i've heard this question asked a million different ways: how many bowls does one cookie equal, what does one cookie feel like, will i get HIGH high from your edibles, etc... i wanted to provide a little insight into how edibles affect the body and how they affect each body differently.
some of the ways i’ve been asked this question are absolutely hilarious, BUT it is a fair question. if you’ve never eaten an edible before, or maybe had a really bad experience in high school, you might be hesitant to try an edible without knowing just how high you’re going to get. i wish i could tell you a simple answer and say “1 cookie equals 2 bowls of some loud”, but it's just not that simple. the way our bodies metabolize THC through the digestive system is vastly different than the way it is absorbed through our lungs. when you smoke weed, the high sensation hits you almost instantaneously, if not within a couple minutes. when you eat an edible it can take anywhere from 25 minutes to 3 hours for you to start feeling the effects. there are multiple factors to take into consideration when determining how long it will take you personally to get high from an edible. here is a list of things to consider:
milligrams of THC in the edible
@loudgirlgoodies edibles are typically between 20-30mgTCH. some people claim to have 100 (I’ve even seen 300) mgTHC edibles. honestly, i don’t think those people know how to do the math to figure out the dosage… but, who knows. check this Leafly article out that explores this issue in more depth. the recommended dosage by the Cannabis Control Commission (Massachusetts) is 5mgTHC. that number is pretty standard across the board.
your metabolism type
we all have different body types and shapes and that is closely related to the speed of your metabolism. i would categorize metabolism into three different categories: fast, typical, and slow. if you have a fast metabolism, you find yourself constantly hungry which causes you to eat a lot and frequently, but despite eating so many calories, you do not gain weight. if gaining weight has been a challenge for you, you likely have a high metabolism. someone with a typical metabolism probably has a pretty standard diet. they can most likely eat what they want until later in their twenties, when our metabolism naturally starts to slow down. look at your genes here; if either or both of your parents were slim/typical weight when they were younger and since have gained weight, you most likely have an average speed metabolism. if you are anything like me, where you eat a bowl of ice cream and gain 2 pounds you probably have a slow metabolism. people with a slow metabolism often struggle with maintaining a certain weight and have lower energy levels. there are ways to speed up a slow metabolism by eating certain foods and being active. with all of that being said, as you can imagine, if you have a fast metabolism, you will likely feel the edible hit sooner than I will, with my slow metabolism.
what did you eat earlier?
if anything (that will be a ride)... how hard edibles hit heavily relies on what is already in your stomach. eating an edible on an empty stomach will cause the edible to hit faster. scientists have found that eating greasy food before eating an edible will let the edible last longer and vice versa. read more about the science of that here. my way of explaining this is that the THC molecules latch onto the fat molecules. since fat stays in your digestive system longer than say simple carbs, the high will also last longer since it will have a harder time being digested.
edibles last longer than smoking
when you eat an edible, you are going to be higher for longer than if you were to smoke a joint with someone. again it goes back to your metabolism, the slower metabolism you have, the longer the edible will last. when you ingest weed, your body takes longer to be metabolized than if you were smoking it. this makes it very difficult to answer the question, “how many bowls does 1 cookie equal”, since the type and length of high is very different than smoking.
your tolerance
this one you would only know if you have smoked quite a few times in your life. i would encourage you to see how you feel compared to others next time you smoke, you can often times gauge your tolerance by comparison. you can build up a tolerance to weed, and if you smoke everyday or close to it, chances are you have a pretty high tolerance. i have built up a pretty high tolerance at this point (thanks dab pens…), but my sister who is biologically related to me has the lowest tolerance I’ve ever seen. she smokes often, but for some reason it takes her literally 2 or less hits from a joint to get to cloud 9. whereas i’m over here finishing the rest of the joint she refuses to hit and after the whole thing, i’d say i’m also on cloud 9. the same principle applies to edibles, some people have a tolerance that stays stagnant no matter how much they smoke/ingest, some people’s tolerance is fluid and can increase with use or decrease with cleanses and T breaks. really the only way to figure this one out is by trial and error.
indica vs. sativa leaning hybrids
almost every single strain is a hybrid, leaning in the indica or sativa direction. watch the Netflix series ‘Explained’ for more detailed info about that. you may already know that indica’s are more relaxing and give you more of a body high, while sativa’s are uplifting and energetic that give you a euphoric/head high. you should always ask what strain of weed was used to make the edible and then do your own research on Leafly to see what the properties of the bud are.
the amount of time it takes you to eat the edible
if you scarf the whole cookie down in one bite, there’s a good chance that when it hits, it’ll HIT. whereas if you ingest it slower, bite by bite, you will feel an escalation so slow that you might not even realize that it was happening until you reach a certain point and you ask yourself “when did I get high?” that’s my favorite way to eat an edible. i usually am cleaning or doing some other sort of work and will eat the edible bite by bite, so that in about an hour and a half (that’s the standard time for me) i will slowly start to creep up to the stratosphere and be able to put down whatever i was working on and vibe out.
these are the main players in determining how an edible will hit you.
pro tips
i have also included a couple tips if you’re new to the edible game.
start slow - underestimate your tolerance first. you’d rather not get as high as you want to than get way higher than you can handle
be patient - if you eat a 20mg cookie and don’t feel it in 20 minutes, do not reach for another one yet… this is the number one mistake newbies (yeah, you might be a newbie, it's okay) make when trying edibles for the first time. it will take time for the edible to hit you, for some it takes up to 3 hours. so be patient and log each experience with however many mgs you eat.
stay in - if it’s one of your first times trying edibles, i would suggest to stay in your place or the place of someone you trust and just have a chill night. once you know how it will affect you, you should start to venture out. i personally love to go to the ICA, the charles river, corey hill outlook and the arnold arboretum when I’m high, but know that your reaction time is slowed down when you’re high, so please be careful and aware of your surroundings.
know that you are not dying - we all have/will overdo it in our lives. you might feel really negative side effects if you get too high, such as paranoia, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, dizziness, loss of feeling, but please remind yourself that it’s just weed and you are not dying. some tips to combat a negative experience:
drink lots of water
go for a long walk, like over 30 minutes
Take a shower (not too hot)
meditate
call a friend
eat a flavorful/pungent food: ginger, garlic, jalepeño, lemon, pepper, etc.
get some fresh air
sleep it off
i really hope this blog post helps you understand edibles a little better than before. if you still have questions, you can always dm me on instagram (@loudgirlgoodies) or email me at loudgirlgoodies@gmail.com. i’m happy to answer any questions so that you can make the best decision for you when it comes to recreational cannabis.
peace and love,
carolyn
celia's music suggestion: Saturdays by Twin Shadow, HAIM
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