Warnings About Marijuana Edibles

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Why You Need to be Careful When Consuming Marijuana Edibles

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Medical marijuana and the CBD industry continue to grow and gain in popularity, and there are several different ways a person can consume medical marijuana or CBD. For example, people can vape the compounds, smoke cannabis, or take CBD as an organic tincture. Medical marijuana and CBD edibles, which are two different products, are an extremely popular way for people to consume the natural cannabinoid compounds present in the plant. Although marijuana compounds are used in many parts of the U.S. for medicinal purposes, no substance is 100% safe. Consumers do need to be aware of how to safely consume marijuana edibles.

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It is, unfortunately, possible to overeat marijuana edibles and become sick as a result. The compound in marijuana edibles, THC, has many effects on the human body. One adverse effect it can produce when taken in abundance is anxiety and paranoia. Also, THC is a compound that can cause the body to build up a tolerance level. THC can also show up on an employer drug screen, so users who need to get drug tested for work should probably steer clear of cannabis edibles that include THC compounds.

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How long have marijuana edibles been around?

Consuming cannabis as an edible is a practice that’s been around for thousands of years since people first began to understand how marijuana impacts the body. Historians believe that the first people to eat cannabis were ancient Chinese emperors. The ancient Hindu created a cannabis drink called bhang – a blend of milk, garam masala, cannabis, and ginger. The classic stories in 1001 Nights feature edible hash throughout the text. Although the book was written and published in the early 1700s, the collection of Arabic folktales in the book have roots dating back to 800 A.D.

In the early and mid-1800s, Romantics, poets, artists, and other European intellectuals like Alexander Dumas and Victor Hugo would mix edible hashish in with their coffee, and they even founded a club with the term “hashish eaters” in the name. So, eating cannabis and marijuana byproducts is not a new phenomenon. The only thing “new” about marijuana edibles is their ever-changing and polarizing legal status.

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When marijuana was banned in the early 1900s, the knowledge people used to have about how much marijuana to consume, when to consume it, and how to make a safe marijuana edible was lost. Today, there is a significant lack of shared understanding about how to consume cannabis, and people also don’t have a uniform understanding of necessary safety precautions when it comes to making and eating cannabis edibles.

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How are edibles made?

Marijuana edibles are made when a type of cooking oil is infused into the activated cannabis. Certain cannabinoid compounds in the marijuana plant aren’t activated unless they are heated to a specific temperature. That’s why a person can’t just eat a cannabis flower or bud and get the effects. The compounds must be cooked first or activated, and then consumed.

Cannabis compounds are fat-soluble, which means they will melt into a fatty substance like oil. Most marijuana edibles are infused with butter, coconut oil, milk, or olive oil. The oils are infused with the compounds when both the cannabis buds and the oil are cooked over low heat for an extended period. It is possible for someone to activate dried cannabis buds in the oven by baking the flowers at a low temperature. While it’s true that cannabis compounds need heat to activate, too much heat will burn the compounds. Also, cannabis compounds cooked at too high of a temperature will be inactive. Most marijuana edible recipes call for heating the flowers at temps below 340 degrees Fahrenheit.

Are edibles more potent than smoking marijuana?

Marijuana edibles are more potent than smoked marijuana. The reason why edibles are more potent is because of the way the body metabolizes the cannabinoid compounds in an edible, versus smoked cannabis.

When someone smokes cannabis, the activated cannabinoid compounds are absorbed by the lungs and then into the bloodstream. Once absorbed, the compounds travel throughout the body and then enter fatty tissues where they bind to endocannabinoid receptors that are found in the body naturally. The brain is home to most of the human body’s endocannabinoid receptors.

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After inhaling marijuana, the effects will peak about a half hour after a person smokes the substance. At most, the experience will last for three hours. But eating a marijuana edible will give someone a much different, more powerful experience.

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Once eaten, a marijuana edible must be digested and then absorbed through the intestinal tract. The liver has to metabolize the marijuana enzymes next before the person feels any effects. This can take anywhere from one to two hours.

The primary compound in marijuana that gets someone high is called THC. When cannabis is eaten, the liver breaks THC down into a smaller compound called 11-hydroxy-THC. Because this is a smaller THC byproduct, it is thought that the brain can more easily absorb this compound than THC, giving someone a more powerful experience, that’s also longer-lasting than if someone were to smoke marijuana.

Can someone overeat marijuana?

Because marijuana edibles take longer to absorb, it is possible for someone to eat more than they should. They may mistakenly believe that the product they consumed didn’t do anything, and they will eat a second dose. When actually, the first product needed a bit more time to metabolize fully.

Can someone O.D. on a marijuana edible?

Unfortunately, it is possible to overeat marijuana. While overeating marijuana isn’t fatal, it can be a distressing and unpleasant experience. Panic attacks and extreme paranoia are common symptoms of consuming too much cannabis.

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Do people go to the E.R. for adverse reactions to marijuana edibles?

E.R. visits for adverse reactions to marijuana have risen in recent years, with marijuana edibles as the primary culprit.

What can someone do if they consume too much marijuana?

The body will eventually metabolize and breakdown the THC in marijuana responsible for adverse reactions. This can take several hours, and resting and being sure to stay hydrated can help calm anxiety while someone waits it out. Taking a CBD isolate can also counteract some of the adverse effects of THC.

Hugs offers a line of high-quality CBD products for cannabis enthusiasts. All products are lab-tested for dosing accuracy and quality. Shop online at Hugs today and have CBD delivered discreetly to your home.

Last updated September 12, 2019

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