Cannabis Edible Dosages Explained: How Much Is Too Much?
Proper dosing is important when consuming cannabis edibles.
In 2014, New York Times Columnist Maureen Dowd wrote an influential opinion piece entitled, “Don’t Harsh Our Mellow, Dude.”
In it, she describes a not-too-pleasant experience consuming between 5 and 6 doses of cannabis in a single sitting. It was not an “overdose,” and there was no long-term negative impact, but it wasn’t fun, either.
This wasn’t part of some grand social experiment. Maureen just wanted to cover the burgeoning legal cannabis market as directly as possible. No one had told her that the single cannabis chocolate she ate was intended to be broken up into pieces and consumed one bit at a time.
This piece of unintentional gonzo journalism became famous for the warning it carried to cannabis newcomers. Any edible product can contain as many doses of THC as the manufacturer wants. Consumers should pay close attention to product labels.
Now, many first-time cannabis users still feel anxiety about edibles. It’s not always immediately clear how much to take. The following how-to guide will help you confidently determine how much you should eat to achieve the intended effect.
A Helpful Guide to Cannabis Edible Dosages, in Milligrams
Most states require cannabis edible manufacturers to clearly state how many doses their products contain and the volume of THC they consider to be a proper dose. The second part is important because it’s necessarily subjective. What an experienced cannabis user calls a “dose” might equal several doses for a newcomer.
This is why it’s helpful for newcomers to weigh out safe dose amounts in milligrams. Understanding cannabis effects in terms of standard units of measurement is the best way to achieve the experience you’re looking for:
- 1 – 2.5 mg. This is the smallest possible dose a person can consume and still feel effects from. Most newcomers will feel perfectly comfortable starting at the higher end of this scale – around 2 mg of THC. Expect mild relief of stress and anxiety along with improved focus and creativity.
- 2.5 – 15 mg. This is what most cannabis consumers would consider a light high. It’s ideal for relieving insomnia and curbing anxiety but will also impair coordination to a small degree. Expect a sense of euphoria and slightly altered perception.
- 15 – 30 mg. This is the target for cannabis intoxication. Experienced cannabis users and medical patients will generally go for a dosage in this range. Unaccustomed consumers may get dizzy or start feeling paranoid. Your thoughts might be cloudy, and words could be difficult to articulate – but music will sound better than it ever did before.
- 30 – 50 mg. This is heavy intoxication. Medical patients with poor gastrointestinal absorption may need dosages of this level, but most recreational users won’t. At this dosage, moving, talking, and doing pretty much anything is more trouble than it’s worth. You can still listen to music, though.
- 50 – 100 mg. Extreme intoxication. Doctors may recommend this kind of dosage for people with serious medical conditions like cancer, where relieving pain and nausea is worth the trade-off in coordination, perception, and clear thinking. For a newcomer, even music will be little more than incomprehensible nonsense at this point.
If you’re planning your first foray into the world of cannabis edibles, start low and go slow. If your first small dose produces no effects in 90 minutes, you can safely take another equal dose. Wait another 90 minutes – you’ll get there.
What If I’ve Eaten Too Much?
Acute marijuana toxicity is not life-threatening, but it can be disorienting and uncomfortable. Your local hospital or poison control center may be able to help. In serious cases, doctors may administer intravenous fluids and sedatives to curb the negative effects. Other than that, there is little to do but sit and wait. You may wish to put on some relaxing music.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/04/opinion/dowd-dont-harsh-our-mellow-dude.html