There’s no easy guide for what edible dosage is right for you. The edible dosage for beginners differs from what an experienced user will need, but it is relatively straightforward to learn once you know where to start.
Edibles are absorbed through your digestive system, which is different from other forms of cannabis intake.
It’ll take a little longer to settle in, but once it does, it will generally be a stronger and longer high—that is, once you figure out the proper dosage.
Here are a few key things to know as you gauge your cannabis edible dosage.
Edible Dosage Chart by Milligrams and Strength
THC is the chemical in cannabis that gets you high, so all of your edibles will have the THC content on the package and the CBD content if it has any.
Just how many milligrams (mg) of THC should you start with? That depends on how acquainted you are with pot and its effects on your body. Here’s a guide for those looking to gauge where to start:
| Usage Level | Dosage |
| Beginners | 1 to 5 mg |
| Frequent smokers | 2 to 12 mg |
| Familiar with edibles | 10 to 30 mg |
| High tolerance | 30+ mg |
If in doubt, always err on the side of caution since it’s really easy to eat too much too fast.
Cannabis edibles can cause anxiety, especially if it’s your first time and you took too much, but rest assured- there are no health risks with higher exposure, and although you may be uncomfortable, it will go away with time.
Remember, the effects of edibles can be much different from that of smoking or vaping. A good rule of thumb is that half a joint will be a similar high as a 10mg edible, but it’s not an exact science. It’s not so easy to suss out a typical edible dosage.
That’s why seasoned users recommend 5 – 10 mg as a starting point. If, after two hours, that doesn’t have the desired effect, try another 5 mg, and see how that feels. Even if this seems too little, try experimenting gradually before diving in on your next attempts—sometimes, how much food you have in your stomach or the type of edible can affect the experience.
Overall, the effects of an edible dosage fall roughly like this:
Mild Effect: 2-12 mg
Depending on your experience with marijuana, this amount should present a relatively mild high. You’ll likely feel a relief of pain, stress, and anxiety, but you won’t be so overcome by the THC’s psychoactive elements to suffer couch lock.
Medium Effect: 3-30 mg
That’s a pretty big spread for a reason—once you’re going for anything more than a mild effect, the range of tolerance gets much broader. In this range, you can expect more substantial relief of any pain, euphoria, and likely impaired coordination and perception. Some unaccustomed users may start to experience adverse side effects like anxiety.
Strong Effect: 30 mg and beyond
The edible dosage for those with a high tolerance can be much more than what’s listed here- some edibles go as high as 1000 mg THC! But for other people, 30 mg is the top of the scale. High dose edibles will elicit powerful feelings of euphoria (and, potentially, apprehension and rapid heartbeat). Perception and coordination will be very off from what you’re accustomed to when sober.
Flower vs. Concentrates: which edibles are easier to make?
Image courtesy of Loto Labs.
When making your own edibles, there is one main difference between using dried flower vs. concentrates or extracts- concentrates and extracts are typically made in a lab, so you won’t be able to make them yourself from scratch.
Without the proper equipment and expertise, making extracts at home can actually be quite dangerous!
That is why edibles made with them are more likely to be found in pre-made products such as Mota’s ever-popular Cola Bottle gummies, whereas edibles derived from flower are the type you can make in your kitchen.
But that’s not to say you can’t use concentrates or distillate in your cannabis cooking! While we recommend that you don’t try making them at home, you can buy concentrates online to use in your cooking, which is easier than making cannabutter and won’t make your kitchen smell like weed.
Check out our guide to everything edibles, where you’ll learn how to make cannabutter, that legendary staple when it comes to cannabis-infused cooking.
But perhaps the most significant variation between the two comes from the body experience you’ll get. Using full flower in your butter or oil will have a fuller effect because you’re cooking with the full spectrum of cannabinoids in the plant. That also means more variation from bite to bite—you won’t be able to ensure every part of your dish will have the same amount of potency.
Extracts, on the other hand, provide more consistency in their dosage.
They can dial in on specific cannabinoids, which means companies can even target certain effects with their distillate. That means the potency of a single edible gummies dosage will be more reliable in how much cannabis you’re consuming.
In either case, you can’t always trust the taste. Weed has a pretty pungent flavour, so your homemade goods might just taste dank no matter what, but distillation can strip the cannabis of its flavours. Your palate can’t always tell what a middleman has fine-tuned for the “optimal” edible experience.
How Does My Weight Factor In?
Just like with other drugs or alcohol, your physicality will impact the effects of the edible. Someone who weighs closer to 100 pounds and hasn’t eaten all day will feel a much stronger effect faster than someone with a full stomach who weighs more.
As with all marijuana or CBD products, it’s not a simple equation. Your metabolism and prior experience with weed will also affect how high you feel. Even if you’ve simply taken a tolerance break, your relationship to edibles might be different from before.
How Long Do Edibles Last?
How long the effects of an edible will last also depend on your body, but here are some things to keep in mind about the longevity of an edible:
- Because you’re absorbing the weed through your digestive system rather than your lungs, it’ll take longer to kick in. Depending on your digestion rate, the entire process to “feel” the edible could take anywhere between 45 minutes and three hours.
- The peak usually lasts anywhere from two to five hours. Depending on your dosage, you should be careful about what activities you attempt to take on during that time, like driving or operating heavy machinery.
- The total amount of time it’s in your system is longer than you’ll feel high—there’ll be a period of after-effects that stretches potentially up to 12 hours. You’ll likely feel high after six hours, but it will not be as close to peak hours.
- Even with the same edibles, your experiences might differ from one time to the next. It will depend on a variety of factors, so you should always start slow.
For more information on how long the weed high lasts for edibles, smoking, and vaping cannabis, click here.
Conclusion
When trying to find the right edible dosage, it’s crucial not to take too much. It’s better to take a wait-and-see approach since once an edible kicks in, there’s no turning back!
The strength of an edible is measured in milligrams of THC, and edibles can range from as low as 1 mg THC to 1000 mg and more.
If you’re making your own, you’ve got plenty of options, and while you can make your own cannabutter, you shouldn’t make your own extracts.
Keep in mind that factors like weight and the time since you last ate can affect how high you get and that the high can last anywhere from two hours or more- it depends on the THC content.
Our menu has an array of delicious edibles, and if you’re not sure what to get, contact our team at [email protected]. They’d be happy to help you and recommend the best edibles for your needs.
Resources
Leafly: Edibles dosage chart: How strong is your cannabis-infused edible?.
