A guide to cannabis edibles.

Why edibles feel different

When you swallow cannabis, it passes through your digestive system and liver before reaching your bloodstream. The liver converts some THC into 11-hydroxy-THC, a potent active compound, and more of it forms after eating cannabis than after inhaling it. Only a small share of swallowed THC reaches the bloodstream, but it arrives slowly and the effects last longer.

How long they take and last

Timing varies with your body, what you’ve eaten and the product.

How to dose

In California, an edible serving can contain no more than 10 mg of THC, and a package no more than 100 mg.

The state’s safe-use brochure suggests starting with 5 mg of THC or less and waiting at least two hours before taking more.

In a controlled study of adults who rarely used cannabis, 10 mg produced noticeable effects, while 25 and 50 mg markedly impaired thinking and coordination. Start at the low end, especially with a new product. Splitting a 10 mg gummy in half is a perfectly reasonable first dose.

Types of edibles

• Gummies are the most common. Many are 5 or 10 mg per piece, which makes them easy to portion.
• Chocolates are often scored into servings. Read how many milligrams each square contains.
• Mints and lozenges are small pieces, each with a set dose.
• Drinks: cannabis beverages are labeled per serving, and a bottle or can may hold more than one serving.
• Tinctures are liquid concentrates taken by mouth and measured with a dropper. Follow the label’s serving size.

Every edible label says “cannabis-infused” above the product name and lists THC and CBD per serving and per package.

If you take too much

According to the California Department of Public Health, signs of taking too much include trouble walking or sitting, difficulty breathing, confusion, anxiety or paranoia, and a fast heart rate. Nausea and vomiting can happen too.

• Stay somewhere safe and comfortable. Don’t drive.
• Don’t take more, and don’t add alcohol, which increases impairment.
• For advice, call California Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 (free, confidential, 24/7). Call 911 in an emergency.

Keep edibles away from children and pets

Edibles can easily be mistaken for candy. U.S. poison centers recorded more than 3,000 edible cannabis exposures in children under 6 in 2021 alone, almost all of them at home. Keep edibles in their original child-resistant packaging, locked or out of reach, and away from regular snacks. If a child eats one, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. For pets, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435.