We're living in the golden age of cannabis-infused edibles. Dispensaries carry everything from the traditional brownie to off-the-wall products like infused fruit syrups and bath bombs. Home chefs can throw together tasty cannabis treats like gummies, muffins or popsicles with ease (by the way those recipes, and more, are available on Inlander.com).
Infused products aren't just a way to make food a little more fun; they provide a completely different experience than one would find through smoking cannabis.
Smoking gives you a short, sweet and immediate high. Edibles give you a long, strong high that comes on after 30 minutes or more and can last for six-plus hours.
This means, for inexperienced consumers, edibles can seem more intimidating than a quick puff of a joint. If one puff isn't enough, you'll be able to tell right away and go back for another. With edibles, though, you won't know how the dose will impact you for a while, and if you double up too quickly, you might find yourself in over your head.
"Low and slow is the golden rule. Start with a small dose, 5 to 10 milligrams is what is recommended and wait at least two to three hours to see how you feel," Brandon St Germain, district leader at Cannabis & Glass explains. "The way some people metabolize THC through the liver is very different."
Don't let this freak you out, though. Edibles are stronger, but also healthier than smoking cannabis.
The lungs are great at delivering THC to your brain, but they're not meant to be doing that. Inhaling smoke of any kind isn't exactly good for you. With edibles, you're sparing your lungs. These days, with a respiratory virus pandemic bringing society to a near halt, sparing your lungs every now and then isn't too bad of an idea.
"Edibles are a great way to get high," St Germain says. "They're also a lot easier to use. No extra paraphernalia to buy, no mess, no ash, no lighter, and most importantly for a lot of people, no smell."