Dosing Edibles: Finding What's Right for You

We all have that one edible story.

You know the one. Your friend offers you a pot brownie at a party and next thing you know you’re curled up on the front lawn wondering if time is real (it’s not) and if your arms still work (they do). And while you’re questioning your existence nestled up to the dirt, your friend is happily eating their second brownie wondering why it hasn’t kicked in yet. I’ll let you decide which friend I am.  

So what’s the deal with edibles? How do you find the happy middle ground between making out with Mother Earth and feeling nothing at all? The good news is, a perfect dose does exist for every single person. The bad news is, it’s not all the same. There is no cookie-cutter amount that works for everyone. What works for you, may not work for your best friend.

Let’s break down how both you and your hypothetical friend can have a lit time. 

What’s your level of experience?

First, be honest with yourself and acknowledge what level of experience you have with cannabis.

Have you never smoked but are curious about edibles? Do you consume cannabis occasionally with friends? Or maybe you’re an expert or a long time medical patient. Once you figure out what category you fall in, that will help determine where you should start. 

What are your goals?

Next, you want to establish what your goals are with edibles.

Are you treating anxiety or chronic pain? Are you trying to giggle for hours and open up your mind? No matter what your goals are, it’s important to set your intention. For instance, let’s say you’ve never had an edible before but you want to try a THC infused cookie to help you sleep. If that’s the case, perhaps you experiment with the highest recommended dose for beginners, but only at night, safely near your cozy bed. Or maybe you smoke a few times a week but want to try ingesting a microdose to get you through dinner with the in-laws without smelling like a freshly smoked joint. If that’s your goal, maybe you start with the lowest recommended dose for intermediate users and wait 2-3 hours before adding a little more.

Establishing your goals can help pinpoint where, when, and how much THC you should be experimenting with.  

What is the recommended dose?

If you’re brand new to cannabis, it’s always a good idea to start lower than you think and build up from there.

The recommended dosage for beginners is roughly 5 milligrams. For more intermediate consumers the recommended dosage is 5-20 milligrams. For anyone who is ready to take it to the next level, try 20 milligrams and up!

And if you find yourself asking, “Is it working?”, give it some time. Edibles can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 3 hours to start taking effect and the effects can last for several hours. Eat too much too soon, and you could find yourself snuggled up with your front lawn, laughing at how the grass tickles your face. No one wants to explain that to their neighbors (trust me).

Experiment!

Now that you have an idea of what dosage may work for you, it’s finally the time we’ve all been waiting for: time to try some edibles! Finding your perfect dosage will take a little trial and error, but with the right mindset and a little research, you’ll find what works best for you.