Are edibles harder than smoking marijuana?

Those new to marijuana, alcohol, grilling, and other things have a time of experimenting to learn how to find the right groove. Beer is less strong than shots, you cook chicken a little longer than beef, but there isn’t as much information about marijuana. Joints may have stronger THC, but you can control your intake immediately. Edibles are a little different. Whether edibles have a harsher impact than smoking marijuana depends on you.

Edibles are powerful and useful for all types of people, from those looking for a good time to those who want to enjoy the medicinal benefits without the smoke. Why do edibles produce such powerful highs?

While edible highs are very strong and specific, the fact that the body absorbs them differently is the best way to understand the difference between these highs and the highs that come from smoking cannabis. Two methods, two different heights, both with their advantages and disadvantages.

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Edibles are misunderstood because beginners expect a similar high to what they experienced with smoked marijuana; Occasionally you may feel anxious and stressed, but this goes away after an hour. Edible highs differ in one key way: they take a while to kick in and take even longer to fade. Dosage is crucial, even if it is difficult to control when making, purchasing, or consuming the edible.

Photo by Izabelle Acheson via Unsplash

When cannabis is absorbed through the stomach, it is metabolized by the liver. This is a slower process compared to smoked marijuana, which is absorbed through the bloodstream and takes effect in less than 20 minutes. The fact that you have to wait for the stomach to break down the edible – for the compounds to be metabolized by the liver – until they are finally absorbed into the bloodstream leads people to assume that the THC doesn’t work (the phrase “I feel nothing” is common among edible newbies, prompting them to take another dose.

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Once the edible is ingested, the THC is metabolized by the liver and converted into 11-hydroxy-THC, a compound that crosses the blood-brain barrier four times faster than THC. While many questions remain about cannabis compounds and the way they interact with our endocannabinoid system, this process could shed light on why edible highs are so much more vivid and surreal than flower highs.