The Complete Cannabis Edible Dosing Guide

You've probably heard a story about someone eating an edible and then getting way too high. That's because with edibles, you need to dose them properly—meaning that you need to take enough without going overboard. That's a lot easier said than done because edibles usually come in the form of candy or other tasty snacks. However, it's important to know how to find your ideal dose, which keeps you from having any undesired effects. That's why we're going to show you how to find your dose with Delta-9 THC, Delta-8 THC, and CBD edibles. Continue reading below as we guide you through our dosing strategy.

Why Are Delta-9 THC Edibles so Strong?

Before we jump into the guide, we want to quickly talk about why edibles are so potent. Usually, when people talk about powerful edibles, they're talking about edibles loaded with Delta-9 THC. Delta-9 THC is the 'regular' form of THC or the one we all know and love. When Delta-9 THC is ingested, it goes through the digestive system. Once there, it gets processed by the intestines and then goes to the liver. At the liver, Delta-9 THC turns into 11-hydroxy-THC. That 11-hydroxy-THC is super potent and feels much stronger than regular Delta-9 THC. This, in turn, effects even experienced cannabis users much different than smoking or vaping does, and lasts much longer.

How to Dose Delta-9 THC Edibles

Keep in mind that dosage is going to be different for different people. Many things can play into dosage, like age, height, weight, gender, diet, and of course, cannabis use experience. Always start with a professionally made edible that has a known dosage. That means that there's an amount of Delta-9 THC on the package listed in milligrams (mg). Stay away from homemade edibles, which have an extremely unpredictable amount of THC, amongst many other possible undesirable things.

Small Dose

A low dose is anywhere from 1 to 5 milligrams. As a result, you'll likely feel relief from stress, anxiety, pain and may feel creative and focused. This is the perfect place to start if you're new to edibles or a little sensitive to them.

Medium Dose

An average dose is 5 to 25 milligrams of Delta-9 THC. However, you'll likely feel it a lot more in the body and feelings of euphoria. If you have a little bit of experience with edibles or definitely want to feel something, then this is the dose for you.

High Dose

A high dose is from 25 to 50 milligrams of Delta-9 THC. This dose is for seasoned edible eaters and is perfect for people who know what to expect. At this point, you'll definitely feel heavy effects of euphoria, couch-lock and will definitely be stoned.

Heroic Dose

Anything above 100 mg is considered a very heavy dose. This is only for experienced cannabis users who really want to push the limit of their edibles. If you're a beginner and take this high of a dose, you'll likely feel extremely impaired, paranoid, and completely out of space and time.

Always Start Small

Remember to always start small—really small. That's because Delta-9 THC edibles can come in waves and get stronger over time. You'll also need to wait at least two hours before taking more if you don't feel anything. Again, that's because of the digestion process.

Sometimes an edible can take hours to hit you, and if you've taken more after the initial dose, then you're in for a wild ride. If you're a little unsure about dosing a THC edible, start with 5 mg to be on the safe side.

Why Isn't Your Edible Working?

Some first time users have reported feeling no effects the first time taking an edible, but then do feel the normal effects after a second or third time taking the same edibles. So, if you don't feel the effects the first time, it may not mean you were sold bad edibles. You may just need to try a few more times before they will work normally for you. Remember, you only need to find your dose once, and then you'll know how much Delta-9 THC to take.

How to Dose CBD Edibles

CBD edibles are perfect for people who want all-day relief in a tasty, convenient form. Now that we know all about Delta-9 THC, how different is it to dose CBD? The answer is—a lot. That's because the body tolerates CBD much easier than Delta-9 THC. That means that you can take relatively large doses of CBD without any negative side effects. The great thing about CBD edibles is that they last throughout the day. That's because the CBD edible gets digested, which slowly releases the CBD throughout the day. Common CBD edible strengths like CBD gummies usually contain about 10 to 25 mg each. However, even 50 mg of CBD is easily tolerated by most people.

Difference Between CBD Edibles and Tinctures

Now you might be wondering, isn't a CBD tincture the same thing as CBD edible? While the two are similar, there is a key difference. For starters, tinctures are meant to be taken sublingually. That means the drops of CBD go under the tongue, where they're absorbed into the bloodstream. CBD edibles, on the other hand, are meant to be eaten and digested. Since tinctures are absorbed mostly under the tongue, they work quickly but don't last as long as CBD edibles. However, they do bypass the digestive tract and your stomach acid, which some believe leads to better bioavailability and overall absorption.

How to Dose Delta-8 THC

Delta-8 THC is a lot like Delta-9 THC, but it has significantly lower psychoactive properties. That means that Delta-8 THC is like THC light. The wonderful thing about Delta-8 THC is that it's much more difficult to take too much and get into a bad trip. However, taking too much Delta-8 can still get you to an uncomfortable place. That's why you need to carefully dose Delta-8 THC like Delta-9 THC—just to be on the safe side.

Start With a Quarter

If you have Delta-8 THC edibles, it's best to start with a quarter of a dose. For example, if you have 25 mg Delta-8 THC gummies, cut one gummy into four parts and eat one part.

That should give you a dose of about 6.25 mg, which is considered a low dose for Delta-8 THC. If you feel confident or think your dose is much higher, you can start with half a gummy.

Wait at least two hours before taking more because it can take a while for the Delta-8 THC to take effect, the same as with Delta-9 THC.

Find Your Dose

Now that you know how to find your dose, getting too high is a thing of the past. To make dosing even easier, you can always take CBD or Delta-8 THC edibles. If you're ready to try the best CBD and THC edibles on the market, then head on over to Simply Crafted. All of Simply Crafted's THC and CBD edibles are hand-crafted in the USA and lab-tested to ensure the best possible quality. Try Simply Crafted's CBD or THC edibles today and get the best edible experience you've ever had.

About the author: Amanda Stead is a co-founder of Simply Crafted, an industry-leading hemp brand established in 2019. With years of experience navigating the evolving cannabis landscape in Minnesota, Amanda is dedicated to bringing transparency and premium quality to the wellness community.