have a cannabis cookie and it contains 10 mg of THC, and you consume the entire cookie – your body is only getting 0.4 mg – 1.2 mg of THC. If you have a 30 mg cookie or brownie, your body is only getting a maximum of 3.6 mg of THC and other cannabinoids. For most, this just isn’t enough to even make a difference. So, this is why you may not feel anything at all if you have some type of baked good, bread or other solid cannabis edible.

Edibles that you actually have to chew and require digestion have a lower bioavailability because there is a longer process of getting the cannabinoids to your bloodstream. First you have the digestion process itself. Then you have to factor in the multiple organs that the cannabinoids have to travel through to get to your bloodstream. The longer it has to go in to reach your bloodstream, the more of the cannabinoids you are going to lose.

If you’ve ever had a hard candy, lozenge or beverage that nearly incapacitated you – it’s because it has a higher bioavailability than other types of edibles. It is very important to pay attention to the number of servings in cannabis beverages and the total number of milligrams of THC as well. Most cannabis beverages are designed to be more than one serving. If you’ve picked one up that’s 100 mg THC in the entire container and down the whole thing – you’re getting 50 mg – 75 mg of THC and well – for most people that’s just too much at one time.

Non-solid edibles (beverages, candies, lozenges and tinctures) enter the bloodstream faster since sublingual glands in your mouth (mostly under your tongue) start to absorb the contents of the liquid. It’s a rather quick absorption method.

Cannabis suckers decorated with edible glitter


THC Purity and Potency
Purity and potency are other factors in whether an edible may or may not work for you. It’s important to make sure that the THC or cannabis extracted liquid used to make the edible comes from a company that has third-party testing completed. You’ll want to go to that manufacturer’s website and look at their lab test results.

Make sure the manufacturer has a separate lab results sheet for THC oil or cannabis oil. Look specifically for the volume of the sample. Then look to see how much THC was actually in that sample. Ensure that all other sections of that lab report pass. You’ll want to look for <LOQ – this means less than the limit or level of quantification. If something is under the LOQ that a lab must test for, it’ll be marked as <, N/A or some other indicator. A limit or level of quantification is the smallest amount of a compound or substance that a lab can or does look for in a substance. You can also think of it <LOQ as a limit of detection.

You will also notice something called an action level on lab reports. Action levels are amounts of a chemical that has been deemed unsafe. You want every section of the test to have results that are under action levels.

Tolerance
Do you know your personal tolerance? Tinctures are a great way to determine what is too much. Edibles aren’t the best test for this.

If you use cannabis flower and go through 7 grams or more a week, you likely have a decent tolerance, so a 10 mg edible probably isn’t going to do anything for you unless it’s mostly absorbed sublingually.

If you are a microdoser, you likely have a lower tolerance. This means that a 10 mg edible might work just fine for you.

Those that use cannabis concentrates more frequently likely have higher tolerances in general. Cannabis concentrates have much higher potencies. Since the vapors from concentrates are inhaled, they also have a higher bioavailability since the cannabinoids can enter your bloodstream through your lungs. Inhaled cannabinoids have a bioavailability of 34% – 56%. Why such a large range? The size of the hit, the potency and how long you hold it in are all factors.

You and a friend can have the same portion size of an edible and have two entirely different experiences. One of you might not feel anything while the other is sitting there laughing at everything.

Metabolism
How fast your body processes food is a factor. For some, a faster metabolism might mean that the cannabinoids metabolize faster through your body so you might not feel the effects strongly, for an extended period of time or even at all. Those with slower metabolisms are more likely to lose more of the have the cannabinoids in their bodies a little longer. It’s not known whether this plays a role explicitly in the strength of the effects of bioavailability of edibles.

Tips for Safe Edibles Use
It’s true that edibles work wonders for some and do nothing for others. From the factors in play that we mentioned above, it’ll be easier for you to gauge if edibles are right for you or not. They aren’t cheap, and the more THC and/or CBD they have in them – the more expensive they are.

Here are some tips for having the most positive edibles experience possible:

  • Be mindful of the serving size
  • Pay attention to the total milligrams in the entire package
  • Look for the dose per serving
  • Know your tolerance
  • Keep the type of edible being consumed in mind (liquids and candies will hit you harder and faster)
  • Start small – if you are new to edibles, it’s best to start with half of the suggested serving size. While you aren’t getting every milligram of cannabinoids mentioned in that dose, it’s important to really understand what your body needs and can handle.
  • Wait at least 90 minutes before consuming another serving – edibles typically take 45 minutes to an hour to take effect unless it is a liquid or sublingual edible (beverages, lozenges, hard candies, etc.). Liquid and sublingual edibles can start to show effects within minutes. Other edibles require digestion and distribution. If you have a serving and don’t feel anything in 30 minutes, your body hasn’t fully digested the edible yet.
  • Don’t use another cannabis product while waiting for the effects to kick in, including CBD. CBD might lessen the intensity or effects of THC, which might make you think that you don’t feel anything at all. Using another cannabis product while waiting for the effects of the edible to kick in might leave you having a very unpleasant experience since the combination of THC from both sources might be too much and might leave you feeling overwhelmingly high.
  • Always make sure your edibles are kept where your children and pets cannot reach them!
We hope that this guide, and these tips, help you better understand how edibles work and why they might not work for you. It doesn’t mean that they’ll never work, but now that you know what the factors in how edibles work in the body are, it might be easier for you to understand how much THC and other cannabinoids your body really needs.
Oh, I def get effects from edibles, its just not an effect that I'm all that thrilled about. Good for when I'm sick (respiratory crud, for example) and just want to sack out for 12 hours. But I find the effects to be very different than vaping. Its much more of a narcotic effect and I find that they edibles really interfer with my ability to concentrate.

I have once done WAY too much of a home brewed drink...did I say WAY too much! LOL It was awful and at one point I was actually a bit frightened which really doesn't happen to me very often given my long history of psychotropic drug use.

Thanks for posting this article. Most interesting part of it was the bioavailability numbers. Didn't know that and the difference is startling, yeah?
 
Definitely feel them, though I've met people with hellacious smoking tollerance (3-4 grams a day of flower) and they claimed to have not felt 375mg tested dose. I find that anything around 40-60mg is good medically, but getting close to 100mg starts to become more of a psychadelic for me.
 
Edibles do affect me, but I don't care for them. They leave me feeling queasy, no matter the dosage. I'm hoping this will change as I like making edibles, but so far they aren't my favorite method of ingestion. Tincture works well for me, and I'm going to start another batch with my trim. Topicals also work, but I've noticed I'm getting rashes when I handle fresh plant material. Dried isn't a problem, but I need to wear gloves when tending to plants or trimming and hanging. Not wanting this to develop into an allergy, I've stopped topicals hoping to keep things in check. No knowing if this will help or not, but it's worth trying for now.
 
Never, until some brownies made with abv flour and coconut butter from my plants.
I gave a friend a sandwich bag of the 1/f2 brownie squares and said they actually work and to take it easy, he smokes joints and cones as well as vapes Tera bongs when he wants to get really wasted, his words.
He had 4 slices and said it was like having a trip, he said his fence was swaying like a snake and it was the first time edibles had affected him, that is why he had 4 pieces straight up.
 
Oh, I def get effects from edibles, its just not an effect that I'm all that thrilled about. Good for when I'm sick (respiratory crud, for example) and just want to sack out for 12 hours. But I find the effects to be very different than vaping. Its much more of a narcotic effect and I find that they edibles really interfer with my ability to concentrate.

I have once done WAY too much of a home brewed drink...did I say WAY too much! LOL It was awful and at one point I was actually a bit frightened which really doesn't happen to me very often given my long history of psychotropic drug use.

Thanks for posting this article. Most interesting part of it was the bioavailability numbers. Didn't know that and the difference is startling, yeah?
I guess I just want to be a bit more clear about the one time I overdosed myself. Saying it was awful is just not descriptive enough. I had shakes, small muscle spasms, and had to crawl from the bed....where I retreated to try to just pass out....to the bathroom. I could not fall asleep right away due to racy mind. There was nothing comforting or warm like my flower sessions.

I do edibles from time to time...limited to some certain occasions....but I well learned a lesson that time. A lesson, that IMO, should not ever be discounted. Its rough stuff if you ever do as I did.
 
Its rough stuff if you ever do as I did.
I agree. I'm sure I've told this story elsewhere on the forum... but since I started this lol..

I made the mistake of not making sure the kief I added into some brownies (it already had cannaoil added) was mixed in thoroughly. This caused a section of the pan to be super potent while the rest of the brownies were sort of lackluster. And the potent end was eaten last...

Long story short I ate an entire brownie and had one of the worst experiences I've ever had in my history of usage of any drug. I became totally incapacitated. Tunnel vision.. I seriously thought I was having an aneurism. Part of the issue is that it didn't hit me for over 18 hours... have no idea why. So I didn't associate it with the brownie while it was happening. I, also, had to crawl from the bed to the bathroom. Anything else was lurching from wall to chair to....and I had zero balance.

I didn't do edibles for several years after that. And when I did, I first got them from the dispensary. Now... with those edibles I've had varied results. The gummies haven't done much. But the Medie Eddie DeStress cakeballs (I ate two equalling 100mg) were very pleasant. And the RSO Koolaid I had as well.

Since then I've made caramels and various other candies and cookies. Some successful and some not. I find it really hard to get a consistent dosage.

And it's not my preferred way of ingestion at all. But, as @Baron23 said, it's a great alternative when you are sick and can't vape... and need some sleep. IF you get the dose right...
 
I agree. I'm sure I've told this story elsewhere on the forum... but since I started this lol..

I made the mistake of not making sure the kief I added into some brownies (it already had cannaoil added) was mixed in thoroughly. This caused a section of the pan to be super potent while the rest of the brownies were sort of lackluster. And the potent end was eaten last...

Long story short I ate an entire brownie and had one of the worst experiences I've ever had in my history of usage of any drug. I became totally incapacitated. Tunnel vision.. I seriously thought I was having an aneurism. Part of the issue is that it didn't hit me for over 18 hours... have no idea why. So I didn't associate it with the brownie while it was happening. I, also, had to crawl from the bed to the bathroom. Anything else was lurching from wall to chair to....and I had zero balance.

I didn't do edibles for several years after that. And when I did, I first got them from the dispensary. Now... with those edibles I've had varied results. The gummies haven't done much. But the Medie Eddie DeStress cakeballs (I ate two equalling 100mg) were very pleasant. And the RSO Koolaid I had as well.

Since then I've made caramels and various other candies and cookies. Some successful and some not. I find it really hard to get a consistent dosage.

And it's not my preferred way of ingestion at all. But, as @Baron23 said, it's a great alternative when you are sick and can't vape... and need some sleep. IF you get the dose right...
Wow, 18 hours later???? Hard to understand how that happened. Many of us complain about variable onset times, but your experience takes the cake, I think. Wowser.

I sort of think I'm in the 50-75 mm range for good effects, but its hard to tell as every commercial edible I have had seems to effect me differently even when trying to ingest the same dose. I think they are way more variable in potency than people think.

We do have Dixie elixirs here...bottle with 200 mg in some ice tea/lemonade mix kind of thing. They have seemed to me to be pretty consistent. But baked goods, fuggedaboudit. LOL
 
Wow, 18 hours later???? Hard to understand how that happened. Many of us complain about variable onset times, but your experience takes the cake, I think. Wowser.
It’s never happened before or since. And nobody else who had the misfortune of that end of the pan waited that long to get off either. Lol... I thought they were all a bunch of lightweights since I had eaten at least twice as much as the rest of them. Man oh man though..... 18 hours later....
 
It’s never happened before or since. And nobody else who had the misfortune of that end of the pan waited that long to get off either. Lol... I thought they were all a bunch of lightweights since I had eaten at least twice as much as the rest of them. Man oh man though..... 18 hours later....
I gave up after the Canna Flour Incident. I'm waiting to hear from the hospital about when my dental surgery is going to be scheduled, and I know I won't be able to vape for awhile, but will need the pain relief. Not sure what to do, except tincture, but am concerned alcohol might burn too much. I do like quicker feedback as well, and having to wait possibly hours to see if my dosage is correct bothers me. Just after you decide another brownie might be in order, the first one likes to kick in. Or it doesn't. It's much more difficult to over vape.
 
We use medibles quite a bit. Mostly it's cannabis caps made with concentrates.

Using concentrates makes dose control much better than brownies, or cookies made from herb.

My wife takes a very strong cap nightly. I use a cap 3/4 the strength of hers a few times a week. Obviously I have more effects than her. Same with vaping as well. Her tolerance is more than mine.
 
Tunnel vision.. I seriously thought I was having an aneurism.

I had this happen to me a few minutes after having a joint of some decent gear in 1994 after only having rubbish pot for 12 months.
I thought my flatmate had laced the joint with speed as he was always snorting something and would try to get me to have a go, not really my cup of tea (speed just makes me stay awake and drink more, wost hangovers)

So it could have been the good pot that made the barmaid zoom into a tunnel like she was going backward on roller skates (i forgot everyones drink order so in a panic we all got a beer!)
 
I have to ingest 150-200mg to feel it. This article explains it, thanks. I figured it was the fact I have UC.
My mate has ulcerative colitis
We use medibles quite a bit. Mostly it's cannabis caps made with concentrates.

Using concentrates makes dose control much better than brownies, or cookies made from herb.

My wife takes a very strong cap nightly. I use a cap 3/4 the strength of hers a few times a week. Obviously I have more effects than her. Same with vaping as well. Her tolerance is more than mine.
I like medibles
But need more than some, but I smoked or vape more too

I like canna caps or feco squeezed straight under tongue

Great high but if not doses or don't know your tolerance you can have a ride ...
 
16521009122067860779915670705042.jpg


My mate gave me some gummies and some lean juice all made from feco..
Had 4 sweets and a quarter of the bottle..
Absolutely shit faced i was.. didnt know you could get that high... let alone wake up still that high 10 hours later...
Had to have a day off work today...
 
View attachment 36655

My mate gave me some gummies and some lean juice all made from feco..
Had 4 sweets and a quarter of the bottle..
Absolutely shit faced i was.. didnt know you could get that high... let alone wake up still that high 10 hours later...
Had to have a day off work today...
Hahaha
I did this when I first made feco
I took 1g in one go
I was flying.....
 
I've had quite a few ppl say edibles don't work on them
I actually find they often don't work as well in a brownie or the likes
A dose that will get me high dabbing will not via edibles

Until I made my feco
Everyone who says it won't work on them is floored for hours if I give them a cap
I have to take high doses to get that result though - a dab worth via the mouth won't hit like vaping it

Something about the feco I make seems to release better than some other edibles

Fatty food also helps the high kick off
People often think an empty stomach is they way but you actually need fatty food to help absorb the cannabinoids
Empty gut will not absorb as much and will process it out

Having said this
I'm a dabber of oil mostly
It's only if I want a fun ride and non productive day I will high dose the feco in a cap occasionally

95% of the time I vape and dab
I'm not a fan of edibles as they take too long to kick
 

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