Cannabis edibles are usually cannabis brownies or otherwise baked goods infused with THC content or cannabis. Edibles have a range of varieties you could use, including chocolate candy, gummies, candy bars, beverages, cannabis brownies, and others. Thus, you get to pick whatever form of cannabis that suits you.
Usually, the shelf life of weed edibles depends on the dosage and other factors. Firstly, eating edibles from potent strains could have a long-lasting effect on your body. However, you will usually feel the “high” effects about 30 minutes to one hour after consuming cannabis. In this article, we will tell you how long it takes for the effects of these edibles to become noticeable and the duration to which they last.
What Are Cannabis Edibles?
A cannabis edible, otherwise known as a cannabis-infused food or simply an edible, is a food product with decarboxylated cannabinoid obtained from cannabis extract as one of its active ingredients. Although edibles refer to either food or drinks, you may call a cannabis-infused drink a drinkable or liquid edible.
Edibles are a perfect option for enjoying the effects of weed if you do not like smoking or vaping cannabis. Unlike vaping or smoking cannabis, in which cannabinoids get inhaled directly into the lungs and move rapidly to the bloodstream, edibles have a different approach. For smoking or vaping, you will usually feel the desired effect in about ten minutes, and the effects wear off in a matter of hours. Instead, edibles seem to take hours to make their way to your digestive system, where they get absorbed. Hence, you may only feel their peak effects a few hours after consumption. Also, edibles have longer-lasting effects, which may persist for over six hours, depending on the quantity consumed, the amount per mg of THC in the product, and other factors.
Most edibles have a significant amount of THC, which tends to induce several effects. The effects may include sleepiness, relaxation, dizziness, euphoria, dry mouth, depersonalization, or derealization. Depending on the cannabis products you consume, you may also enjoy paranoia, decreased or increased anxiety, or hallucination at high doses.
Edibles with more THC are typically used for medical and recreational purposes. Some edibles, however, contain a low dose of THC and other more dominant cannabinoids, which may most commonly be CBD (cannabidiol). These edibles’ main and most noticeable effect is that they have longer-lasting and more intense effects than smoked or vaped cannabis. Foods and drinks prepared from non-psychoactive cannabis products are typically called hemp foods.
What Are the Effects of Edibles?
Edibles typically produce effects that last longer compared to smoking or vaping. Unlike smoking, the effects of edibles kick in hours after ingestion. The different forms of cannabinoids may affect cannabinoid digestion and metabolism rate. Also, the effects may vary based on individual differences.
Oral administration usually leads to two concentration peaks due to enterohepatic circulation. However, the common side effects of using edibles include dry mouth, increased appetite, and bloodshot eyes.
Possible Effects of Consuming Edibles
Cannabis edibles may have delta-9 THC, which offers psychoactive effects (euphoria and a feeling of relaxation), and CBD, which gives its effects without any psychoactive properties. The effects of CBD may include decreased inflammation, analgesia, anti-seizure effects, and decreased spasticity.
Edibles containing CBD can reduce psychosis symptoms and anxiety in consumers. Additionally, edible oils, tinctures, gummies, and pills tend to work for people with cancer to potentially increase their appetite, reduce their pain, or help to manage their weight loss and other symptoms. Also, these edibles may help with pain and muscle spasms.
Side Effects
While these edibles have good qualities, some users have noted that they could offer adverse effects too. Some harmful effects of using these edibles include hallucinations, confusion, panic attacks, intense psychotic effects, paranoia, and other health conditions. Cannabis brownie administration may also cause short-term impairments in memory, cognition, coordination, alertness, and balance. Thus, cannabis brownies could increase the risk of falls, especially in the older population.
An overdose may occur due to a large dose per mg of THC in these products. It is more difficult to make practical considerations on overdose if you do not have the proper lab equipment to determine the amount of THC in a product. Thus, all states that allow cannabis-infused products require the manufacturers to indicate the cannabis dosage on the label.
Overdoses could cause behavioral impairments like nausea, impaired mobility, and paranoia. Other risks due to long-term usage of these products could include heart dysfunction, cognitive and memory impairment, and damage to psychiatric health. Using marijuana edibles for long-term recreational purposes could also cause cognitive impairments and lead to a medical condition known as cannabis use disorder (CUD). Symptoms of cannabis use disorder may include decreased concentration, loss of motivation, loss of interest in other activities, increased tolerance levels, and dependence.
Types of Edibles
There are other cannabis edible types you could encounter while using these products. As stated earlier, these include food, drink, tincture, edibles, and capsules.
Food
Fats are the most important building blocks for all foods containing cannabis. Hence, you can convert any food containing oil, butter, milk, or fatty substance into an edible. Examples of cannabis-infused products include potato chips, candy, and more.
Although you may not find it easy to distinguish between regular food and those containing cannabinoids, you can see that those containing the substance usually have a slightly green outlook. Also, they often emit a faint smell characteristic of all weed products. Furthermore, you may experience mild cannabis or grassy flavor depending on the quantity of weed used in producing these goods. Cannabis-infused brownies may contain cocoa solids which form a polysubstance combination.
Drinks
A cannabis-infused drink contains THC and can be generally effective as cannabis-infused foods. Some states within the U.S have legalized cannabis for recreational use. Hence, you can enjoy these drinks in the form of coffee, soda, tea, and alcohol. You will experience the same risks and advantages as if you used weed foods.
Tincture
Tinctures are as potent as the other products we have considered. These tinctures are alcohol-based extracts that follow the oral fluid cannabinoid pharmacokinetics principle. Moreover, one interesting thing about these products is that you can absorb them through the mouth and tongue.
You can place these CBD tinctures under your tongue using a dropper to allow absorption into your bloodstream. Also, you can add tinctures to other foods if you do not wish to use the sublingual absorption technique. These tinctures tend to provide more control compared to eating edibles and taking drinks. Also, they provide much relief and boost your morale like energy drinks.
Dissolved Cannabis Powder
One characteristic feature of a dissolved cannabis powder is its odorless and tastelessness. Also, it tends to elicit effects typical of all other marijuana edibles. These powders are water-soluble. Hence, you can easily mix them with drinks and food.
Unlike native edibles, which need a higher tolerance level and a great deal of cannabis infusion to show their effects, these powders only take a few minutes for their effects to become visible. You will feel more effects with these powders because they have more solubility. Also, updating the powders through the digestive tract supports rapid movement into the bloodstream and mucus membranes. Consequently, you will feel the effects on your body. The effects also depend on how much THC is in the product. Additionally, the effects may depend on a few factors that influence the absorption of these products.
CBD Edibles
CBD edibles are some of the best forms of weed you could enjoy. These products do not contain psychoactive effects and are also non-intoxicating. They usually contain a small dose of THC, making the edibles work better. These products provide the effects of weed without the response observed when using THC. Hence, wellness professionals always prefer the product to others on the market.
Capsules
Cannabis capsules are edibles because they metabolize in your gut. You will also feel the same effects as when eating an edible made into hard candy. The product also dissolves in your digestive system to relieve chronic pain, offer relaxation, and help you sleep better. Capsules may either contain THC or CBD, depending on the manufacturer. Additionally, they are the more convenient way of medical cannabis administration.
Ingredients Used in Making These Edibles
Like smoking or vaping, these products also have ingredients used in their production.
Oil
Canna oil or weed oil is a product that blends weed with any cooking oil. Also, you can use the oil for baking. However, most people use the oil for dressings, making sauces, or cooking food.
Butter
Cannabutter, or cannabis butter, is unsalted butter blended with water and cannabis. You can steep the cleaned and dried buds in oil or melted butter preparation for consumption. You can add cannabutter to any baking recipe of your choice without compromising the taste. Moreover, you can also make a weed butter of your own.
Factors Influencing the Effects of Weed Edibles
Compared to the other known methods of ingesting weed, edibles have a higher potency and contain more tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Although they have a very high dose, these products have the same shelf life. Also, edibles kick in later than your regular weed products. While they take longer to kick in, these edibles have more intense psychoactive effects and last longer than other forms of cannabis.
Although smoking or vaping effects take only a few minutes to set in and last for one to three hours, eating an edible requires patience because it will take about 60-90 minutes to feel the effects. However, once felt, the effects from edibles last from six to eight hours.
You can find these tasty THC products in fruit bars, candies, brownies, and other options. Also, these edibles contain the same dose as their counterparts. Certain factors influence the effects of these products and make them last longer. They include:
Type of Cannabis Edible
The type of edible you consume will affect the onset, duration, and length of your weed experience. Also, consuming these edibles on an empty stomach will generally feel more.
Edibles with a higher or too much THC content will have more potent effects, which may vary depending on the quantity of THC in them. Always check the quantity of THC you consume by checking the product label. A high dose begins with a THC content of more than 0.3%. If you see more than 0.3% THC on your product, it will help you not to consume it.
Besides the THC content, the kind of edible you also consume matters. Products like lozenges, hard candy, and gum quickly affect your body because they get absorbed via the mucous membranes in your mouth. Edibles, however, have to travel to your stomach, where they get broken down by the liver. Hence, it takes your body more time to process these products.
The Amount of Food in Your Stomach
It is generally advised that you eat food before consuming edibles. You need to eat food before consuming these edibles because the effects will be more potent if you have not eaten them. Hence, it will tend to hit quicker and harder. Beginners, especially, should always remember to eat food as eating on empty stomachs will make you nauseous and uneasy.
Do not wait to consume an edible before eating. The proper way is to eat and then consume your edible. Eating a meal after consuming your edible may have an effect opposite to what you intend. The food may increase the potency of the edibles in your body. The general rule with edibles is to start with a low dose and wait at least one hour or two to gauge the effects before consuming more. Additionally, increasing the dosage is easier than gradually decreasing it after consuming it.
Your Rate of Metabolism
The effects of cannabis generally increase when your body metabolizes these edibles. Hence, you will only feel the full effects of these products when your body has broken down these hard candies or other forms of edible weed and absorbed them into your bloodstream.
Dispensary edible products usually come from more advanced methods using cannabis distillates like cannabinoid crystals or odorless and flavorless oils. The ingredients are usually infused into your edible for these products to be effective by adding them with a fat bond. The most common additives used include butter or oil. You can also make your oil or cannabutter home instead of dispensary-grade distillates.
Since cannabis is usually digested and processed in your body the same way as regular food, your metabolism rate may also affect your weed experience. If your body has a higher metabolism rate, you will more likely feel the effects of these edibles faster than people with lower metabolic rates. Additionally, the effects will have a shorter duration for people with high metabolism than for those with lower metabolism rates. Cannabis gets processed and broken down faster in people with faster metabolic rates.
Set and Setting
Your environment also has an essential role in the effects of weed on your body. Hence, you should not take your environment lightly when consuming edibles. Sometimes, using the same edible strain on two days gives varying results. When this happens, you need to ask yourself a few questions. First, what was your mood and environment like when you chewed on your edibles? Were you happy, relaxed, or comfortable? Tense, uneasy, or anxious?
Different scenarios tend to affect your high experience. It’s important to check your comfort level before using these products. Maybe you already know that getting high and entering a stuffy room makes you anxious, or maybe you don’t know that the best time to use weed is before bed.
By considering your environment, you can determine the set setting that works best for you. Hence, you can better prepare yourself to enjoy these products’ best high effects.
Delivery Method
Eating edibles, smoking, and vaping all have different effects. Summarily, each delivery method has its unique variables. We mean that eating a pot brownie and vaping will affect you differently. Also, the amount you consume usually varies between the methods of consumption.
Your body processes these products differently depending on the method of consumption. On top of that, high edibles usually last longer than the other delivery methods and reportedly have stronger effects. Note, however, that it is easier to control the effects of your product when vaping or smoking than using your edible products. Also, you will get more effects from orally consuming your oil than from applying it to your joints.
Dose
The dosing is quite tricky, especially when using edibles. Dosing may be the most important factor you need to consider anytime you want to enjoy your product. Too little will feel like you shouldn’t have consumed the product, and too much may overwhelm you with effects until the high wears off. However, hitting that sweet spot works differently and can help you enjoy the benefits of weed.
Cannabinoid Profile
The cannabinoid profile is the best way to determine how the high can affect you. For example, some people love the mind-altering effects of THC, while others find these effects disturbing and prefer other cannabinoids. Such people tend to gravitate towards other cannabinoids like CBD. Cannabinoid profiles are diverse and vary widely depending on strains.
It is quite important to determine the effects of each cannabinoid before fully committing to it. You can determine the effect of each cannabinoid by experimenting. Once you know the cannabinoid that works for you, the next thing is to note the composition and quantity that works best for you. Additionally, you can consider each strain’s THC:CBD ratio since THC enhances CBD. Hence, it is quite possible to have an unpleasant experience with one strain that has a high THC concentration but enjoy THC in another strain with a good CBD:THC ratio.
Terpenes
Terpenes are the lemon in your Haze. They are also the berry in your Kush and the fuel you will find in your Blue Diesel. Terpenes provide the scents we observe in our strains. Additionally, they offer that taste we so enjoy when using these edibles. However, do these terpenes play a vital role in the high effects we experience from our products?
Research on the potential effects of limonene noted that it aids in relieving stress, while linalool may help with relaxed moods. It is intuitive since linalool, for example, also provides lavender’s signature scent, but nobody questions its relaxing effects.
Age and Tolerance
Age also has some effect on the benefits of weed. If you ask people who previously enjoyed weed as youngsters, they will tell you that they can no longer tolerate these products in their old age. While you may think it is because they find it uncool as they age, the truth is that age may have a role to play in how you enjoy your weed.
A study in 2007 on rats noted a significant relationship between age and the effects of weed. Adolescent rats could tolerate the effects of weed better than their adult counterparts, who exhibited more signs of anxiety and stress and suppressed movement. Additionally, no two people have similar characteristics. The same applies to cannabis tolerance. As age affects tolerance, so do other factors such as the frequency of consumption, how long you have used weed, and body chemistry.
It is important to determine your tolerance level to help you know how little or how much weed to consume, especially when consuming with friends and family who have different tolerances.
Contact an Experienced Dispensary to Get Your Weed
In addition to several beverages and cannabis-infused products, our online cannabis shop also has a large selection of sativa and mixed flower, indica, pre-rolled joints, vape pens, concentrates, and accessories. You can choose what works best for you and our lifestyle. Additionally, we have the largest selection of hash concentrates, oil, cannabis, infused topical leaves, lotions, and creams or infused edibles and beverages.
We take pride in giving adult consumers the best information that helps them to enjoy the best choices that meet their needs. Our easy-to-use menu contains THC percentages and gradings that compare the average edible dose and guide you through obtaining products that work best for you. Additionally, our products usually pass the evaluation of some oral fluid screening devices. Our team also prides itself in following cannabis brownie administration protocols when making these products.
We have just the best products if you want something to help energize you or need products to offer pain relief. Moreover, after using our products, many of our product users report positive results like increased appetite, improved moods, better sleep, decreased anxiety, and less inflammation and pain.
We recommend starting with the lowest dose to help you obtain your tolerance level before trying out higher concentrations. By giving you this information about how long edibles last to when you should start noticing the effects, we eliminate guesswork from the adult-use marijuana process. You can think of us as your one-stop shop for the best cannabis deals.
How Long Do Edibles Last?
According to several Healthline media websites, how long edibles last depends on several factors. First, how edibles last depend on how many edibles you consume. The average dose for each edible on the market is one gummy per serving. However, beginners should only use half a gummy to get used to these edibles before using the full edibles. Always note that increasing your concentration is easier than reducing it after taking them.
Another factor that influences the durability of these products is the amount of THC in them. A higher THC level means more psychoactive properties. Hence, if you want to enjoy the psychoactive properties of these products, you can use these products. However, if you do not like these mind-altering properties, you can use products made from CBD. CBD products do not contain these properties. Instead, they offer benefits without any side effects. You can also go for products that combine CBD and THC. Such products allow you to enjoy the mind-altering properties of THC and the calming effects of CBD.
Other factors depend on the kind of edible you consume, the manufacturers, and the legitimacy of these products. It is always good practice to leverage reputable brands that supply the best edibles. Such products have state-of-the-art quality control measures to ensure your safety. Additionally, such brands subject their products to independent third-party laboratory tests. Hence, you will more likely enjoy safe products from these brands than those with no history in the cannabis industry.
Conclusion: Do Edibles Expire?
All edibles have shelf lives that differ. You will usually see an expiration date on edibles you buy from dispensaries or licensed stores. The date indicates when these products become harmful and unpalatable for use. Some baked goods like cookies and brownies tend to become stale in a week or two. However, gummies can stay fresh for months. You can determine the shelf life of your product by checking the labels. You will usually find all the information you need on the leaflet.
