Edibles are cannabis in edible form, such as gummies, chocolate, baked goods or drinks. Edibles work differently from cannabis that is smoked or vaped: the effect comes later, lasts longer and can be stronger than expected. Here we look at what edibles are, why the body reacts differently when cannabis is eaten and what sets THC edibles apart from CBD edibles.
Key facts
- Edibles are foods or drinks that contain cannabinoids such as THC or CBD.
- When cannabis is eaten, the effect sets in after 30 to 90 minutes, compared with a few minutes when smoked.
- The liver converts THC into 11-OH-THC, which is also psychoactive and contributes to the longer effect.
- The delay makes it easy to take too much THC, which shows up in emergency department statistics.
- CBD is not intoxicating, but CBD is also absorbed more slowly and in smaller amounts when eaten.
What are edibles?
Edibles is a collective name for food and drink that contains cannabinoids. Common examples are gummies, chocolate, cookies, brownies, coffee, tea and soft drinks. The cannabinoids are usually added as an extract or as butter or oil in which cannabis has been infused. As cannabinoids are fat-soluble, they bind easily to the fat in food.
Eating cannabis is not a new idea. In India, bhang, a drink of cannabis mixed with milk, yoghurt and spices, has been used for thousands of years. What is new are the industrially made products with a stated content, which have become common in countries where cannabis is legal, such as Canada and several US states.
Why edibles work differently from smoking
When cannabis is smoked or vaped, the cannabinoids are absorbed through the lungs and reach the blood within seconds. The effect of THC begins within a few minutes, peaks after 15 to 30 minutes and wears off after two to three hours.
When cannabis is eaten, the cannabinoids instead pass through the stomach and intestine to the liver before reaching the rest of the body. The effect only begins after 30 to 90 minutes, peaks after two to three hours and can last for four to twelve hours. A large part of the THC is broken down in the liver, and only around 4 to 12 percent reaches the blood, compared with around 10 to 35 percent when smoked.
At the same time, the liver converts some of the THC into 11-hydroxy-THC, a breakdown product that is also psychoactive. This is one of the reasons why the effect of edibles is often experienced as different and longer-lasting than when cannabis is smoked.
The risks of THC edibles
The delayed effect is the biggest risk with edibles containing THC. Someone who feels nothing after half an hour may be tempted to eat more, and when everything kicks in at once, the effect is much stronger than intended. The most common acute side effects of too high a dose are anxiety, panic attacks and a racing heart.
A study from a university hospital in Colorado reviewed cannabis-related emergency department visits between 2012 and 2016. Edibles accounted for 10.7 percent of the visits attributable to cannabis between 2014 and 2016, but for only 0.32 percent of the THC sold in the state. Visits after edibles were more often about acute psychiatric symptoms, intoxication and heart symptoms than visits after smoking. As edibles look like ordinary sweets and baked goods, there is also a risk that children or pets eat them by mistake.
CBD edibles
CBD edibles contain CBD instead of THC. CBD is not intoxicating, so the risks of a delayed effect and overdoing it are not the same. But CBD takes the same route through the stomach and liver, and is therefore also absorbed more slowly and in smaller amounts than through the lungs. If you want to read more about how CBD differs from THC and other cannabinoids, we have gathered it all in
What are cannabinoids? CBD, THC, CBG, CBN and the endocannabinoid system.
Quality also varies. When researchers bought and analysed 84 CBD products online, only 31 percent contained the amount of CBD stated on the label, and 21 percent contained THC. That is why an independent lab report matters whatever form the product takes. We explain how to read such a report in
How to read a CBD lab report (COA), step by step.
Are edibles legal?
That depends on the country. In most of Europe, THC is a controlled substance whether it is smoked or eaten, and edibles containing THC are illegal to buy, possess and sell. Some countries, such as Canada, have legalised edibles within a regulated market. Raw Hemp does not sell edibles. If you want to learn about CBD from the ground up, we have a beginner’s guide:
CBD for beginners: what it is, how it works and how to choose the right product.
Further down the page you can see our CBD oils.
What are edibles?
Edibles are food or drink that contains cannabinoids such as THC or CBD, for example gummies, chocolate, baked goods and drinks.
How long do edibles take to kick in?
According to research, the effect of THC that is eaten begins after 30 to 90 minutes and peaks after two to three hours, compared with a few minutes when smoked.
Why are edibles stronger than smoking?
The liver converts THC into 11-OH-THC, which is also psychoactive. The effect also comes later and lasts longer, which makes it easy to take too much.
Are CBD edibles intoxicating?
No. CBD is not intoxicating, but it is absorbed more slowly and in smaller amounts when eaten than when inhaled.
Are edibles legal in Europe?
Edibles containing THC are illegal in most European countries. The rules differ from country to country.
Sources
- Grotenhermen, F. (2003). Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Cannabinoids. Clinical Pharmacokinetics, 42(4), 327–360.
- Huestis, M. A. (2007). Human Cannabinoid Pharmacokinetics. Chemistry & Biodiversity, 4(8), 1770–1804.
- Monte, A. A. et al. (2019). Acute Illness Associated With Cannabis Use, by Route of Exposure. Annals of Internal Medicine, 170(8), 531–537.
- Bonn-Miller, M. O. et al. (2017). Labeling Accuracy of Cannabidiol Extracts Sold Online. JAMA, 318(17), 1708–1709.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica. Bhang.
