One of the most distinct qualities of marijuana is its versatility for consuming it via smoking, vaping, or simply snacking.
Cannabis-infused food products commonly referred to as edibles are becoming popular in the cannabis industry. You can find a variety of edibles, such as gummies, candies, cookies, mints, brownies, pretzels, and so much more.
However, the million-dollar question is how long do edibles take to kick in. How long do edibles last and most importantly, how long does an edible high last?
Lucky enough, this guide explains different types of edibles and their respective time to kick in within your system.One of the biggest challenges of consuming cannabis edibles is you don’t know the exact THC and CBD amount you consume. That’s why read along to find out the safe THC and CBD dosage that you can consume in the form of edibles.
How Long Do Edibles Take To Kick In?
Generally speaking, you’ll need to wait for a relatively long time to get high while eating edibles instead of smoking. It’s because the cannabis edibles first go to your digestive system before entering the bloodstream.
On the contrary, smoking or vaping marijuana allows THC to enter the bloodstream directly. That’s why different cannabis edibles take around four to six hours to present the psychoactive effects.
According to a study, the onset time of the edibles is an hour; however, it takes around three hours for the THC levels to peak in the bloodstream. Lastly, the edible high state lasts for around six to eight hours.
Cannabinoids take longer to interact with the body and brain receptors due to the added route via the digestive system. In oral ingestion, the cannabinoids first go to your stomach, then the liver before entering the bloodstream to interact with the receptors.
Similarly, digestion is slower as the stomach converts the edibles into carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and cannabinoids. At the same time, only a portion of the cannabis edible dissolves in the stomach acid right away. In contrast, some portion of cannabis edibles typically takes more time to break down to release the cannabinoids in your system further.
To sum up, some cannabinoids reach the liver first, where the liver performs its job and finally releases the cannabinoids into the bloodstream.
Furthermore, the bloodstream carries these cannabinoids via arteries and veins to the brain and other body parts to calm your nerves and make you feel relaxed.
Metabolism plays a critical role during the entire process as the total duration for the cannabis edibles to kick in entirely depends on your metabolism rate.
Not only that, but the stomach breaks down the edibles for the next couple of hours and keeps on releasing the cannabinoids into the system.
How Long Do Edibles Last For – Important Factors
In addition to the metabolism, the following factors also affect the total duration of the marijuana edible’s hit.
Strain Type
We all know that THC edibles offer more psychoactive effects compared to CBD products. Alternatively, CBD edibles don’t get you high; however, they still calm down your mind and relax your nerves. Lastly, you’ll also find some edibles which contain both CBD and THC.
Moreover, you’ll observe the maximum calming effect of the CBD edibles after two to three hours. The good news is your anxiety subsides for a good three to five hours up to 12 hours, depending on the total dose.
Cannabinoid Content
The potency of the cannabis edibles also depends on the total dosage or percentage of THC available. For instance, most edibles offer 2.5mg, 5mg, and 10mg of THC dosage per serving.
Therefore, if you are a beginner, a dosage of 5mg is a good starting point. Furthermore, you can gradually increase the quantity.
Moreover, sublingual edibles such as drops, lozenges, and other candies dissolve in your mouth quickly. This way, the cannabinoids can enter the bloodstream more quickly.
However, the digestive tract needs to break down chewable edibles such as gummies, pretzels, and brownies.
Quality
In addition to the strain type and cannabinoid dose, the quality is another important factor determining the edible hit. For instance, organic marijuana plants are certainly richer in cannabinoids, trichomes, and other terpenes to improve your mode for a longer time.
Tolerance Level
The psychoactive effect of marijuana edibles also depends on an individual’s tolerance level. For instance, a stoner sobers up fast compared to a person who has never had any cannabis.
Dosage
Generally speaking, 2.5 to 5 mg of THC content in edibles is considered a small dose. The average edibles contain around 10 to 15 mg of THC content, whose edibles kick triggers within a couple of hours. However, any edible dose above 20mg THC is higher and not recommended.
If you are a newbie, you can find different THC edibles that come with a lower THC dosage of 0.5 mg.
That’s why you can’t measure the exact time for how long edibles last; instead, it varies from person to person due to the few factors discussed above. Similarly, consuming marijuana edibles on an empty stomach leads to more immediate effects than having a cookie as a dessert after a complete meal.
How Long Does an Edible High Last Based on Types of Cannabis Edibles?
Lucky for you, there is a huge variety of marijuana edibles ranging from sweet to savory. The euphoric effects of these edibles are based on the THC content, quantity, and types.
Baked Goods
It’s a tough choice to decide between cookies or brownies if you have a sweet tooth. However, you can use additional cannabis oil as a cherry on top to increase the potency of the THC edibles.
Candies
Weed-infused candies and gummies are gaining popularity these days. It’s because they are convenient, tasty, and of course, potent. Even one gummy bear is enough to make you feel happy and relaxed.
However, if you don’t feel high, it’s better to wait for two to three hours before taking another gummy bear. It’s always better to be safer to prevent unwanted side effects and prolonged intense effects.
Mints
If you want to go for low-effect edibles, cannabis mints are a perfect choice. For example, you can safely go for mints with 5mg or 10 mg of THC content if you are a beginner. Furthermore, you should wait for at least 24 hours before taking another mint.
How Long Do Marijuana Edibles Last on Shelf?
The shelf life of the candies and gummies is undoubtedly longer than the chocolates. So you need to store the chocolate bar in the refrigerator if you don’t want to melt and ruin them.
Similarly, baked edibles have the shortest shelf life than any other marijuana edibles.
That’s why you need to carefully select the type of edibles before buying them in bulk. For instance, if you want to stock marijuana edibles, candies, and gummies should be your first choice.
Another important question here is how long do edibles last THC? The cannabinoids degrade with the time that leading to lesser potency. That’s why you should store the edibles in cool and dark places with no sunlight exposure to prolong the shelf life.
Benefits of Consuming Edibles Over Smoking Cannabis
Many people prefer marijuana edibles over smoking or vaping because of the following benefits:
- Lungs Health – Smoking marijuana can irritate the throat and lungs. Moreover, regular weed smoking can lead to serious respiratory problems such as chronic bronchitis.
- Longer Duration – As mentioned earlier, edibles certainly take longer to produce the psychoactive effect. Nonetheless, the good news is you stay relaxed for a relatively long time compared to smoking or vaping cannabis.
- Convenience – You no longer need to buy a bong, glass grinder, or rolling paper to smoke marijuana. Eating edibles is an affordable option to consume weed without any hassle.
- No Bad Smell – The sharp and pungent smell of marijuana makes people suspicious of you. However, consuming edibles is a safe and clean option to enjoy the euphoric effects of marijuana.
How Long do Edibles Last THC? Best Way To Consume Edibles
- If you are a beginner who hasn’t eaten a cannabis-infused gummy bear before, it’s better to start with a 5 mg THC dosage.
- The average dosage is usually 10mg, while higher doses of more than 15 mg are for experienced stoners.
- The key is to start slow and gradually increase the dose. Furthermore, you should never take the second dose within two hours of your first dose ever.
- You can feel the euphoric effect for a maximum of 10 hours, but usually, the edible kick lasts between six to eight hours.
- If you feel high for a couple of days after consuming an edible, it means you have taken a higher dosage than recommended.
- For example, an edible with 20 percent THC content is equivalent to smoking three grams of marijuana in a single sitting, which is undoubtedly quite a higher dose.
Closing with the Edibles Kicks
To sum up, the average high effect of marijuana edibles lasts for four to six hours, depending on the THC potency and dosage. The desired effect of the edibles may be delayed; however, it’s more potent, keeping you high for a longer time than smoking or vaping marijuana.
Edibles are gaining popularity within the cannabis community because they are affordable, accessible, and easy to consume. You no longer need to prepare the whole setup to smoke weed with your friends. Instead, you can snack on edibles and enjoy!