Marijuana edibles come in many forms: cookies, brownies, gummies, hard candies, mints, lozenges, drinks and capsules. They may be homemade or prepared commercially for sale at dispensaries. These foods are infused with the psychoactive component of cannabis, Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which can make people feel high or euphoric. They are often consumed to treat pain, anxiety and nausea and can help ease symptoms of many medical conditions.
While they have become popular with marijuana edibles weed users because of their ability to provide a high that lasts longer than smoking or vaping, edibles can also pose serious health risks for some. They may contain dangerous amounts of THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis that gets you high. Some can cause you to have a heart attack, if ingested in large quantities. Others can cause stomach upset, hallucinations and other side effects. Moreover, they can interact with other medications, including some prescribed to treat depression, anxiety and other mental disorders.
Ingesting edibles can take up to three hours for the drug to work. This is because the body has to digest the food before the THC can be absorbed into the bloodstream. A person who eats a meal at the same time as an edible should expect the effect to take even longer.
Edibles can be more potent than smoked marijuana, but the amount of THC in your bloodstream depends on how fast your body metabolizes it and what you eat with it. Inhaling marijuana smoke or vapor sends THC to the lungs, where it enters the bloodstream and reaches the brain more quickly. In contrast, THC in edibles is absorbed through the liver and intestines and then into the bloodstream and brain.
Another reason edibles are more dangerous than smoked marijuana is that the THC in them can be concentrated in the fat of the food, which can increase the effects. It can also take more than an hour for the THC to kick in, and it can build up in your system if you keep eating more of the same edible.
Overdoses from edibles are more common than overdoses from smoking marijuana, according to a study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine on March 25. The study found that out of 2,567 marijuana-linked emergency room visits between 2012 and 2016, about 9 percent involved edibles. However, the majority of those cases involved short-term psychiatric problems rather than long-term ones.
In order to avoid overdoses, it is important to use caution when consuming marijuana edibles. You should start with a small dose and wait an hour before consuming more. It is also important to note that the dosage on an edibles label usually refers to a total amount of THC in the entire package, not one specific edible.
The State of Maine requires marijuana-infused edibles to undergo laboratory analysis before they are sold, which tests for THC potency, homogeneity and cannabinoid profiles, as well as residual solvents, pesticides, fungicides, mold and mildew. As more states legalize marijuana for recreational purposes, they need to develop similar testing procedures.