Why is edible marijuana more potent than smoking marijuana?

Unlike smoking a joint, edible highs are known for their intensity and vivid effects. Here's why that happens.

Cannabis edibles have quite a reputation. As you've probably heard from at least one of your friends, there are plenty of horror stories about cannabis edibles where someone takes too much and spends an entire day (or night) in a psychedelic panic. But there's also a large percentage of people who love cannabis edibles, use them regularly, and prefer them to flower and vaporizers.

Edibles are powerful and useful for all types of people, from those who want to have fun to those who want the medicinal benefits without the smoke. So why do edibles produce such powerful highs?

Photos by Danielle Guercio

While edible highs are very strong and special, the difference between these and the highs produced by smoking cannabis is best explained by the fact that the body absorbs them differently. Two methods, two different highs, both with their pros and cons.

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Edibles are misunderstood. Beginners expect a high similar to that of smoked marijuana; one that can cause anxiety and stress on occasion, but wears off after an hour. Edible highs are different in one important way: they take a while to kick in and take even longer to wear off. Dosage is key, although it can be difficult to control when preparing, buying or eating the edibles.

When cannabis is ingested through the stomach, it is metabolized in the liver. This is a slower process than 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—for them to finally be absorbed into the bloodstream leads people to assume the THC isn't working (the phrase “I don't feel anything” 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 how they interact with our endocannabinoid system, this process may shed light on why the high from edibles is so much more intense and surreal than the high from flower.