Many people think the only way to consume cannabis is by smoking it, but this is not the case. There are a multitude of ways to ingest cannabis, such as oils, vapes, pills, and edibles. Furthermore, each method of using cannabis affects one’s body in a slightly different fashion. Some methods work instantaneously and wear off relatively quickly, while others take time to kick in and last for a long time. Any smart stoner will have several different forms of cannabis on hand at any given time, prepared for any scenario. Although each method has unique benefits, today we will discuss the advantages of edibles.
Edibles come in all shapes and sizes, from famous pot brownies to bite sized gummies. Edibles are known for taking time to kick in, but once they do they cause a euphoric high that lasts for hours. Although many might see the latent high of edibles as a drawback, it can actually be a huge benefit, one of the many advantages of edibles. However, before we get into the pros and cons of using edibles, we first need a better understanding of edible basics.
What Are Edibles?
Edibles earn their tasty name because one needs to eat them, hence the name edible. Therefore, basically any form of cannabis that can be eaten is considered an edible. Food, treats, candy, and even drinks are all different types of edibles. However, edibles don’t grow on trees. It requires an extensive process to put cannabis inside of edibles.
Making edibles is not as simple as grinding up cannabis and putting it into your favorite food, and those who tried this likely ended up very disappointed. To put cannabis into edibles, one needs to activate the cannabis. This can be done by cooking cannabis, which activates the compounds in cannabis that cause the well-known high. However, most big-time manufacturers use a different method entirely.
These manufacturers will extract the compounds within cannabis, called cannabinoids, and turn them into an oil. This oil is far easier to work with than cannabis particles, so it is simpler to incorporate into edibles. Once they have extracted the cannabinoids, the manufacturers will mix them into all sorts of recipes for food and candy. Furthermore, using a cannabis oil makes it far easier to control the dosage in edibles.
Unlike smoking pot or using a vaporizer, taking an edible comes with a preset dosage of cannabis. The dosages can range from benign, such as 5 milligrams, all the way up to insane amounts, like 250 milligrams. One should always pay attention to the dosage before taking edibles. There are too many stories of someone unknowingly eating an entire cannabis cookie when they should have just had a slice. Before using edibles always make sure you can handle the dosage, because there is no going back. Now that we know the basics, let’s move onto the advantages of edibles.
The Advantages of Edibles: The Effects
Using edibles is vasty different than most other forms of cannabis. With most methods of using cannabis, one can instantly feel the euphoric high was over them, which is not true of edibles. Edibles take some time to kick in, and it usually takes about 1-2 hours to fully take effect. This latent high is the most unique quality of edibles and is their most essential advantage. For those making a plan around getting high, taking an edible at the right time can be the centerpiece of a great evening.
Additionally, the high from edibles last far longer than other forms of cannabis. Whereas one will usually be completely sober a couple hours after smoking a joint, the high from edibles can last for several hours. Furthermore, the peak high from smoking a joint comes immediately after finish it, but the high from an edible peaks an hour or two into the experience. Also, as one starts to come down the peak high slowly mellows out over a long period of time.
The combined effects of a latent high and a long comedown might sound unappealing to those who want to maximize the euphoric peak. However, for those who want a high to last all afternoon and into the evening, edibles are the ideal solution. Many readers might already have plenty of ideas of how to use these unique properties of edibles to their full potential, but we also have a few recommendations ourselves.
The Advantages of Edibles: Maximizing the Benefits
Edibles are best enjoyed when one plans around the high. For those who are looking for a relaxing time during a free afternoon, this applies less. However, for those who like to participate in fun activities when they are baked, edibles are the ideal solution.
For example, one of my favorite times to use edibles is when I go out to the movies. If you smoke a joint before entering the theater, the peak will have worn off long before the previews have even finished. Therefore, I like to take edibles right before I walk in. Then I can order my tickets, drinks, and locate my seat all while completely sober. Once the movie is an hour in, I fully enjoying the film and my high as they approach their climaxes in concert. For those who smoke a joint before the movie, they will be close to sober near the exciting conclusion to the film. Whenever I use cannabis when I go out to the movies, I exclusively reach for edibles.
The idea of timing a high works great with other big events. If you’re going out on the town in the evening and want to spend it baked, an edible is a perfect solution, providing a long, low-key high. If you go to a live sports event, an edible makes it easy to get to the stadium sober and stay high during three or four hour games.
The advantages of edibles are what you make of them. Edibles are perfect for planning for events but will disappoint those who want an instant high. Make sure to understand all of the advantages of edibles and use them to your benefit to stay high.