The benefits and disadvantages of cannabis edibles
If you are looking for a method of consumption that is less harmful for your lungs in order to completely quit smoking, edibles are for you ! However, like any mode of consumption, they have their advantages and disadvantages which we will discuss here. Find out if they are right for you or not, and if so, how to consume them effectively.
For those who like to consume cannabis but would not cause damage to their lungs, cannabis edibles would probably be the ideal mode of consumption. This also applies to people who want to be able to consume while remaining discreet, without providing smoke.
But even if the benefits of edibles are many, there are also disadvantages…
Basics to know about cannabis edibles
The main difference between edibles and cannabis flowers for smoking is in how they enter the body. After consuming edibles, CBD and THC make their way to the bloodstream through the digestive system. So it is necessary to wait a little before feeling the effects acting on your body.
Edibles come in many shapes, sizes, and flavors. The most popular are space cakes, cookies or brownies that you may have already had the opportunity to try ! Today, cannabis edibles can be found in the form of gummies, lollipops, and other treats. et autres friandises.
If you're not a big fan of sweet treats, there are other equally tasty and indulgent options like cannabis-infused pasta sauces, or even pizza. If you don't want to get too much high, CBD edibles are also a good way to satisfy your cravings and needs.
Here is the article about it :
Well, I can reassure you right away, you don't eat your hash or your weed directly like you would taste a piece of chocolate ! It would be stupid... Cannabis must be prepared beforehand, heated to a certain temperature (which we will see just after) then infused for a certain time in a fatty substance such as butter, olive oil or coconut oil…. Read more
The benefits of cannabis edibles
To start, let's talk about the benefits of eating edibles, and there are plenty. For these reasons, it's easy to see why so many people prefer this method of consuming cannabis over others.
a festival of choices and flavors
This is the most obvious reason, and for many, the most important of all! Food is a completely different and profound experience in itself. The emotions felt when you eat a piece of cake are totally different from those felt when you enjoy a good plate of Bolognese pasta.
It is same thing with cannabis edibles cannabis. They provide a deeper experience in terms of flavors, textures and varieties compared to smokeable products.Your taste buds won't react with the same satisfaction to smoking a joint as they do to enjoying a good piece of brownies.
Add to that the endless ways to prepare edibles. Whether you bake, blend, infuse in butter or in coconut oil, the possibilities are endless !
an awesome discretion
What a joy to be able to consume cannabis any time and in any place without getting the feeling of having to hide. Because even in places where the consumption of THC cannabis is legal, you cannot always light a joint freely when you want to.
Même la vaporisation supposée plus discrète ne peut, ne peut être pratiquée in public without attracting the attention of other people due to the vapor and smell.
You obviously won't have these problems with cannabis edibles. You can bring cannabis gummies on a plane without alerting airport security. You can walk into a movie theater with a bag of cannabis butter infused popcorn without problem to maximize your movie experience.
You can even ask your grandmother to take a bite of your space cake to help ease her pain without notice her. But I definitely don't recommend it at all, always tell the people with who you share your cannabis-infused creations toavoid bad surprises ! !
Regardless, if you plan on eating THC edibles in public, keep in mind to consume an appropriate dosage just to be safe... Does not matter if it's THC or CBDI wish you a good deep relaxation !
much less harmful for your lungs
Smoking tobacco remains the worst thing you can inflict on your lungs. It brings no benefit for health santé and is the cause of seven million deaths a year worldwide.
Cannabis users have a hard time admitting that this method of consumption is really bad, but that doesn't stop them from smoking. Admittedly, there is not enough evidence to establish a direct link with chronic lung disease.
However, studies have successfully linked smoking marijuana to more "mild" problems like wheezing or coughing.This is due to the fact that tobacco contains countless toxic substances that are bad for the human body, unlike cannabis what is more natural.
Whereas with ediblesthese problems are non-existent. You can consume as many cannabis-infused cookies as you like without compromising your respiratory system in any way. If you are someone with lung problems, or a medical cannabis user in general, this allows you to continue having fun freely with cannabis without damaging your health.
A different effect
Earlier in this article, we mentioned how CBD/THC enters the body through a different way than when ingested orally. The exact method is a bit more complicated.
CBD (cannabidiol) is a no-psychoactive molecule from hemp, also called cannabis. Unlike the second molecule in the plant called Delta-9 TetraHydroCannabinol or THC, CBD doesn't have high effects so it doesn't make you addict.Its consumption is now legal in France but .... Read more
But at the end, after eating cannabis edible, the THC and CBD are converted at different still more potent compounds that provide a different and stronger sensation than smoked cannabis.
In most cases, the psychotropic and/or relaxing effect is longer with an average duration of around six to eight hours. That's a lot longer than the three-hour euphoria or relaxation that smoked cannabis provides.
According to people, it can be a pleasant or an unbearable experience to live if you consume THC. Hence the importance of not doing anything when it comes to dosing your cannabis with your food !
I assure you, no "intoxication" is possible with CBD, this molecule does not make you out of control. On the contrary, it will offer you a rest and a moment of well-being without being too intrusive.
no material needed
Smoking cannabis and a very specific ritual specific to each person. Although the processes vary depending on your preferred method, these involve at least two steps.
Do you prefer bongs? You will first need to fill fthe chamber with water, grind some weed and light it. Smoking a bowl is a little easier, but you still need to complete the last two steps. Rolling a joint is a whole art and a whole job to do in itself that can sometimes require more organization than you think.
Consuming cannabis in the form of a food proudct will be much simpler and rapide.You take a bite and let time pass while you wait for the cannabis to kick in. No need to light, grind or roll !
inexpensive to make at home
Any product you buy from a THC or CBD retail store will cost you more. This markup is how companies make money on their sales.
This applies to any type of consumer, including cannabis edibles. Cookies, tinctures, oils and other consumables have a much higher price. If you have a tight budget, buying a box of space cakes for 18 euros may not be the thing you want the most.
The good news is that you can enjoy the same edibles for a much cheaper price if you make them at home. For example, for a cookie recipe, you will only need a few grams of quality THC or CBD flower depending on the dose you need. The rest of the ingredients can be found in your cupboards and refrigerator.
The disadvantages of cannabis edibles
Now, let's look at the challenges you may encounter with cannabis edibles. For those who are still thinking before trying the experiment, here are the disadvantages you should keep in mind.
Difficult to always obtain the same power
There is a mathematical formula to follow to estimate the amount of CBD/THC in your edibles. Take the CBD or THC percentage of the strain you're using and multiply that per 1000 (because there's 1000mg in a gram). From there you will get the amount of cannabinoids in milligrams.
So if you're working with an 18% THC strain, one gram of dried bud contains around 180 mg of THC. You can now use this information to determine the total amount of CBD or THC in your recipe and the approximate amount that each dose contains.
Also keep in mind that many regulated cannabis markets only allow 20 mg of THC (where it's legal) per dose so it is better to stick to this limit to avoid any bad experience.
I remind you once again, with CBD, you won't have this problem of space cake too powerful because the effects are not psychotropics and cannot make you " sick "! But, they will give you a more pronounced release and rest without being too intrusive.
When you make edibles at home, it is better to do all the math necessary to get the right amount of THC per dose because this can have serious consequences on your experience if it is not mastered.
the effect takes longer to be felt
Any marijuana smoker knows how fast euphoria or depression can lead to deep relaxation It only takes two to ten minutes to feel a sense of euphoria, calm and the sudden urge to gulp on whatever food you have on hand.
With cannabis edibles, it's the exact opposite. You won't feel anything for about 30 minutes after consumption. For some people it will take a whole hour before they start noticing a difference.
This is all related to what is known as the “first pass effect”. Once in the body, CBD and THC pass through the digestive system before reaching to the liver. The liver then does its job breaking down the cannabinoids just as it does any other substance.
That said, when smoking, the smoke diffuses through the alveoli of the lungs and quickly into the bloodstream where it can penetrate the blood-brain barrier and produce its psychotropics or relaxing effects.
This is where some people make the mistake of eating more than they should. Even before realizing it, they feel like they have been propelled into another dimension. This is where the experience becomes unpleasant, even dangerous! Here is another article that explains this phenomenon in more detail :
After have tried several experiments in the world of cannabis, you probably realized that eating cannabis edibles provides much stronger beaucoup effects than when you smoke it. Putting a little bit of weed in your cookies can make the experience much more pleasant in terms of power and duration …. Read more
The quality of edibles purchased in some stores may be random
In European country like France, there are many regulations that will force traders to wisely respect the doses of CBD in mg contained in their edible products. California also does it for THC, and that's a good thing.
This is not the case with everywhere you can travel ! Some cannabis edibles bought in a country like Amsterdam or Barcelona for example may seem delectable and chewy at first glance. But it's only after taking the first bite that you find out how dry and poor quality it is.
No way to know in advance the quality of the ingredients used, or if the infusion was done properly. In this case, try to ask people who already have tested the products of the store concerned or to taste directly if it's possible to ensure the quality !
cooking edibles requires knowing how to plan your time
As we mentioned earlier, making your own batch of edibles at home is the best option. But this also entails disadvantages.
Making cannabis-infused cookies or brownies isn't as easy as making a classic recipe. Cannabis butter, for example, requires the famous decarboxylation step which will take you a bit of time, like the infusion. Even if you have ready-made cannabis butter, there are still multiple steps to follow…
Yes, consuming edible cannabis is child's play compared to rolling a joint. But if we talk more in depth about the processes of their manufacture, things get slightly more complicated. Planning your time and knowing how to organize yourself will greatly help you in the realization of your edibles !
it may be more difficult to manage his "high"
This part concerns foods with THC mainly but the principle stays the same for CBD, just the effects are different as you probably already know. Consumption of cannabis edibles is done orally. Your taste buds are stimulated as you experience your moment of rest or euphoria.
As you try to navigate your psychotropicjourney, you can easily loose tracking of how much you've consumed. If these cookies turn out to be very tasty, you can easily find yourself eating a few more.
Then, before you even know it, you've embarked on an adventure that you won't be able to get rid of for a few hours.
Yes, all THC edibles usually come with a recommended dose, which is even listed on their packaging when it's purchased from a store. But when you're in the thick of it, it can get a little harder to stick to and follow. You will learn from your mistakes if this situation were to happen to you !
Once again I prefer to repeat, but excessive consumption of cannabis edibles containing only CBD cannot bring you to an uncontrollable state of euphoria but to a more pronounced relaxing and soothing state !
do not leave within the reach of everyone
You won't be able to tell the difference between regular brownies THC-infused brownies, and CBD-infused brownies just by looking them. If you don't know they can send you to the moon, it's possible to inadvertently abuse THC .
Cannabis edibles containing THC can be dangerous for pets, children and those unfamiliar with cannabis.. So be careful where you leave your THC.
If THC can be dangerous for children and animals, CBD is sometimes recommended to be used to calm the pain of your animals and children. So it is not really dangerous to leave your packet of CBD candies lying around on the corner of the table because it is not harmful for anyone !
craft edibles intelligently
Like all good things in life, cannabis edibles have their advantages and disadvantages. But if you're careful, you can easily avoid the nasty side effects of THC that they can inflict.
The main thing is to dose correctly. If you are using cannabis for the first time, it is better to follow what may be stated on the packaging or take a small bite if your THC edible is homemade. Once you know more about your body's reaction to these molecules, you may be able to increase your dosages.
Do not forget to consult the list of “standard” doses if you are scared about taking cannabis edibles available on this article.
In the meantime, I wish you a smooth and pleasant experience !
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